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History  of  Richmond  County  (Staten  Islan 


3   1924  028  834  673 
olin  Overs 


HISTORY 

OF 

RICHMOND  COUNTY, 

(STATEN  ISLAND) 

NEW  YORK, 

Fmm  its  Discovery  to  the  Present  Time. 


EDITED  BY 
RICHARD  M.  BAYLES. 


*'  Staten  Island  !  the  name  hath  a  charm  to  the  ear: 
'  Fair  Island  of  Beauty  ! '  '  The  Gem  of  the  Sea  ! ' 
Let  other  harps  sing  of  the  scenes  ever  dear, 
But  mine,  be  it  tuned  in  its  praises  to  thee. 

"  Thou  'rt  like  a  vast  garden  of  verdure  and  flowers- 
Spread  out  in  the  distance,  enchanting  to  view; 
With  its  green,  shady  knolls  and  luxuriant  bowers, 
Surrounded  by  waters  of  loveliest  blue." 

A  non. 


New  York: 
L.  E.  PRESTON  &  CO. 


1887. 


COPYRIGHT,  1887, 

— BY— 

L.   B.   PRESTON  &  CO. 


TOtSS  OT  J.  tti^W   P?.0B3T. 
36  MtStf  ST  ,  «*.'<. 


PREFACE. 

The  preparation  of  a  history  like  this  involves  the  employ- 
ment of  a  great  variety  of  means,  drawing  from  a  multitude  of 
sources.  The  compiler  is  frequently  obliged  to  accept  the 
statements  of  others  without  knowing  upon  what  data  those 
statements  are  made.  The  utter  impossibility  of  any  one  mau 
being  able,  during  the  brief  term  of  one  human  life,  to  go  to 
the  bottom  of  every  fact  stated  in  a  work  of  this  kind  must  be  too 
apparent  to  need  explanation.  There  are  a  hundred  ways  by 
which  errors  may  creep  in.  The  editor  can  but  use  his  best 
judgment  as  to  the  reliability  of  the  authorities  upon  which  he 
depends  for  statements,  and  his  constant  and  most  careful 
vigilance  in  guarding  against  erroneous  statements.  This  he 
has  done  in  the  preparation  of  this  work,  and  that  vigilance  has 
been  rendered  more  effective  by  the  experience  the  editor  has 
had  heretofore  in  the  preparation  of  similar  works  in  other 
fields. 

Opportunity  is  taken  here  to  make  expression  of  our  gratitude 
for  the  generous  response  with  which  requests  for  information 
have  been  met  by  the  ministers  of  the  different  churches,  the 
officers  of  different  societies,  and  others  who  were  in  possession 
of  special  information  that  was  desired,  in  general;  and  we 
would  also  make  particular  acknowledgment  of  the  valuable 
assistance  which  we  have  received  from  Dr.  James  Brownlee, 
Alfred  de  Groot,  James  McNamee,  Grovernor  G.  D.  S.  Trask, 
Sidney  F.  Rawson,  County  Clerk  C.  A.  Hart,  School  Com- 
missioner Theodore  Frean,  Professor  N.L.  Britton,  the  family  of 
the  late  Gabriel  P.  Disosway,  Dr.  Arthur  Hollick,  Hamilton 


IV  PREFACE. 

Willcox,  Ira  K.  Morris,  William  T.  Davis  and  John  H.  Gar- 
re  tson. 

The  readiness  with  which  these  gentlemen  have  answered  the 
calls  of  the  editor  for  the  assistance  that  each  could  give,  has 
encouraged  him  through  the  many  weary  months  of  labor  which 
the  preparation  of  this  volume  has  cost. 

Besides  all  the  sources  of  information  and  assistance  which 
have  been  indicated  there  are  many  others  which  have  been  laid 
under  contribution  which  we  cannot  mention  specifically.  Two 
of  the  most  important,  however,  cannot  be  justly  omitted.  These 
are  the  "  Annals  of  Staten  Island,"  compiled  by  Mr.  J.  J. 
Clute,  and  the  note  books  of  Prof.  Charles  Anthon,  both  of 
which  have  been  drawn  upon  for  whatever  they  contained  of 
sufficient  value  and  as  far  as  the  limits  of  this  volume  would 
allow.  The  copyright  of  the  former  was  purchased  from  the 
heirs  of  Mr.  Clute,  and  the  note  books  of  the  latter,  from  a  relative 
in  whose  possession  they  were.  These  were  gathered  while  he 
was  a  resident  of  the  island  and  a  professor  in  Columbia  Col- 
lege, about  1850  to  1854,  he  at  the  time  having  in  view  the  prep- 
aration of  a  history  of  the  island,  which  project  he  afterward 
abandoned.  From  these  note  books  we  have  obtained  many 
important  facts  which  have  hitherto  never  been  published,  and 
we  deem  it  especially  fortunate  that  the  books  were  discovered 
in  time  for  those  facts  to  be  embodied  in  this  work. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I.                                                 PAGE. 
Description  of  Staten  Island  (Richmond  County) 1 

CHAPTER  n. 

NATURAL  HISTOKT  OP  THE  ISLAND. 

Geology. — Flora  of  the  Island. — Animal  Life. — Indian  Relics 9 


CHAPTER  HI. 

THE  PERIOD  OF  SETTLEMENT— 1609  TO  1683. 

Discovery. — The  First  Settlement  and  the  Settlers. — Conquest  by  the  English.     38 

CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  COLONIAL  PERIOD— 1683  TO  1775. 

Erection  of  Richmond  County. — Arrival  of  Huguenots. — Division  of  Rich- 
mond into  Towns. — The  Claims  of  New  Jersey. — Patents  and  Land 
Grants. — Establishment  of  the  Colonial  Government. — Administration 
of  Justice. — The  Time  of  the  French  "War. — Colonial  Description. — 
Colonial  Customs. — Statistics 90 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE  REVOLUTIONARY  PERIOD — 1775  TO  1783. 

Events  Prior  to  the  Declaration  of  Independence. — The  Coming  of  Howe. — 
Incursions  and  Skirmishes. — The  Close  of  the  "War  and  the  Evacuation 
of  New  York  and  Staten  Island. — Incidents  of  the  Revolutionary  Period.  157 

CHAPTER  VI. 

UNDER  THE  REPUBLIC — 1788  TO  1883. 

Condition  at  close  of  Revolution. — Population.^County  Buildings. — Manners 
and  Customs. — "War  of  1813. — Extracts  from  the  Records. — TheMilitia. — 
Growth  and  Improvement.  —  Earthquakes.  —  Quarantine. — The  Civil 
War.— Some  Notable  Events 350 

CHAPTER  VII. 

CIVIL  DIVISIONS  AND  CIVIL  OFFICERS. 

The  County.— The  Towns.— The  VUlages.— Hon.  Daniel  D.  Tompkins.— Hon. 

Erastus  Brooks. — Cornelius  A.  Hart 336 


VI  TABLE    OF   CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  Vin.  PAGE. 

CHURCHES  AND  RELIGIOUS  ORGANIZATIONS. 

The  Dutch  Reformed  Churches.  —  The  Episcopal  Churches.  —  Baptist 
Churches. — Methodist  Churches. — The  Moravian  Church. — The  Roman 
Catholic  Churches. — The  Church  of  the  Huguenots. — Unitarian  Church. — 
Presbyterian  Churches. — Lutheran  Churches. — Y.  M.  C.  A 349 

CHAPTER  IX. 

EDUCATION  AND  LITERATURE. 

The  Schools  of  the  Colonial  Period. — The  Public  Schools  under  the  State 
Government. — Richmond  County  College.— Brighton  Heights  Seminary. 
— Staten  Island  Academy. — The  Natural  Science  Association. — News- 
papers.— George  William  Curtis. — John  Adams  Appleton. — The  Smith 
Family 44.5 

CHAPTER  X. 

THE  PROFESSIONS  OF  LAW  AND  MEDICINE. 

The  Bench  and  Bbt. — Henry  B.  Metcalfe. — Alvin  C.  Bradley. — Tompkins 
Westervelt. — Lot  C.  Clark. — Robert  Christie. — John  and  William  H. 
Anthon. — Theodore  C.  Vermilye. — List  of  Practising  Attorneys. — Augus- 
tus Prentice. — Richmond  County  Medical  Society. — I.  K.  Ambrose. — 
Herman  Beyer. — Alfred  L.  Carroll. — Ephraim  Clark. — Alva  D.  Decker. — 
Henry  S.  Earl. — Joseph  Feeny. — John  L.  Feeny. — R.  Henry  Colder. — 
Edwin  A.  Hervey. — George  C.  Hubbard. — Robert  M.  Ames. — F.  E.  Mar- 
tindale. — James  J.  O'Dea. — S.  A.  Robinson. — Robert  Rogerson. — Henry 
W.  Sawtelle. — Samuel  Russell  Smith. — Walker  Washington,  Jr. — J.  Wal- 
ter Wood. — Notes  of  Quarantine  Superintendence,  etc 469 

CHAPTER  XL 

OLD  FAMILIES  AND  PROMINENT  INDIVIDUALS. 

Alston. — Androvette. — Bedell. — Barnes. — Samuel  Ward  Benedict. — Read 
Benedict. — Bodine. — W.  H.  J.  Bodine. — Blake. — Bogart. — Braisted. — 
Britton. — Burbanck.  — Burgher,  Burger.  — Bush. —  Butler. — Cannon. — 
Christopher. — Cole. — Abraham  Cole. — William  A.  Cole. — Colon. — Con- 
ner.—  Corseh. — Cortelyou. —  Crips.  —  Crocheron. —  Cruser. —  Cubberly. — 
George  William  Daley. — George  Henry  Daley.^Decker. — De  Groot. — De 
Hart. — Depuy. — Disosway. — DuBois. — Dustan. —  Eddy. — Andrew  Eddy. 

—  Egbert. —  Ellis. —  Enyard. — Fountain. —  Frost.  —  Garrison. —  Guyon. — 
Hatfield. — Haughwout. — Charles  A.  Herpich.  —  Hillyer. — Holmes. — 
Housman. — Jacobson. — Johnson. — Jones. — Journeay. — La  Forge. — Lake. 

—  Larzalere.  —  Latourette.  —  Lawrence.  —  Lisk. —  Lockman.  —  Manee. — 
James  M.  Manee. — Martling. — Martino. — MerriU. — Mersereau. — Metcalfe. 

— Nicholas  C.  MiUer. — Morgan 497 

CHAPTER  XII. 

OLD  FAMILIES  AND  PROMINENT  INDIVIDUALS  (concluded). 

Ferine. — Poillon. — Post. — Prall. — AquUa  Rich. — Alfred  Z.  Ross. — Ryerss. 

Seguine. — John  G.  Seguine. — Henry  S.  Seguine. — Sharrott. — Francis  G. 
Shaw. —  Simonson. —  Stilwell. — Sprague. — Taylor. — Totten. — Ephraim  J. 
Totten. — Tyson. — Van  Buskirk,  Van  Duzer. — John  H.  Van  Clief. The 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS.  VU 

PAGE. 
Vanderbilts.— The   Van    Name    Family.— Van    Pelt.— Wandel.— Albert 
Ward.— Stephen    Whitman.— Winant.— Garrett    Ellis   Winants.— Wog- 
lom.— Wood.— Abraham    C.    Wood.— Jacob    B.    Wood.— Abraham    J. 
Wood. — Other  Families. — Eminent  Men  and  Women  of  Staten  Island . . .  563 

CHAPTER  Xm. 

CHARITIES  AND  PUBLIC  WORKS. 

The  S.  E.  Smith  Infirmary.- The  Seamen's  Fund  and  Retreat.— Home  for 
Destitute  Children  of  Seamen. — County  Poor  House. — Staten  Island  Diet 
Kitchen. —  Cemeteries. — Staten  Island  Water  Supply  Company. — The 
Crystal  Water  Works.— The  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor.— The  Police  and  Fire 
Department 641 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

MUTUAL  ASSOCIATIONS. 

Staten  Island  Athletic  Club.— Clifton  Boat  Club.— Staten  Island  Rowing 
Club. — Kill  Von  KuU  Rowing  Association. — Staten  Island  Cricket  and 
Base  Ball  Club. — German  Association. — Grand  Army  of  the  RepubUc. — 
Masonic  Societies. — Odd  Fellows'  Lodges. — Miscellaneous  Organizations.  666 

CHAPTER  XV. 

TRANSPORTATION  AND  TRAFFIC. 

The  Ferries. — Bridge  Across  the  Sound.— The  Staten  Island  Railroad. — The 
Shore  RaUroad. — North  and  South  Shore  Railroad. — The  Richmond 
County  Railroad. — The  Staten  Island  Rapid  Transit  Railroad. — Lewis 
Henry  Meyer. — Eckstein  Norton.— Roderick  W.  Cameron. — John  Frank 
Emmons. — Harry  L.  Horton. — Reon  Barnes. — Orlando  A.  Wood 678 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

INDUSTRIES. 

Agriculture. — Shipbuilding. — The  Oyster  Interests. — John  Scott. — SUas  N. 
Havens. — Edward  Lowrey  Woodruff. — Barrett,  Nephews  &  Co. — The 
New  York  Dyeing  and  Printing  Establishment. — The  Breweries. — George 
Bechtel. — Monroe  Eckstein. — B.  Kreischer  &  Sons. — Jewett  White  Lead 
Company. — Silk  Mill. — John  Irving. — Linoleum  Works. — Paper  MUl. — 
Plaster  Mill. — Dental  Supplies. — Other  Industries 702 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PORTRAITS. 

Appleton,  John  A 464 

Barnes,  Reon   699 

Barry,  John 430 

Bechtel,  George 738 

Benedict,  Read   500 

Benedict,  Samuel  W 499 

Bodine,  W.  H.  J 503 

Brooks,  Erastus 842 


Vlll  TABLE  OF   CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

Brownlee,  James   360 

Cameron,  Roderick 694 

Cole,  Abraham   514 

Cole,  William  A 516 

Curtis,  George  WiUiam    456 

Daley,  George  H 534 

Eccleston,  John  C 402 

Eddy,  Andrew 532 

Feeny,  John  L 487 

Hart,  Cornelius  A 346 

Havens,  S.N 719 

Herpich,  Charles  A 543 

Horton,  H.  L 698 

Irving,  John 738 

Kreischer,  B 734 

liCwis,  John 433 

Manee,  James  M 554 

Meyer,  Lewis  H 693 

Miller,  N.  C 561 

Norton,  Ex 693 

Prentice,  Augustus 478 

Rich,  AquiEa 566 

Robinson,  S.  A 493 

Ross,  A.  Z 568 

Scott,  John 718 

Seguine,  Henry  S 571 

Seguine,  John  G 570 

Shaw,  Francis  G 573 

Smith,  R.  Penn 466 

Tompkins,  Daniel  D 338 

Totten,  E.  J 583 

Van  Clief,  J.  H 586 

Vanderbilt,  Cornelius 588 

Vanderbilt,  Jacob  H 604 

VanderbUt,  William  H 596 

Ward,  Albert 611 

Whitman,  Stephen 614 

Winants,  G.  E 618 

Wood,  A.  J 635 

Wood,  Orlando  A 701 

Woodruff,  Edward  Lowrey 730 

VIEV\/S. 

Old  Billop  House,  looking  toward  South  Amboy Ill 

The  Old  Billop  House,  Tottenville HI 

Old  British  Fort 337 

House  of  Isaac  M.  Marsh,  formerly  used  as  the  Court  House 353 

Building  formerly  used  as  a  Clerk's  Office  and  Jail 256 

Present  Court  House  and  Jail 357 

The  Jaques  Guion  House,  New  Dorp 337 

Port  Richmond  Dutch  Reformed  Church 3g0 


TABLE  OF   CONTENTS.  IX 

PAGE. 

St.  Andrew's  Church,  Eichmond 398 

St.  John's  Church  and  Rectory 400 

Woodrow  M.  E.  Church 415 

Old  Moravian  Church  and  Parsonage 424 

Moravian  Church,  New  Dorp 426 

"  Beechlawn,"  Residence  of  Col.  R.  Penn  Smith 467 

"  Tower  Hill,"  House  of  L.  W.  Faber 468 

"  Tower  Hill,"  House  of  Mrs.  Jenny  Faber 469 

House  of  A.  L.  King,  Clifton,  N.  Y 497 

"  Ravenhurst,"  House  of  Read  Benedict 501 

The  Bame  Tysen  House 549 

The  Daniel  Lake  House 549 

St.  James  Hotel,  Port  Richmond 630 

Mt.  Loretto,  S.  1 641 

"  Arrochar,"  Residence  of  W.  W.  MacFarland 647 

Residence  of  George  W.  White 668 

Residence  of  James  M.  Davis 672 

"  Fox  HUl,"  House  of  L.  H.  Meyer 690 

Dining  Room  at  Fox  Hill 691 

House  of  Ex.  Norton 693 

Residence  of  R.  W.  Cameron 695 

"  Portledge,"  Residence  of  J.  F.  Emmons 697 

Staten  Island  Fancy  Dyeing  Works 722 

The  Old  Staten  Island  Dyeing  Establishment 736 

House  and  Stables  of  George  Bechtel 729 

Fire-Brick  Works  of  B.  Kreischer  &  Sons 732 

Residence  of  the  late  B.  KJreischer 735 

Residences  of  Charles  C.  and  Edward  B.  Kreischer 736 

The  Irving  Manufacturing  Company 739 

MAPS    AND    PLANS. 

Map  of  Richmond  County 1 

Geological  Map  of  Richmond  County 9 

Facsimile  of  Original  Patent  Granted  to  Barne  Tysen  in  1677 125 

Plan  of  Christian  Low  Dutch  Church 365 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  I. 


DESCRIPTION   OF   STATEN   ISLAND. 

(RICHMOND  COUNTY.) 


THE  first  thing  we  know  of  Staten  Island  is  its  name,  and 
we  trust  it  will  not  be  considered  out  of  place  to  intro- 
duce our  subject  by  an  explanation  of  its  name.  Its  present 
form  is  an  English  rendering  of  the  name  given  by  the  Dutch, 
"  Staaten  Eylandt."  Hudson  gave  the  name,  which  meant  the 
"Island  of  the  States,"  as  a  memorial  to  the  states  general,  under 
whose  tiag  he  was  sailing.  By  the  native  occupants  it  was 
called  "Aquehonga  Manacknong,"  and  sometimes  "Eghqua- 
hous,"  which  was  probably  only  a  slight  variation  of  the  first 
part  of  the  former.  Schoolcraft  interprets  "Aquehonga  Ma- 
nacknong," as  far  as  the  place  of  bad  woods.  The  meaning  of 
"  Eghquahous"  is  also  interpreted  the  place  of  bad  woods.  It 
is  not  easy  now  to  see  the  application  of  such  a  name,  unless 
it  was  that  the  woods  here  were  dense,  and  perhaps  filled  with 
tangled  undergrowth,  that  made  it  difiicult  to  move  through 
them  in  pursuit  of  game  or  to  secure  good  aim  upon  it. 

The  Island  lies  in  or  upon  New  York  bay,  but  closely  drawn 
to  the  New  Jersey  shore.  It  is  separated  from  the  latter  by 
Newark  bay  and  a  narrow  estuary  called  Kill  von  KuU  on  the 
north,  and  on  the  west  by  Staten  Island  sound,  which  is  crooked 
and  narrow  but  navigable  by  steamboats  and  river  craft.  The 
south  side  is  washed  by  the  waters  of  Raritan  bay.  Prince's 
bay  and  the  Atlantic  ocean,  while  the  main  seaward  channel 
of  the  Hudson  river  flows  along  its  eastern  shore.  It  lies 
centrally  in  latitude  40°  84',  and  longitude  2^  52'  east  from 
Washington,  or  74°  8'  west  from  Grreenwich.  The  center  of  the 
1 


2  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

island  is  eleven  miles  southwest  of  New  York  city,  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-three  miles  south  of  the  state  capital,  and  one 
hundred  and  ninety  miles  southwest  by  an  air  line  to  the 
national  capital. 

With  respect  to  its  surrounding  waters  we  can  approve  the 
remarks  of  J.  Fennimore  Cooper,  who  in  his  "  Water  Witch  " 
locates  a  scene  here.     He  says: 

"The  fine  estuary  which  penetrates  the  American  coast  be- 
tween the  fortieth  and  forty-first  degrees  of  latitude  is  formed 
by  the  confluence  of  the  Hudson,  the  Hackensack,  the  Passaic, 
the  Raritan  and  a  multitude  of  smaller  streams;  all  of  which 
pour  their  tribute  into  the  ocean  within  the  space  named.  The 
Island  of  Nassau  [Long  Island]  and  Staten  Island  are  happily 
placed  to  exclude  the  tempests  of  the  open  sea,  while  the  deep 
and  broad  arms  of  the  latter  offer  every  desirable  facility  for 
foreign  trade  and  internal  intercourse.'" 

Arthur  kill  separates  the  island  on  the  west  side  from  the 
New  Jersey  shore,  and  extends  from  Elizabethport  to  Perth 
Amboy.  It  is  the  grand  highway  for  all  the  local  commerce  of 
the  several  ports  and  streams  on  the  west  side  of  Staten  Island, 
as  well  as  the  inter-state  commerce  passing  south  and  west 
through  the  Delaware  and  Raritan  canal,  which  connects  the 
Raritan  river  at  New  Brunswick  with  the  Delaware  river  at 
Trenton.  This  canal  is  one  of  the  principal  links  in  the  chain 
of  internal  navigation  of  the  Atlantic  seaboard,  and  has  a 
tonnage  amounting  to  about  two  millions  annnally  passing 
through  it. 

What  may  be  said  in  regard  to  the  commerce  of  Arthur  kill 
is  equally  true  of  Kill  von  Kull,  and  perhaps  in  a  still  greater 
degree.  The  latter  extends  from  New  York  bay  to  Newark 
bay,  separating  the  north  shore  of  Staten  Island  from  the  New 
Jersey  shore  at  Bergen  Point.  Through  this  channel  must  pass 
the  great  bulk  of  the  commerce  already  mentioned  and  that  of 
Newark  bay  and  its  tributaries  in  addition. 

Neither  of  the  channels  mentioned,  however,  can  compare  in 
the  importance  of  its  commerce  with  that  of  the  channel  which 
lies  along  the  east  side  of  the  island.  That  is  the  gateway 
through  which  is  constantly  passing  the  commerce  of  our  own 
great  nation  with  all  other  nations  of  the  earth.  Thus  we  see 
Staten  Island  is  peculiarly  situated,  as  it  were  in  a  whirlpool  of 
the  commerce  of  a  hemisphere. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  3 

In  passing,  let  us  notice  the  names  of  tlie  bodies  of  water  that 
surround  the  island.  The  water  now  known  as  the  kills  was 
first  called  by  the  Dutch  "  Het  Kill  van  het  Cul,"  meaning  the 
Kill  of  the  Gul.  The  Dutch  word  "Kill"  meant  a  stream  or 
creek,  while  the  word  ''Cul,"  perhaps  borrowed  from  the 
French,  meant  a  bay.  Hence  Kill  von  Kull  was  "  the  stream  of 
the  bay,"  the  approx)riateness  of  which  name  is  seen  in  the  fact 
that  it  connects  the  two  bays  of  New  York  and  Newark. 
"  Achter  Cul,"  as  Newark  bay  was  called  by  the  Dutch,  meant 
the  '■''Back  hay.^''  The  narrow  bodj^  of  water  known  as  Staten 
Island  sound,  to  which  the  name  Arthur  kill  is  also  attached, 
was  perhaps  regarded  as  only  a  part  of  the  "back  bay,"  and 
so  the  name  of  the  larger  body,  slightly  corrupted,  was  appro- 
priated to  the  smaller  arm.  A  reef  in  the  bay  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Kill  von  Kull  was  once  frequented  by  seals,  to  which  the 
Dutch  gave  the  name  Robyn  ;  hence  the  name  "  Robyns  Rift," 
which  has  by  careless  usage  become  "  Mohbins  Reefy 

The  shores  of  the  island  are  designated  with  respect  to  the 
points  of  the  compass,  as  follows  :  The  region  from  the  Fort  to 
Billop's  point  is  called  the  South  Shore  ;  from  the  latter  point 
to  the  junction  of  the  sound  with  the  kills  is  known  as  the  West 
Side  ;  from  the  latter  point  (to  which  the  name  Rowland's  hook 
has  been  applied,  with  reference  to  the  meadows,  and  De  Hart's 
point  to  the  knoll  of  upland  which  overlooks  it)  to  where  the 
kills  meet  the  waters  of  New  York  bay  is  called  the  North 
Shore  ;  and  thence  to  the  point  of  departure  the  East  Side. 

The  shape  of  the  island  is  that  of  an  irregular  triangle.  The 
longest  line  that  can  be  drawn  through  it,  from  the  extreme 
northeastern  to  the  extreme  southwestern  point,  is  a  few  feet 
more  than  thirteen  and  a  half  miles  ;  while  the  longest  line  that 
can  be  drawn  across  it,  from  the  shore  of  the  sound  near  Buck- 
wheat island  to  the  shore  at  the  light-house  near  the  Narrows, 
is  two  hundred  feet  over  seven  and  three  fourths  miles.  It  con- 
tains about  seventy-seven  square  miles,  or  49,280  acres. 

The  topography  of  the  island  corresponds  in  general  with 
that  of  Long  Island,  being  in  the  northern  part  hilly  and  stony, 
and  in  the  southern  part  flat  and  sandy.  But  in  detail  the  sur- 
face is  more  diversified.  The  island  may  justly  claim  attention 
for  the  beauty  of  its  landscapes,  presenting,  as  they  do,  so  many 
mutations  in  character,  through  high,  boldly  precipitous  Mid- 
dletown,-  diversified   Castleton,  gently    undulating  Westfield, 


4  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

rolling  Northlield,  and  low,  more  or  less  flat  and  marshy  South- 
field.  Two  prominent  ranges  of  hills  extend  partially  across 
the  island,  in  different  directions,  one  being  near  the  eastern 
shore  and  touching  it  at  both  ends.  This  extends  from  New 
Brighton,  on  the  northeastern  extremity,  where  it  reaches  an 
elevation  of  310  feet,  and  sweeping  inland  behind  Tompkinsville 
and  Stapleton,  comes  out  again  upon  the  shore  of  the  Narrows, 
with  such  precipitous  form  as  to  suggest  the  name  of  Clifton. 
The  second  may  be  said  to  commence  to  the  south  and  just  in  the 
rear  of  West  New  Brighton,  and  extends  southward,  rising  as 
it  advances,  till  it  nearly  reaches  New  Dorp,  when  it  swerves 
away  to  the  westward  and  settles  down  again  on  the  shores  of 
the  Fresh  kill.  This  reaches  its  greatest  height  in  Toad  or  Todt 
hill,  which  has  an  elevation  of  370  feet  above  tide.  Still  farther 
west  it  makes  a  prominent  elevation  in  Richmond  Hill.  At 
La  Tourette's  hill,  still  farther,  it  overlooks  the  village  of  Rich- 
mond, and  there  you  gaze  far  away  over  green,  wooded,  rolling 
Westfield,  while  Fresh  kill  runs  at  its  base,  nearly  dividing  the 
island  in  two. 

To  the  southeast  of  this  hilly  region,  which  by  the  way  may 
be  described  as  covering  the  northeast  quarter  of  the  island,  is 
a  level,  and  probably  alluvial,  tract  of  country,  composed  of 
upland  and  salt  meadow  extending  to  the  ocean,  where  it  is 
designated  as  the  south  shore.  To  the  northwest  of  the  "hill 
country"  the  surface  is  undulating,  gradually  declining  to 
level  upland  and  salt  meadows.  Almost  every  farm  in  the 
county  is  furnished  with  several  acres  of  this  meadow,  from 
which  large  quantities  of  grass  are  annually  taken  without  any 
expense  for  fertilizing  or  renewing. 

The  island  is  well  watered  with  springs,  some  of  them  very 
copious,  and  all  of  them  affording  water  of  excellent  quality. 
These  are  the  sources  of  numerous  rivulets  and  brooks  which 
irrigate  the  surface  in  all  directions.  At  Springville,  on  the 
western  part  of  the  island  these  native  waters  burst  from  the 
soil  in  such  spontaneous  abundance  as  to  suggest  a  name  for 
the  locality.  The  water  of  these  springs  is  very  cold  and  pure. 
Their  value  in  the  arts  has  been  discovered  by  the  proprietors 
of  several  large  breweries  and  dye  works  as  well  as  by  the 
projectors  of  public  water  works.  On  this  subject  the  fol- 
lowing extract  from  the  report  of  investigations  made  in  1876 
by  Mr.  Clarence  Delafield,   C.  E.,  in  regard  to   the  available 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOKD  COUNTY.  5 

sources  of  water  supply  for  the  village  of  New  Brighton,  will 
be  found  very  interesting: 

"  West  of  Port  Richmond  and  GraniteviUe  lies  a  sandy  sur- 
face soil;  under  this  is  an  impervious  clay  of  considerable 
depth,  under  which  again  is  a  stratum  of  gravel  that  extends 
Avestward  under  the  sound  into  New  Jersey  for  a  long  distance. 
This  gravel  is  the  storage  reservoir  for  the  drainage  of  an  im- 
mense district.  Springs  bi^eak  out  at  or  near  tide  water  in  large 
numbers  in  Mariners'  Harbor.  At  Singer's  factory  in  Eliza- 
bethport,  the  well  that  furnishes  the  factory  is  sunk  through 
this  clay  stratum  to  the  gravel,  and  furnishes  a  large  volume  of 
water.  I  feel  confident  that  an  ample  supply  can  be  found  in 
this  region  for  pumping. 

"  The  geological  formation  is  peculiar.  Prom  the  Palisades 
on  the  Hudson  river,  the  trap  rock  is  seen  running  in  a  south- 
westerly direction,  generally  depressed  as  it  passes  under 
Bergen  hill,  thence  passing  under  Bergen  Point  and  the  Kill 
von  Kull,  emerging  at  the  water  side  of  Jewett's  residence, 
Port  Richmond,  passing  thence  to  the  quarries  at  Graniteville, 
and  from  there  dipping  under  the  Fresh  kill,  is  lost  sight  of 
until  discovered  on  the  Raritan  river  between  Perth  Amboy 
and  New  Brunswick.  West  of  this  line  lies  the  white  and  blue 
clays  of  various  depths,  forming  impervious  strata,  covering 
the  water  bearing  gravel. 

"East  of  the  line  of  trap  described  is  another  step  of  the 
same  rock,  noticed  at  Bergen  Point,  at  Gunther's  residence,  but 
only  found  on  the  island,  in  digging  wells  just  east  of  the  Pond 
road. 

"  Between  the  Pond  and  Mill  roads  there  is  a  depression  of 
the  rock,  and  wells  forty  feet  in  depth  pass  through  a  stratum 
of  water-proof  clay  into  a  stratum  of  gravel,  the  reservoir  of 
drainage  of  the  surface  above  of  limited  area,  the  water  rising 
and  falling  with  the  rains,  and  often  chalybeate  in  taste  from 
the  deposits  of  hematite  iron  in  the  hills  above. 

"  East  of  this  line  and  at  many  points  the  serpentine  rock 
comes  to  the  surface,  and  on  Todt  hill  rises  to  an  altitude  of 
about  370  feet  above  tide-water.  Below  the  serpentine  rock 
should  occur  the  carboniferous  strata  and  old  red  sandstone, 
also  the  Silurian  rock  overlaying  the  gneiss  and  granite.  I  be- 
lieve that  the  serpentine  rock  rests  upon  the  gneiss  rock,  the 
usual  intermediate  rock  being  absent,  and  the  reason  for  this 


6  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

belief  is  that  the  gneiss  rock  of  New  York  city  is  observed 
dipping  under  the  bay,  rising  to  form  Robin's  Reef,  and  ex- 
tending west  to  the  beacon  opposite  New  Brighton,  probably 
passing  under  Staten  Island  at  the  same  rate  of  dip. 

"As  the  result  of  observation  of  American  and  European 
engineers,  the  magnesian  limestones  are  prolific  water  bearing 
rocks,  and  the  primitive  gneiss  liable  to  fissures  and  stratifica- 
tion leading  from  great  distances  and  bearing  water  of  great 
purity.  The  granite  from  its  freedom  from  fissures  or  strata, 
and  irregular  contour  may  form  good  basins,  but  rarely  carries 
water  far.  Geology  is  by  rio  means  an  exact  science,  as  far  as 
determining  without  exjperimental  examination  the  probable 
strata  or  their  water  bearing  conditions,  but  the  above  men- 
tioned conditions  are  an  assistance  in  an  intelligent  considera- 
tion of  the  subject  now  under  investigation. 

"  I  find  by  observation,  that  there  is  a  series  of  admirable 
springs  commencing  at  the  famous  Hessian  springs,  near  La- 
fayette and  Brighton  avenues,  below  Silver  lake;  also  the  Be- 
ment  boiling  springs,  then  various  lesser  springs,  to  the  large 
springs  at  the  Four  Corners  or  Constanz  brewery,  and  so  on 
to  the  Willow  brook  and  down  to  Springville.  I  have  esti- 
mated, and  find  the  amount  of  water  discharged  is  vastly  in 
excess  of  any  surface  drainage  on  the  higher  grounds  of  the 
island  adjacent,  and  am  thus  led  to  the  belief  that  these  springs 
arise  from  the  rock  below,  and  have  their  source  on  hills  far 
distant." 

The  climate  of  the  island  is  subject  to  frequent  and  sudden 
changes  of  temperature,  but  is  generally  more  mild  than  that 
of  other  localities  in  the  same  latitude  farther  away  from  the  sea- 
shore. The  mercury  varies  during  the  year  between  ninety  de- 
grees and  zero,  very  seldom  passing  either  of  these  extremes. 
The  prevailing  winds  of  winter  are  from  the  north  or  northwest. 
In  summer  the  south  shore  receives  a  breeze  from  the  ocean  al- 
most daily,  and  southwest  winds  prevail  throughout  the  island. 
Being  surrounded  by  salt  water  the  island  is  naturally  subject 
to  fogs,  especially  about  the  shores,  though  they  seldom  pene- 
trate far  into  the  interior.  They  are  prevalent  toward  spring 
and  continue  to  occur  at  times  until  June  or  July  and  occasion- 
ally at  other  seasons.  Thunder  showers  in  summer  sometimes 
suddenly  arise  in  the  north  and  are  wafted  over  the  island   on 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  7 

heavy  gusts  of  wind,  and  are  occasionally  accompanied  by  a 
fall  of  hail  stones. 

The  island  has  long  been  celebrated  for  the  salubrity  of  its 
climate,  except  perhaps  for  affections  of  the  lungs  and  throat. 
There  are  few  localities  on  the  continent  where  the  number  of 
instances  of  extreme  longevity  in  proportion  to  the  population 
can  be  equalled,  many  of  them  being  more  than  centenarians. 
To  show  that  the  healthfulness  of  the  northern  part  was  recog- 
nized we  quote  from  an  announcement  in  1788 as  follows:  "The 
healthy  and  clear  westerly  breezes  on  the  one  side,  and  the 
thick  southerly  atmosphere,  abstracted  by  a  ridge  of  hills  on 
the  other  side,  make  it  so  healthy  that  it  must  induce  gentle- 
men of  fortune  to  purchase,  who  wish  to  lengthen  out  their 
days  and  enjoy  all  the  temporal  happiness  this  life  can  afford." 

Some  very  cold  winters  have  been  recorded  in  t/he  climatic 
history  of  the  island.  That  of  1740-41  was  unusually  severe. 
Whenever  alluded  to  it  was  spoken  of  as  the  "hard  winter." 
Its  extraordinary  severity  continued  from  the  middle  of  No- 
vember to  the  end  of  March.  Snow  fell  to  the  depth  of  six  feet 
on  the  level;  fences  were  buried  out  of  sight:  domestic  animals 
were  housed  during  the  whole  period,  and  many  of  them  per- 
ished: intercourse  between  neighbors  was  suspended  for  several 
weeks;  physicians  were  not  able  to  reach  their  patients  because 
of  the  utterly  impassible  condition  of  the  roads;  many  families 
Suffered  for  want  of  bread  while  their  granaries  were  filled  with 
grain,  because  the  mills  were  inaccessible;  the  roofs  oi  dwell- 
ings and  out-buildings  in  many  cases  were  crushed  by  the 
weight  of  snow  upon  them;  churches  remained  closed  and  the 
dead  unburied.  At  length  a  day  or  two  of  moderate  weather 
came  and  with  a  light,  misty  rain,  softened  the  surface  of  the 
snow,  which  froze  hard  again,  and  formed  a  solid  crust  suffi- 
ciently firm  to  bear  the  weight  of  a  horse.  This  for  a  time  af- 
forded great  relief  to  the  imprisoned  people,  and  enabled  them 
to  procure  fuel  and  other  necessaries.  Again,  the  winter  of 
1761,  beginning  with  January,  was  an  exceedingly  cold  one, 
continuing  until  March,  meanwhile  the  Narrows  were  frozen 
over.  Another  severe  winter  was  that  of  1768.  Ten  years  later 
brought  a  recurrence  of  climatic  severity,  of  which  the  follow- 
ing record,  dated  December  12,  1788,  gives  us  a  hint: 

"  The  intense  cold  weather  has,  within  these  two  days  occa- 
sioned the  quick-silver  in  the  weather  glass  to  fall  four  degrees 


8  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COCTSTTT. 

lower  than  has  been  observed  for  the  last  seven  years;  several 
ships,  &c.,  and  many  lives  have  been  lost  by  the  monstrous 
bodies  of  ice  floating  in  our  Bay." 

But  perhaps  one  of  the  most  memorable  winters  for  its  sever- 
ity was  that  of  1779-80.  The  waters  surrounding  the  island 
were  then  firmly  frozen  over,  so  that  troops,  cannon  and  mili- 
tary stores  of  all  descriptions  were  conveyed  hither  from  New 
York  on  the  ice.  Sleighs  were  driven  across  the  Narrows  and 
over  New  York  bay  on  the  ice.  A  New  York  paper  {Rhnng- 
ton' s  Gazette)  of  January  29  has  an  item  saying  that  several 
persons  came  from  Staten  Island  to  New  York  that  day  over 
the  ice,  and  on  the  first  day  of  January  it  records  the  fact  that 
a  four-horse  sleigh  made  the  same  passage. 


EXPLANATION 


A    A    A    A   A     A 
^A     A    A  A     A    A 
A^    A     A    A    A 


UPPER 
B  A  V. 


Robbin's 


ArehefiH  Serpentine, 


vwvvv  Vy 

y  V  V  V  Vy  V 


CHAPTER  11. 


NATURAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  ISLAND. 


Geology, — Flora  of  the  Island. — Animal  Life. — Indian  Eelics. 


IN  the  matter  of  geology  Staten  Island  presents  a  great 
variety  for  so  small  a  section  of  territory.  For  our  repre- 
sentations of  the  subject  we  have  drawn  largely  upon  the  facts 
gathered  by  the  investigations  of  Dr.  N.  L.  Britton,  of  Columbia 
College.  He  tells  us  that  within  the  limits  of  this  territory  we 
find  strata  of  the  Archaean,  Triassic,  Cretaceous,  Quaternary  and 
Modern  eras,  each  of  which  will  be  noticed  in  the  order  of 
its  age. 

ArchcBan  Strata. — True  granite  occurs  on  the  shore  of  the 
Upper  bay,  about  four  hundred  feet  southwest  of  the  Tompkins- 
ville  steamboat  landing,  and  directly  in  front  of  the  old  build- 
ing known  as  Nautilus  Hall.  The  surface  of  rock  exposed  at 
low  tide  is  about  eighty  feet  wide  by  fifty  feet  long;  the  rock 
disappearing  at  high-water  mark  beneath  a  hill  of  drift  some 
fifteen  feet  in  thickness.  More  of  the  same  rock  is  exposed 
about  two  hundred  feet  south  of  this.  Elsewhere  on  the  island 
the  granite  is  covered  by  newer  formations.  There  is  reason  to 
believe,  however,  that  it  extends  in  a  belt  of  unknown  width 
all  around  the  eastern  edge  of  the  main  range  of  hills,  covered 
by  the  glacial  drift  and  Cretaceous  strata  to  an  unknown  depth, 
and  that  the  same  belt  continues  in  a  southwesterly  direction  to 
Arthur  kill,  and  thence  across  the  state  of  New  Jersey  to 
Trenton,  where  it  again  comes  to  the  surface. 

At  the  exposure  at  Tompkinsville  before  spoken  of,  this 
granite  is  very  coarsely  crystalline  in  structure,  and  for  that 
reason  could  never  be  very  satisfactorily  employed  for  building 
purposes.  The  feldspar  is  mainly  orthoclase,  occurs  in  large 
masses,  and  is  greatly  in  excess  of  the  other  two  constituents; 
the  quartz  varies  in  color  from  dark  brown  to  nearly  white; 
what  mica  there  is  appears  to  be  muscovite.  In  places  the  last 
named   mineral  is  absent,  the  rock   being  then  a  kind  of  peg- 


10  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.- 

matite  or  graphic  granite.  Xo  stratification  is  observable,  biat 
the  surface  of  the  rock  outcrop  dips  about  fifteen  degrees  to  the 
east.  Mather  calls  this  granite  primary,  and  to  the  best  of  our 
present  knowledge  it  belongs  to  the  oldest  geological  formation 
in  North  America. 

The  magnesian  rocks,  serpentines,  form  the  upper  portion  at 
least  of  the  main  series  of  hills.  This  rock  originally  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  of  very  considerable  thickness,  for  a  large 
amount  must  have  been  removed  by  erosion;  the  serpentine 
area  is  estimated  at  about  thirteen  and  a  half  square  miles.  It 
is  impossible  to  estimate  accurately  the  loresent  thickness,  but 
it  is  probably  over  one  hundred  feet.  The  most  eastern  exposed 
boundary  of  the  serpentine  rock  is  marked  by  a  series  of  very 
sharp  slopes,  which  are  nearly  continuous  from  Tompkinsville 
to  Richmond,  and  in  some  places  these  are  as  straight  and 
regular  as  they  could  be  constructed.  This  regularity  of  the 
slope  is  a  characteristic  of  these  hills,  and  is  not  the  least 
element  of  their  beauty.  It  is  not  known  how  far  east  of  the 
foot  of  these  hills  the  serpentine  extends,  but  it  is  probably  no 
great  distance,  as  the  granite  at  Tompkinsville  occurs  within  a 
few  hundred  feet  of  it.  The  southern  end  of  the  ridge  descends 
rather  gradually  and  is  lost  under  the  Freshkill  marshes  not  far 
from  Richmond.  The  western  boundary  of  the  formation,  or 
more  properly  the  eastern  limit  of  the  Triassic  sandstone  which 
rests  upon  it,  cannot  be  accurately  located,  as  there  are  no  out- 
crops, and  any  attempt  to  designate  it  would  be  speculative 
and  only  approximate. 

The  magnesian  rock  varies  in  color  from  light  green  to  nearly 
black,  and  in  texture  from  compact  to  quite  earthy,  much  of  it 
being  fibrous.  Its  specific  gravity  is  about  2.55,  and  in  chemi- 
cal composition  it  is  all  a  hydrated  magnesian  silicate.  The 
best  exposures  are  at  several  places  around  the  base  of  Pavilion 
hill  at  Tompkinsville;  in  cuttings  for  streets  in  the  village  of 
JSTew  Brighton;  near  the  school  house  atGarretson's  station;  on 
Meissner  avenue  near  Richmond,  and  near  Egbertville.  The 
highest  point  of  the  ridge  is  nearly  opposite  Garretson's  sta- 
tion, and  about  half  way  across  the  hills,  where  the  elevation 
measured  by  an  aneroid  barometer  is  four  hundred  and  twenty 
feet.  Among  the  interesting  minerals  associated  with  the  ser- 
pentine rocks  that  have  been  collected  at  Pavilion  hill  and  in 
New  Brighton  are  compact  and  fibrous  serpentines,  marmolite. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  11 

silvery  talc,  apple  green   talc,  gurhofite,  dolomite,  calcite  and 
chromite. 

Near  the  new  railroad  terminus  at  St.  George's  there  was 
formerly  an  outcrop  of  very  tough  actinolite  rock.  This  has 
been  covered  by  the  filling  in  of  the  water-front  at  that  place. 

The  metamorphic  rocks  of   Staten  Island  are  apparently  a 
southern  continuation  of  those  of  Hoboken,  JST.  J.,  and  New 
York  island,  their  strike,  position  with  regard   to   the  other 
rocks,  and  their  composition  being  generally  alike  or  nearly  so. 
The  serpentines  are  supposed  to  have  been  originally  highly 
magnesian  limestones  which  by  metamorphic  agencies   were 
brought  in  contact  with  highly  heated  carbonic  acid  and  silica 
bearing  solutions,  which,  by  removing  the  greater  part  of  the 
calcic  carbonate  and  altering  the  magnesic  carbonate  to  a  sili- 
cate, left  the  rocks  in  the  condition  of  hydrated  magnesian  sili- 
cates.    During  or  at  the  close  of  this  period  of  metamorjphism, 
the  eastern  edges  of  the  strata  were  tilted  up,  forming  an  ele- 
vated axis,  while  the  extension  of  the  formation  to  the  west- 
ward was  subsequently  covered  by  the  shale  and  sandstone 
deposited  from  the  Triassic  sea. 

The  true  geological  age  of  this  belt  of  metamorphic  rocks, 
which  runs  through  Staten  and  New  York  islands,  extends  far 
northward  through  the  New  England  states,  where  it  has  a 
wide  expansion,  and  has  been  traced  southward  as  far  as  North 
Carolina,  is  not  definitely  known.  Perhaps  of  all  the  theories 
in  regard  to  it,  that  which  claims  it  to  belong  to  the  Laurentian 
age,  as  portions  of  the  Highlands  of  New  Jersey  and  the  Adi- 
rondack mountains,  is  the  one  most  generally  held  by  those 
who  have  studied  the  evidences  most  thoroughly. 

Triassic  Formation. — Strata  of  the  Triassic  age  extend  over 
the  parts  of  the  island  bounded  by  the  assumed  western  edge 
of  the  serpentine  rocks,  the  submerged  gneissic  belt,  Arthur 
kill  and  Newark  bay.  This  area  contains  about  fourteen  and 
a  half  square  miles.  The  rucks  consist  of  red  ferruginous  shales 
and  sandstones,  which  dip  to  the  northwest,  and  are  broken 
through  by  a  dyke  of  diabase  or  trap  rock.  They  are  in  part 
the  eastern  extension  of  the  Triassic  strata  that  cover  so  large  a 
part  of  New  Jersey. 

The  shales  and  sandstones  are  exposed  in  but  few  places  and 
only  in  small  quantities.  They  appear  on  Shooter's  island  and 
on   the   adjacent  shore.     Here  the   strata  consist  of  shaly  red 


12  HISTORY  or  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

micaceous  sandstone,  which  differs  in  no  essential  particular 
from  that  so  abundantly  exposed  in  eastern  New  Jersey.  No 
fossils  have  hitherto  been  found  in  these  rocks  on  Staten  Island, 
and  the  exposed  surfaces  are  not  sufficient  to  warrant  any  great 
expenditure  of  time  or  labor  in  search  for  them. 

The  diabase  ridge  that  disappears  beneath  the  Kill  von  Kull 
at  Bergen  Point  cuts  through  the  red  sandstone  of  Staten  Island 
from  Port  Richmond  to  the  Freshkill  marshes,  and  appears  as 
a  low,  long,  round-backed  hill,  having  a  general  strike  of  south 
40  degrees  west,  thus  being  nearly  parallel  with  the  serpentine. 
Toward  the  south  end  its  elevation  is  so  little  above  that  of  the 
sandstone  that  its  position  cannot  be  well  distinguished.  The 
length  of  this  outcrop  is  about  five  and  three-quarters  miles, 
and  its  width,  measuring  from  its  assumed  eastern  verge  to 
where  the  sandstone  covers  it,  has  an  average  of  less  than  half 
a  mile.  Both  the  eastern  and  western  boundaries,  however,  are 
so  much  obscured  by  drift  that  their  exact  positions  cannot  be 
determined,  and  the  outcrop  may  be  wider  or  narrower  than 
the  most  careful  estimate  would  lead  us  to  suppose. 

The  only  places  at  which  the  diabase  is  exposed  so  as  to  be 
easily  studied  are  at  and  near  the  so-called  granite  quarries  at 
Graniteville  and  near  Port  Eichmond.  The  rock  is  not  a  gran- 
ite, but  a  coarsely  crystalline  diabase,  mainly  composed  of 
angite  and  triclinic  feldspar,  which  is  probably  labradorite.  It 
has  been  found  in  well-digging  within  the  belt  that  has  been 
indicated,  extending  from  Fort  Richmond  to  the  Fresh  kill  near 
its  junction  with  the  sound,  in  the  water  at  Linoleumville,  and 
in  outcrops  near  Chelsea,  on  the  road  to  Springville.  It  is 
noticeable  here,  as  in  other  localities,  that  the  trap-dykes  seem 
to  shun  the  exposed  Archsean  rocks  and  cling  closely  to  the 
Triassic,  none  being  found  outside  of  the  red  sandstone  era. 

The  Cretaceous  -Formation.— This,  more  or  less  covered  by 
glacial  and  modified  drift  and  salt  meadows,  extends  through 
all  points  of  the  island  lying  east  and  southeast  of  the  Archsean 
rocks.  The  area  underlaid  by  it  is  therefore  about  twenty-eight 
and  a  half  square  miles.  The  strata  consist  of  beds  of  variously 
colored  clays  and  sands,  dipping  slightly  to  the  southeast,  and 
having  a  general  strike  of  about  south  45  degrees  west.  They 
are  a  direct  continuation  of  the  "Plastic  Clay"  division  of  the 
Cretaceous,  so  named  by  the  New  Jersey  geologists,  and  lie  at 
the  base  of  the  formation  in  eastern  North  America. 


IIXSTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  13 

South  of  the  terminal  glacial  moraine,  the  strata  are  generally 
covered  by  a  deposit  of  grayish  yellow  sand  and  gravel  of  vari- 
able thickness,  known  as  the  "  Yellow  Drift."  This  is  seen  on 
the  island  only  in  the  vicinity  of  Tottenville,  for  the  area  lying 
soiitheast  olthe  moraine  near  New  Dorp  and  Grarretson's  is  cov- 
ered with  modified  drift,  imjperfectly  stratified.  These  Creta- 
ceous strata  of  clay  and  sand  extend  eastward  to  Long  Island, 
where  their  extent  is  unknown.  The  clays  are  white,  yellow, 
brown  or  black.  They  appear  on  the  surface  at  a  number  of 
places,  and  the  purer  varieties  have  been  extensively  used  in 
the  manufacture  of  fire-brick,  drain-pipe,  gas-retorts  and  other 
refractory  ware.  White  clays  outcrop  on  the  road  just  north  of 
Rossville,  at  various  places  south  of  Rossville  and  near 
Kreischerville,  along  a  stream  near  Prince's  bay.  They  have 
been  noticed  near  Gilford's,  and  are  said  to  occur  at  the  bottom 
of  a  well  near  New  Dorp,  and  perhaps  may  be  found  in  other 
localities. 

The  extension  of  this  formation  to  the  east  is  indicated  by  an 
outcrop  of  buff-colored  clay  on  the  shore  of  the  Lower  bay 
about  one-half  mile  south  of  the  Elm-Tree  light-house.  The 
fact  that  all  the  pits  from  which  clay  has  been  taken  are  in  the 
region  between  Rossville  and  Kreischerville  does  not  prove  by 
any  means  that  clay  occurs  only  in  that  neighborhood.  It  is 
probable,  on  the  contrary,  that  the  beds  extend  with  some  inter- 
ruptions, across  the  island,  but  are  deeply  covered  by  the  drift- 
hills  of  the  moraine,  and  materials  washed  from  these  which 
cover  all  the  territory  assumed  to  be  underlaid  by  the  clays, 
except  that  portion  where  pits  have  been  excavated. 

Thin  beds  of  Limonite  iron  ore,  of  limited  extent  are  found  in- 
terstratified  with  and  overlaying  the  clays  and  sands.  This  sub- 
stance frequently  cements  the  sand  and  gravel,  and  forms  a  con- 
glomerate of  variable  coarseness.  Hitherto  this  iron  ore  has 
not  often  been  discovered  in  suflBcient  quantities  or  sufficient 
purity  to  warrant  its  use  in  the  manufacture  of  iron.  Lignite 
and  pyrites  are  frequently  found  in  the  clay  excavations.  The 
former  substance  may  also  be  seen  on  the  shore  of  Arthur  kill, 
near  Rossville,  aud  in  a  ravine  a  short  distance  northeast  of  the 
same  village,  after  slides  of  the  banks  occur.  It  is  generally 
impregnated  with  the  pyrites,  and  with  copperas  which  mani- 
fests itself  upon  exposure  to  the  air  for  a  little  time.  No  fossil 
leaves  or  shells  have  been  found  in  the  clays  of    the  island. 


14  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

though  it  is  not  improbable  that  thej'  may  be  found  in  more 
extended  excavations  than  have  been  made. 

As  these  beds  are  composed  of  fragments  of  quartz,  mica  and 
clay,  or  decomposed  feldspar,  it  is  evident  that  they  are  the 
products  of  the  disintegration  of  gneissic  or  granitic  rocks. 
That  they  have  not  been  formed  in  place,  but  have  been  de- 
posited from  suspension  in  water,  is  proved  from  their  stratifi- 
cation and  by  the  assorted  state  of  the  materials  composing 
them.  That  the  waters  that  deposited  the  clays  were  fresh,  is 
indicated  by  the  absence  of  fossil  marine  organisms,  and  the 
presence  of  shells  apparently  allied  to  the  modern  fresh-water 
genera,  in  the  clays  of  New  Jersey. 

The  Quaternary  Epoch. — Deposits  of  material  brought  from 
the  north  by  the  ice  of  the  glacial  epoch,  are  found  distributed 
over  the  greater  part  of  the  island,  but  do  not  entirely  over- 
spread it.  The  most  southern  terminal  glacial  moraine  crosses 
the  island  from  the  Narrows  to  Tottenville,  and  is  distinctly 
marked  by  a  continuous  line  of  hills.  These  hills  mark  the 
farthest  southern  extension  of  the  ice-sheet,  and  the  line  along 
which  the  glacier  deposited  much  of  its  burden  of  boulders, 
pebbles,  sand  and  clay,  which  it  had  torn  from  the  rocks  in  its 
southward  journey.  In  many  places  these  hills  have  the  pecu- 
liar lenticular  form  which  they  assume  on  Long  Island  and  in 
the  Eastern  states.  The  moraine  has  been  partially  removed 
by  the  wash  of  the  waves  from  Prince's  bay  northward  to  near 
the  Great  kills,  leaving  a  bluff  of  variable  height. 

The  glacier  moved  across  the  island  in  a  south-southeasterly 
direction.  This  is  proved  by  the  markings  on  the  trap-rock 
near  Port  Richmond,  which  have  about  that  bearing.  The  sur- 
face of  this  rock  is  also  smoothed  like  portions  of  the  Palisades 
and  Newark  mountains.  There  are  no  such  markings  on  the 
serpentine  rocks,  because  they  are  too  soft  to  retain  them.  The 
ice  extended  over  their  whole  area,  however,  with  the  exception 
of  a  small  area  on  Todt  hill,  which  is  east  of  the  moraine. 
North  and  west  of  the  morainal  hills  the  drifi  is  not  so  abund- 
ant, and  rarely  forms  hills  of  any  considerable  size.  But 
boulders  are  to  be  found  over  all  thi§  area,  except  when  it  is 
covered  by  newer  formations  and  the  soil  is  often  very  clayey. 

Diabase  of  various  degrees  of  coarseness  is  the  most  abundant 
rock  in  the  drift.  This  has  been  carried  from  the  Palisades 
and  the  Newark  mountains,  and  probably  in  part   from   the 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  15 

trap-dyke  on  the  island  itself,  and  is  found  over  the  whole  drift 
area.  Gneiss  of  various  kinds,  largely  syenitic,  is  perhaps  the 
next  most  abundant  rock,  and  occurs  often  in  very  large  masses. 
One  of  these  large  boulders  rests  directly  on  the  top  of  Fort 
hill,  New  Brighton;  another  along  a  roadside  near  Pleasant 
Plains,  and  a  third  worthy  of  notice  lies  in  a  field  near 
Huguenot. 

Moderately  large  boulders,  both  of  trap  and  gneiss,  abound 
on  the  moraine  between  the  Narrows  and  Garretson's.  The 
gneiss  has  come  either  from  the  New  Jersey'  Highlands  or  from 
much  farther  northward,  and  perhaps  in  part  from  New  York 
island.  Triassic  red  sandstone,  carried  from  New  Jersey  or 
from  the  northwestern  parts  of  the  island,  is  often  met  with. 
A  specimen  impregnated  with  copper  salts  was  obtained  from 
the  bluff  at  Prince's  bay.  This  locality  has  j'ielded  many  other 
interesting  specimens  illustrating  the  material  brought  by  the 
glacier.  Among  these  may  be  mentioned  Potsdam  sandstone, 
a  number  of  rocks  of  Helderberg  limestone,  a  specimen  of 
granite  containing  graphite,  a  cherty  rock  which  may  belong  to 
the  Corniferous,  and  a  conglomerate  of  uncertain  age,  but 
thought  to  be  of  the  Oneida  epoch.  A  boulder  of  Hamilton 
limestone  occurs  near  Richmond,  and  a  rock  containing  galena 
was  found  in  some  excavations  near  New  Brighton. 

It  is  evident  that  the  ice-sheet  passed  entirely  over  the  clay- 
beds  of  the  Cretaceous  formation  in  the  vicinity  of  Rossville, 
apparently  without  deteriorating  them  to  any  great  extent. 
At  first  sight  it  would  appear  that  these  soft,  unconsolidated 
strata  would  have  been  greatly  eroded  and  almost  entirely 
removed  down  to  the  bed-rock,  by  such  an  immense  mass  of  ice 
moving  over  them,  but  although  some  was  undoubtedly  carried 
away,  the  ice  seems  to  have  swept  across  the  clays  without  cut- 
ting into  them  very  much.  South  and  east  of  the  drift  line 
(which  flows  in  general  in  a  course  parallel  with  the  south  shore 
of  the  island  in  some  places  running  inland  a  mile  or  more  for 
short  distances)  boulders  are  almost  entirely  absent,  being 
chiefly  found  in  the  beds  of  brooks,  where  they  have  been 
carried  by  water  since  glacial  times,  and  are  never  very  large. 

Modified  drift,  or  material  derived  from  the  glacier,  but  more 
or  less  sorted  and  stratified  by  water,  may  be  seen  on  the  plains 
lying  east  of  the  moraine  from  near  Gifford's  to  Clifton.  The 
soil  over  this  area  is  seen  in  well-diggings  to  be   imperfectly 


16  HISTORY  OF  RIOIIMOISrD  COUNTY. 

stratified,  and  to  consist  of  loam  and  sand,  with  few  pebbles 
and  fewer  boulders.  On  Todt  hill,  near  the  moraine,  there  is 
quite  an  extensive  deposit  of  gravel  colored  yellow  by  oxide  of 
iron;  this  is  the  pre-glacial  drift,  which  has  a  greater  develop- 
ment farther  south  in  New  Jersey.  Occasionally  some  stratifi- 
cation may  be  seen  in  the  morainal  hills  themselves,  but  these 
are  generally  very  heterogeneous  in  composition.  Modified 
drift  also  occurs  in  small  quantities  along  the  edge  of  the 
moraine  near  Tottenville.  The  true  glacial  drift  in  this  vicinity 
is  not  thick,  but  generally  forms  a  mere  mantle  over  the  Cre- 
taceous strata,  and  was  probably  deposited  by  a  local  pro- 
jection of  ice  in  advance  of  the  main  glacier. 

The  era  of  the  formation  of  limonite  iron  ore  deposits  is  only 
provisionally  referred  to  the  Quaternary.  Their  deposition  is 
supposed  to  have  begun  long  before  the  glacial  epoch,  but  since 
the  magnesian  rocks,  upon  which  they  rest.  These  beds  of  iron 
ore  are  found  resting  directly  upon  the  serpentine  or  talcose 
rocks  at  a  number  of  places,  in  some  of  which  mining  has  been 
carried  on.  All  the  deposits  have  the  same  general  character- 
istics— they  are  superficial,  though  sometimes  covered  by  glacial 
drift  to  a  variable  depth.  The  ore  consists  of  the  hydrated 
sesquioxide  of  iron,  limonite,  and  is  either  compact  or  quite 
earthy  in  texture,  and  is  associated  with  colorless,  green  and 
red  quartz.  It  has  been  extensively  mined  near  Pour  Corners, 
at  several  places  on  Todt  hill  and  Richmond  terrace,  and  along 
the  Clove  road,  and  is  known  to  occur  at  several  places  on  the 
serpentine  hills.  The  deposits  vary  from  a  few  inches  up  to 
twenty  feet  or  more  in  thickness,  and  their  lateral  extent  is 
limited  to  a  few  hundred  feet  in  any  direction.  The  Todt  hill 
mines  are  the  only  ones  wholly  uncovered  by  glacial  drift,  be- 
ing east  of  the  moraine. 

These  superficial  deposits  have  probably  had  their  origin  in 
the  deposition  of  the  material  composing  them  from  the  waters 
of  thermal  springs,  which  have  come  to  the  surface  through 
crevices  in  the  serpentine.  The  iron  in  the  solutions  was  prob- 
ably in  the  form  of  the  carbonate,  which  on  reaching  the  sur- 
face became  oxidized  by  contact  with  the  atmosphere,  and  was 
thrown  out  of  solution  and  deposited  as  the  hydrated  sesqui- 
oxide, as  we  now  find  it.  Magnetic  iron  sand  occurs  with  the 
limonite  in  one  of  the  deposits  on  Todt  hill.     This  was  prob- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  17 

ably  washed  in  mechanically  while  the  hydra  ted  oxide  was  be- 
ing deposited  from  solution. 

Extensive  deposits  of  light-colored  sand,  similar  in  character 
to  those  found  so  abundantly  on  Bergen  neck,  occur  along  the 
edges  of  the  salt  meadows  on  the  western  side  of  the  island, 
from  Mariner' s  Harbor  to  near  Chelsea  landing,  sometimes  ex- 
tending to  a  distance  of  one-half  to  three-quarters  of  a  mile  on 
the  upland,  and  thus  occupying  a  position  between  tUe  traj)- 
dyke  and  the  salt  meadows.  The  material  is  a  fine,  yellowish, 
loamy  sand,  containing  no  gravel  or  pebbles,  but  rests  on  the 
glacial  drift,  and  is  hence  of  post  glacial  age.  This  sand  was  once 
the  western  beach  of  the  extensive  body  of  salt  water  which 
formerly  occupied  the  basin  now  filled  with  the  salt-marsh  de- 
posits, and  which  extended  over  all  the  Newark  and  Hacken- 
sack  meadows,  but  has  now  been  reduced  to  the  area  of  New- 
ark bay.  The  sands  of  this  old  beach  were  blown  inland,  and 
formed  into  dunes  by  the  generally  prevailing  westerly  winds. 
On  a  windy  day  the  manner  of  the  formation  of  these  dunes 
may  still  be  plainly  seen.  A  number  of  pine  barren  plants 
have  been  found  lodging  in  this  sandy  soil,  both  on  the  island 
and  on  Bergen  neck,  and  it  is  probable  that  others  may  be 
found  when  more  exhaustive  explorations  are  made. 

Modern  Epoch. — Under  this  head  are  included  deposits  whose 
formation  began  at  a  comparatively  recent  period,  and  whose 
growth  still  continues. 

Deposits  of  marine  alluvium  or  salt  meadows  extend  over  an 
area  of  about  nine  and  one-half  square  miles  of  the  island.  The 
material  composing  them  consists  for  the  most  part  of  partially 
decomposed  vegetable  matter  mixed  with  a  little  clay  and  sand. 
These  salt  meadow  areas  have  once  been  shallow  bays,  which  have 
gradually  been  filled  up,  first  by  the  deposit  of  silt  from  their 
waters  and  the  growth  of  marine  plants,  and  ultimately  by  the 
growth  and  decay  of  grasses  and  rushes.  This  latter  process  is 
yet  in  operation,  and  thus  the  salt  meadows  keep  at  about  the 
level  of  the  highest  tides.  Their  most  abundant  grass  is  the 
Spartina  juncea  (Willd.),  while  the  rush  is  Juncus  Gerardi 
(Lam.),  commonly  known  as  "black  grass."  A  number  of 
other  plants  contribute  small  amounts  to  the  vegetable  growth, 
making  the  salt-meadow  flora  quite  a  varied  one.  The  most 
extensive  areas  covered  by  these  deposits  are  along  New  creek 
and  the  Great  kills,  on  the  eastern  shore,  and  from  Rossville 

3 


18  HISTORY  OF  HIOHMOND  COUXTT. 

northward  along  Arthur  kill.  The  thii^kness  of  the  marshes  is 
e "cceedingly  variable,  probably  as  much  as  thirty  feet  in  some 
places  and  but  a  few  inches  in  others.  The  dried  material  con- 
sists of  decaying  fibres  mixed  with  a  little  clay,  sand  and  oxide 
of  iron.  The  latter  substance  produces  the  irridescent  film  com- 
monly seen  in  the  marshes,  and  popularly  supposed  to  be  oil. 

Sand  beaches  occur  along  all  the  shores  that  are  directly  ex- 
posed to  the  waves.  The  greatest  accumulations  of  sand  are 
on  the  shore  of  the  Lower  bay,  from  Clifton  southward  to  the 
so-called  Point  of  the  Beach,  near  Gifford's,  at  Seguine's  point, 
near  Prince's  bay,  and  at  Ward's  point.  The  point  near  Gif- 
ford's  is  slowly  lengthening  and  curving  in  toward  the  shore, 
and  a  similar  point  is  in  process  of  formation  at  the  mouth  of 
New  creek.  The  accumulation  of  sand  at  Ward's  point,  below 
Tottenville,  is  also  quite  great.  These  points  are  produced  by 
the  combined  action  of  the  currents  of  the  Lower  bay  and  the 
streams  flowing  into  it,  which  carry  the  sand  along  the  coast 
until  finally  it  is  driven  up  on  the  beaches  by  the  waves. 

Sands  composed  of  magnetic  iron  ore  occur  with  the  quartz 
sand,  and  are  generally  found  in  layers  of  a  fraction  of  an  inch 
in  thickness,  but  an  accumulation  of  this  material  to  a  depth 
of  four  inches  has  recently  been  found  at  low  water  on  the 
beach  near  the  Elm  Tree  light-house,  but  it  contains  titanium 
and  is  not  likely  to  be  of  mucli  economic  importance.  All  the 
sands  originally  resulted  from  the  disintegration  of  rocks,  and 
have  been  carried  bj''  water  down  the  rivers  emptying  into  the 
bays,  and  have  also  resulted  in  part  from  the  direct  disintegra- 
tion of  the  coasts. 

True  peat  occurs  in  but  few  places  on  Staten  Island.  Some 
is  found  in  the  Clove  Lake  swamps,  in  several  swamps  near 
Richmond  and  Gifford's,  and  toward  Tottenville.  In  one  lo- 
cality near  Richmond  the  peat  deposit  is  at  least  ten  feet  thick. 

The  entire  southeastern  shore  of  Staten  Island  is  gradually 
being  washed  away.  In  some  places  the  loss  is  very  apparent. 
At  the  foot  of  New  Dorp  lane,  near  where  the  Elm  Tree  light- 
house now  stands,  a  large  American  elm  was  standing  not  lono-er 
ago  than  1840.  The  place  where  it  grew  is  now  beyond  the  end 
of  a  dock  which  extends  some  four  hundred  feet  into  the  water. 
This  indicates  an  average  wasting  of  at  least  ten  feet  per  year 
from  the  shore.  At  Cedar  Grove,  half  a  mile  south  of  this 
point,  there  has  been  a  loss  of  about  three  hundred  and  fifty 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  19 

feet  since  1850,  which  shows  about  the  same  average.  At 
Prince's  bay  the  government  has  been  obliged  to  build  a  heavy- 
sea  wall  in  front  of  the  bluff  on  which  the  light  house  is  placed, 
and  a  like  jjrecaution  has  been  taken  at  the  forts  on  the 
Narrows. 

The  two  causes  operating  to  effect  the  wasting  of  the  coast  are 
the  constant  abrading  action  of  the  waves  and  currents,  and 
the  gradual  depression  of  the  coasts.  By  the  course  of  the 
prevailing  currents  in  the  Lower  bay  the  eroded  material,  to- 
gether with  part  of  that  brought  down  by  the  rivers,  is  carried 
southwardly  along  the  coast,  the  sands  being  deposited  as 
beaches,  bars  and  points,  while  the  finer,  muddy  part  is  carried 
farther,  and  finally  deposited  in  the  deeper  waters  of  the  bay,  or 
out  into  the  ocean.  The  land  on  the  shore  is  sometimes  pro- 
tected by  building  bulkheads  of  stone  or  other  substantial  ma 
terial,  running  out  some  hundreds  of  feet  against  the  southern 
part  of  the  shore  to  be  protected.  Such  bulkheads  break  the 
force  of  the  sand-bearing  currents  and  cause  them  to  drop  their 
burdens  of  sand  on  the  north  side  of  the  obstruction,  and  the 
waves  drive  it  up  on  the  shore,  thus  actually  making  land.  The 
other  cause  of  the  decadence  of  the  coast  is  found  in  its  gradual 
depression.  Prof.  George  H.  Cook  has  estimated  that  the  shores 
of  New  Jersey  and  Long  Island  are  suffering  a  depression  of 
about  two  feet  every  hundred  years.  Others  vary  this  estimate 
slightly,  but  it  is  agreed  by  all  that  there  is  a  sinking  of  the 
shores  slowly  but  continually  going  on.  It  will  be  seen  that  if 
this  coast  settles  down  to  ten  feet  below  its  present  level,  the 
greater  part  of  the  plains  extending  south  of  the  moraine  from 
Giffords  to  Clifton,  now  the  most  valuable  land  in  the  county, 
will  be  covered  with  salt  meadows  within  a  few  hundred  years, 
provided  they  are  not  sooner  washed  away  by  the  action  of  the 
currents. 

We  must  close  this  interesting  subject  with  a  few  words  on 
the  economic  uses  to  which  the  geological  products  of  the  island 
have  been  applied.  The  limonite  ore  of  Todt  hill.  Four  Cor- 
ners, and  other  places,  has  been  used  in  blast  furnaces  in  con- 
nection with  other  more  refractor}'  ores,  or  has  been  screened, 
ground  and  washed,  to  produce  red  ochre  paint.  The  total 
amount  hitherto  mined  may  be  as  great  as  300,000  tons.  Fire 
clay  is  employed  in  the  production  of  refractory  ware,  at 
Kreischerville,  of  which  mention  has  already  been  made.  Clays 


20  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

of  glacial  drift  origin  are  used  in  the  manufacture  of  com  mo 
brick  near  Richmond  and  Linoleumville.  Quarries  of  trap  rod 
have  been  worked  at  G-raniteville  and  near  Port  Richmond  fo 
many  years.  The  rock  is  either  cut  into  blocks  and  shipped  t 
New  York  to  be  used  for  street  pavements,  or  crushed  int 
small  pieces  and  employed  in  MacAdam  or  Telford  pavement 
on  Staten  Island.  Some  edifices  have  been  constructed  of  thi 
rock,  but  it  is  not  well  suited  for  building  purposes.  The  fibrou 
serpentine  rock,  erroneously  called  asbestos,  has  been  mined  nea 
Tompkinsville  landing,  to  the  extent  of  perhaps  twenty-five  o 
thirty  tons,  and  used  f(jr  the  purposes  for  which  asbestos  is  em 
ployed.  Thousands  of  tons  of  beach  sand  are  annually  takei 
from  the  southeastern  coast,  and  used  in  New  York  and  Brook 
lyn  for  building  purposes.  In  some  places  so  much  sand  ha 
been  removed  that  property  along  the  shore  has  been  seriousl; 
damaged,  by  exposing  roads  and  meadows  to  the  action  of  thi 
waves. 

The  variety  in  the  geological  formation,  already  described 
exerts  a  powerful  influence  over  the  occurrence  and  distri 
bution  of  the  vegetation,  which  is  surprisingly  rich  in  it 
number  of  species.  In  1879  Messrs.  N.  L.  Britton  and  Arthu 
Hollick.  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  the  facts  which  we  giv( 
under  this  head,  after  three  years  of  careful  search  aud  study 
compiled  and  published  a  catalogue  of  the  flowering  plant 
with  the  ferns  and  their  allies,  known  to  grow  on  Statei 
Island  independent  of  cultivation.  This  catalogue  enumerate( 
1,050  species  and  varieties.  The  following  year  an  appendij 
was  issued  enumerating  forty-six  more.  In  1882  the  seconc 
appendix  was  published  containing  sixty-seven  additions 
A  third  appendix,  showing  forty-six  more,  was  issued  ii 
1885,  and  now  the  fourth  appendix  is  found  necessary,  con 
taining  a  farther  list  of  thirty-six  species.  In  other  word 
there  are  at  the  present  time  1,245  species  and  varieties  o 
wild  plants  known  on  Staten  Island,  which  has  an  area  o 
only  about  fifty-nine  square  miles,  while  the  entire  florj 
of  New  York  state,  covering  an  area  of  about  45,00 
square  miles,  numbers  only  about  1,800.  So  that  littl 
Richmond  county  is  the  possessor  of  two-thirds  of  the  stat 
flora  as  known  at  the  present  time.  About  fifty  of  the  specie 
were  not  known  in  the  state  until  discovered  and  reported  fron 
this  county.     The  surprising  richness,  as  previously  stated,  i 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  21 

due  in  part  to  the  fact  that  the  cretaceous  sands  and  clays 
in  the  region  around  Tottenville  and  Kreischerville  carry  with 
them  a  large  number  of  the  plants  characteristic  of  that  for- 
mation in  New  Jersey  known  as  the  "Pine  Barren"  flora; 
while  the  drift,  which  covers  the  rest  of  the  island  with  a 
mantle  of  sand,  loam,  gravel  and  "  hard  pan,"  affords  a  home 
for  many  of  the  plants  which  occur  to  the  north  and  up  the 
Hudson  river  valley.  There  are  also  several  species  which  are 
confined  entirely  to  the  ridge  of  serpentine  or  soapstone  rock 
which  forms  the  backbone  of  the  island,  extending  from  St. 
George  to  Richmond. 

The  physiographic  conditions  are  also  of  importance,  as  the 
island  occupies  a  position  surrounded  by  salt  water,  besides 
having  several  large  ponds  of  fresh  water,  running  streams  and 
perpetual  springs.  There  are  also  high  and  dry  hills,  low  and 
wet  swamps,  and  some  artificially-made  ground.  The  latter  has 
mostly  been  filled  in  with  refuse,  and  ballast  from  vessels,  and 
through  this  agency  about  thirty  of  the  species  have  been  intro- 
duced. The  inevitable  march  of  progress,  while  it  has  intro- 
duced a  few  plants,  mostly  troublesome  weeds,  such  as  the 
"pig-weed,"  "worm-seed,"  stramonium,  araaranthus,  and  other 
pests  of  our  fields  and  gardens,  has  destroyed  and  crowded 
out  many  of  our  native  si^ecies,  or  comj)letely  destroyed 
them  in  certain  localities  where  they  were  formerly  abundant. 
The  forest  trees  were  the  first  to  suffer,  as  they  are  in  all  com- 
munities in  which  immediate  gain  is  counted  higher  than  ulti- 
mate utility.  The  entire  island,  except  on  the  salt  marshes, 
was,  it  is  said,  originally  covered  with  a  thick  growth,  in  which 
oak  and  chestnut  predominated.  In  the  time  of  the  revolution, 
most  of  this  forest  was  cut  down,  and  there  are  now  but  com- 
paratively few  trees  that  have  seen  one  hundred  years  of  growth. 
The  mass  of  the  forest  growth  at  the  present  time  is  probably 
about  half  that  age,  or  a  little  more,  although  there  are  a  few 
isolated  examples  which  are  noteworthy.  One  of  the  most  con- 
spicuous objects  near  Garretson's  station  is  a  huge  white  oak, 
standing  alone  in  the  middle  of  a  field,  on  the  south  side  of  the 
track.  In  a  little  secluded  valley  to  the  north  of  the  station  is 
a  chestnut  whose  trunk  measures  eighteen  feet  in  circumference. 
It  is,  so  far  as  known,  the  largest  tree  on  the  island,  in  regard 
to  girth.  The  next  largest  is  probably  a  white  oak  which 
stands  in  a  field  at  Green  Ridge.     Its  circumference  is  fifteen 


22  HISTORY  OF  RICllJIOND  COUNTY. 

feet  two  inches,  and  it  is  a  remarkable  object,  but  its  existence 
is  known  by  but  few  people,  on  account  of  its  distance  from 
any  road. 

The  willow  trees  at  the  Billop  house,  Tottenville,  follow 
next,  the  largest  one  showing  a  circumference  of  thirteen 
feet  seven  inches.  Near  Court  House  station  are  two  of  the 
finest  examples  of  perfect  symmetry  in  tree  development  to  be 
found  anywhere.  They  are  both  white  oaks.  One  of  theni, 
with  a  circumference  of  eleven  feet,  is  in  a  field  close  by  the 
station,  and  the  other  is  in  a  patch  of  woods  about  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  away.  The  latter  one  has  a  girth  of  eleven  feet  six  inches, 
with  branches  that  spread  for  a  distance  of  thirty  or  forty  feet, 
often  almost  touching  the  ground.  A  magnificent  grove  of 
white  pine  formerly  flourished  on  the  hill  back  of  Clove  lake, 
but  within  a  few  years  it  has  been  cut  down.  There  are  a  few 
scattered  groves  of  these  trees  in  other  i^arts  of  the  island, 
notably  in  Westfield,  and  many  fine  specimens  may  still  be  seen 
there.  In  a  swamp  at  the  rear  of  the  school  house  at  Green 
Ridge  are  a  number  of  elms,  each  averaging  over  eleven  feet  in 
circumference,  and  there  are  many  beautiful  specimens  of  this 
tree  which  have  been  planted,  notably  at  New  Springville. 
The  sycamore  is  undoubtedly  dying  out  for  some  reason,  and 
probably  the  present  generation  will  see  its  almost  entire  ex- 
termination. Almost  the  only  really  fine  example  of  this  tree 
now  to  be  seen  here  is  in  front  of  a  cottage  on  the  north  side  of 
the  road  between  Eossville  and  Kreischerville.  Among  the 
tallest  trees  the  tulip  tree  will  probably  bear  the  palm.  It  is 
seldom  very  large  in  circumference,  the  greatest  thus  far  meas- 
ured being  under  ten  feet,  but  no  tree  can  present  a  finer  spec- 
tacle when  it  is  in  full  bloom. 

The  list  of  notable  forest  trees  found  here  would  not  be  com- 
plete without  the  sweet  gum,  which  was  the  source  of  a  gigantic 
hoax  some  ten  years  since.  Its  peculiar  corky  bark  is  familiar 
to  most  people,  yet  certain  individuals  found  a  ready  sale  for 
the  branches  in  the  streets  of  New  York  under  the  name  of 
"  alligator  wood."  A  market  was  even  found  for  it  among  the 
citizens  of  the  island,  many  of  whom  brought  it  back  with 
them  as  a  great  curiosity.  The  beech  is  abundant,  and  often 
conspicuous  for  its  Size.  Several  fine  examples  are  to  be  seen 
standing  isolated  in  the  partially  cleared  laud  back  of  Clove 
lake.     In  one  limited  locality  the  sugar  maple  grows,  in  com- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  23 

pany  with  the  slippery  elm,  but  fortunately  they  have  thus  far 
escaped  notice.  Magnolias  flourish  in  three  widely  separated 
localities — Tottenville,  GifEords  and  Watchogue.  The  trees 
have  been  sadly  mutilated  by  parties  who  gather  the  flowers 
for  sale  in  New  York,  but  as  they  grow  in  thick  swamps  they 
are  not  likely  to  be  entirely  exterminated  until  tlie  swamps  are 
drained  and  cleared.  The  red  maple  is  one  of  the  commonest 
trees  in  the  lowlands,  and  is  very  conspicuous  in  the  autumh, 
owing  to  the  endless  change  in  color  which  its  foliage  assumes. 
They  often  reach  a  considerable  size,  one  in  a  swamp  at  Totten- 
ville being  twelve  feet  three  inches  in  circumference,  and  hol- 
low, so  that  a  person  can  readily  get  entirely  within  the  trunk. 
There  are  five  species  of  dog-woods  known  here,  but  only  one  is 
familiar  to  any  extent  as  a  tree.  This  is  the  Cornus  fiorida  (L.), 
with  large  conspicuous  white  blossoms.  The  others  hardly  ever 
rise  above  the  dignity  of  large  shrubs  or  bushes.  The  well 
known  evergreen  holly  {Ilex  opaca,  Ait.)  was  formerly  far  more 
abundant  than  it  now  is,  although  it  still  grows  in  considerable 
quantity  in  the  vicinity  of  Richmond  and  Eltingville,  and  small 
scattered  individual  specimens  are  to  be  met  with  in  nearly 
every  part  of  the  island.  Not  far  from  Giffords  is  a  most  beau- 
tiful example  of  this  tree.  The  main  trunk  is  four  feet  six  inches 
in  circumference,  and  each  main  branch  measures  two  feet  ten 
inches.  Its  height  is  about  twenty-tive  feet,  and  the  symmetry 
would  be  perfect  except  that  some  vandals  have  hacked  off 
branches  on  one  side,  presumably  for  Christmas  greens. 

The  catalpa,  paulownia,  and  locust  {Robinia,  Pseudacacea, 
L.)  have  all  more  or  less  escaped  from  cultivation  and  are 
thoroughly  established  in  a  wild  state  in  many  places;  in  fact 
the  latter,  there  is  good  reason  to  believe,  is  native  here.  The 
ailanthus  is  likewise  seeding  itself  quite  extensively  and  seems 
likely  to  become  a  permanent  feature.  The  two  species  of  ash 
{Fraxinus  pubescens.  and  Fraxinus  Americana)  are  found 
sparingly  throughout  the  island,  but  are  mostly  represented  by 
isolated  trees.  The  wild  cherry  is  everywhere  abundant  and  the 
cultivated  one  has  been  extensively  planted  in  woods  and  copses 
through  the  agency  of  birds.  Peach,  pear  and  apple  trees  are 
also  frequently  met  with  in  the  woods  and  along  old  fence  lines 
and  hedge  rows,  where  the  seeds  have  been  accidentally 
dropped.  The  sassafras  is  common  and  well  known  every- 
where.     The   hackberry,  or    sugarberry   {Celtis    occidentalis, 


24  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

L.)  is  plentiful  in  restricted  localities,  notably  on  Richmond 
hill  and  at  Tottenville.  Its  peculiar  warty  bark  and  insect 
bitten  branches  always  attract  attention  wherever  seen.  The 
white  and  red  mulberry  may  now  be  found  in  nearly  all  parts 
of  the  island,  distributed  by  birds  from  trees,  a  large  part  of 
which  were  planted  during  the  silk  worm  craze  some  years  ago. 
The  remains  of  some  of  these  plantations  may  yet  be  seen,  being 
all  that  is  left  of  the  visions  of  silk  culture  that  prevailed  at 
the  time  they  were  planted.  Many  black  walnut  trees  may  yet 
be  seen,  some  of  them  very  imposing  specimens.  Their  near 
relatives,  the  hickories,  number  five  different  species,  common 
everywhere.  (Garya  aWa,  Nutt.,  C.  toTnentosa,  Nutt.,  C.  por- 
cina,  Nutt.,  C.  aTnara,  Nutt.,  and  C.  microcarpa,  Nutt.)  The 
first  mentioned,  which  is  commonly  known  as  the  "shag"  or 
"shell  bark,"  yields  the  hickory  nuts  of  the  markets.  This 
species  is  plentiful  enough  in  certain  places  on  the  south  side  to 
be  of  some  economical  importance.  The  oaks  number  ten  dif- 
ferent species.  The  chestnut,  swamps,  white  and  red  oaks  are 
known  everywhere,  forming  the  bulk  of  the  woods,  but  the  post 
oak  {Quercus  obtusiloba,  Michx.)  and  black  oak  {Q.  nigra,  L. ) 
occur  only  in  a  few  places,  notably  Tottenville  and  Watchogue. 
The  dwarf  oak  {Q.  prinoides,  Willd.)  is  also  restricted  to  the 
same  localities.  It  seldom  grows  more  than  six  feet  high  and 
appears  like  a  thick  bash.  The  willow  oak,  {Q.  Phellos,  L.),  so 
far  as  known,  is  represented  bv  a  single  tree,  growing  in  a 
swamp  at  Tottenville.  The  chestnut  was  formerly  very  abund- 
ant, and  is  yet  along  Ocean  terrace,  but  it  has  been  laid  under 
such  heavy  contribution  for  fence  posts  and  rails,  telegraph  and 
telephone  poles,  railroad  ties,  etc.,  that  its  complete  extermina- 
tion in  the  near  future  seems  inevitable.  Hornbeam  or  "  iron 
wood"  is  plentiful,  especially  in  wet  places.  There  are  three 
species  of  birch,  two  of  which  are  common  and  well  known, 
namely  the  black  and  white.  The  third,  which  is  known  as  the  red 
or  "  river  birch  "  {Betula  nigra,  L. ),  is  very  rare,  only  a  few  trees 
being  known,  and  they  are  on  the  borders  of  a  pond  near  Bull's 
Head.  These  are  likely  to  be  destroyed  very  shortly,  on  ac- 
count of  certain  changes  now  being  made  by  the  Crystal 
Water  Company.  There  are  nine  willows,  all  common,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  "  weeping  willow,"  which  is  so  well  known  in  culti- 
vation. With  the  exception  of  the  white  {Salix  alba,  L..  var. 
vitelUna,  Gr.)  and    the  black   {&.  nigra,  L.),  they  are  shrubs 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  25 

mostly  confined  to  low  or  swampy  situations.  Botanically  they 
are  known  as  Salix  tristis,  Ait.,  S.  humilis,  Marshall,  S.  dis- 
color, Muhl.,  /S.  sericea,  Marshall.,  S.  lucida,  Muhl.,  S.fragilis, 
L.,  and  »S'.  cor  data,  Muhl.  The  poplars  include,  besides  the 
well  known  cultivated  species,  the  white,  Lombardy,  and  "balm 
of  Gilead,"  three  wild  ones,  viz.:  Populus  treimiloides,  Michx., 
commonly  called  "aspen,"  P  grandldentata,  Michx.,  and  P 
Jieterophylla,  L. 

There  are  four  species  of  pines,  all  comparatively  plentiful. 
The  pitch  pine  is  found  everywhere.  The  white  and  yellow 
pines  are  not  so  common,  and  the  "scrub,"  or  New  Jersey  pine, 
is  found  only  in  the  neighborhood  around  Tottenville  and 
Ki'eischerville,  excepting  for  a  few  isolated  trees  near  Four 
Corners.  The  cedar  is  very  common,  forming  many  beautiful 
groves  at  different  parts  of  the  island.  Very  large  specimens 
are  to  be  seen  near  the  Billop  house  at  Tottenville,  and  at 
Krelscherville.  Two  of  these  trees  measure  respectively  5  ft. 
10  in.  and  5  ft.  A^  in.  in  circumference.  Only  one  specimen  of 
the  juniper  is  known  to  be  in  existence  in  the  county.  This  is 
in  the  cedar  grove  at  New  Dorp,  near  the  beach.  Persimmons 
are  very  common  at  Tottenville  and  Krelscherville,  although 
rarely  met  with  elsewhere. 

Among  the  shrubs  and  bushes  are  many  highly  ornamental 
species,  besides  some  of  economic  importance.  The  common 
barberry  is  spreading  quite  rapidly,  especially  in  the  vicinity  of 
Tottenville,  where  it  is  a  conspicuous  object  in  the  autumn,  o\\ 
account  of  the  drooping  racemes  of  bright  scarlet  berries.  IS  ear 
the  same  locality  the  "burning  bush"  {Euonymus  atropur- 
pareus,  Jacq.)  has  escaped  from  cultivation.  The  black-cap 
raspberry,  high  bush  and  trailing  blackberries,  are  in  some  lo- 
calities abundant  enough  to  pick  for  market.  The  English 
hawthorne  has  become  established  in  several  localities,  notably 
along  a  brook  at  New  Dorp,  where  there  are  a  number  of  very 
large  bushes.  Three  varieties  of  the  "  shad  bush  "  have  been 
found  here  {AmelancTiitr  Canadensis,  T.  &  G.,  var.  Botry- 
apiuvi,  var.  oblong  if olium,  and  var.  rotundifolium.)  It  some- 
times grows  large  enough  to  be  called  a  tree,  as  is  the  case  at 
Tottenville,  where  there  is  one  measuring  3  ft.  A^  in.  in  cir- 
cumference. When  in  blossom  this  tree  is  a  sight  to  behold, 
appearing  in  the  distance  like  a  bank  of  snow.  Unfortunately 
some  vandal  has  hacked  off  one  of   the  main  branches,    thus 


26  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  C0U:NTY. 

ruining  its  former  symmetry.  Small  bashes  are  plentiful  every- 
where, and  have  attracted  such  attention  that  the  florists  have 
introduced  them  successfully  for  shrubbery.  The  witch  hazel 
is  plentifully  distributed  along  nearly  all  the  water  courses  and 
in  wet  locations  generally.  Probably  the  best  known  of  all  the 
bushes  is  the  "nanny  berry"  {Yiburmtm  primifolium,  L.) 
which  is  so  abundant  in  a  certain  place  near  West  New  Brighton 
that  it  is  called  "  nanny  berry  hill."  It  is  used  successfully  for 
hedges,  not  only  in  rough  places,  but  in  cultivated  gardens,  and 
should  be  a  favorite,  as  it  is  never  winter-killed  like  so  many  of 
the  introduced  hedge  plants.  The  "huckleberries"  number  six 
species,  besides  several  varieties.  The  one  which  produces  the 
huckleberry  of  the  market  is  known  as  the  "  high  "  or  "swamp 
huckleberry,"  although  the  others  are  all  used  more  or  less.  In 
the  vicinity  of  Watchogue  they  are  abundant  enough  to  be  of 
some  economical  importance.  Kalmia  latifolia,  L.,  better 
known  as  the  "laurel,"  is  still  quite  common,  especially  at 
Tottenville,  but  is  too  conspicuous  and  handsome  a  bush  to 
stand  long  near  a  thickly  settled  community.  The  Rhododen- 
dron maximum,  L.,  has  already  suffered  for  its  beauty  and  has 
become  completely  exterminated  on  the  island,  within  the 
memory  of  people  now  living  here.  The  azalea  seems  destined 
to  share  the  same  fate,  although  not  so  rapidly.  It  has  already 
disappeared  from  hundreds  of  acres  where  it  was  abundant  a 
few  years  ago.  Benzoin  {Lindera  Benzoin,  Meisner)  is  com- 
mon along  nearly  all  water  courses.  The  Albert  nut  forms  a 
considerable  part  of  the  underbrush  in  certain  places,  and  is 
scattered  along  hedge  rows  and  the  borders  of  woods  in  others. 
Myrica  cerifera,  L.,  the  "wax  myrtle"  or  "sweet  bay,"  is 
common  throughout,  and  was  formerly  the  source  from  which 
the  early  settlers  derived  considerable  of  their  tallow  for  candles 
and  other  purposes  by  boiling  the  berries.  The  alder  {Alans 
serrulata,  Ait.)  forms  the  bulk  of  the  thick  underbrush  in 
swamps  and  along  the  borders  of  fresh  water.  Hosa  Carolina, 
L.,  the  swamp  wild  rose,  is  common  in  low  places,  and  H. 
lucida,  Erhardt,  is  abundant  in  drier  locations.  There  are  five 
species  of  sumach,  including  the  too  well  known  "poison  ivy  " 
{Bhus  Toxicodendron,  L.)  They  are  plentifully  distributed 
everywhere,  with  the  exception  of  the  "stag's  horn  sumach," 
which  only  occurs  sparingly  at  Tottenville,  Prince's  bay  and 
Ocean  terrace. 


HISTuKT  OP  ItlCHMOXD  COUXTY.  27 

Wild  grapes  are  represented  by  four  species,  of  which  the  large 
fox  grape  ( F(;Y/5  labrusca,  L.)  is  said  to  be  excellent  for  pre- 
serves. It  is  the  original  stock  from  which  the  Isabella  and 
other  cultivated  varieties  have  sprung.  V.  aestivalis,  Michx. 
and  V.  cordifoUa,  Michx.,  known  as  "frost  grapes,"  are  com- 
mon everywhere,  the  small  black  fruit  being  ripe  late  in 
autumn.  The  second  named  frequently  attains  a  large  size, 
climbing  to  the  tops  of  the  highest  trees  and  becoming  very 
thick  at  the  base,  A  magnificent  vine  formerly  grew  in  the 
ravine  near  the  Kellet  place,  measuring  1  ft.  11  in.  in  circum- 
ference at  a  distance  of  about  two  feet  from  the  ground.  It  was 
cut  in  two  a  short  time  ago,  apparently  for  mere  wanton  de- 
struction, and  all  traces  of  it  will  soon  be  obliterated.  The 
"Virginia  creeper"  {Ampelopsis  quinqu'efoUa,  Michx.)  and 
"bitter  sweet"  {Oelastrus  scandens,  L.)  are  rapidly  gaining 
favor  as  ornamental  vines  for  houses  and  fences.  The 
autumnal  tints  of  the  first  are  unsurpassed  by  any  other  plant, 
and  the  bright  orange  and  scarlet  berries  of  the  latter  remain 
unchanged  almost  throughout  the  entire  winter.  The  Chinese 
honeysuckle  has  escaped  from  gardens  in'  places  and  may  be 
seen  climbing  over  trees  and  bushes,  apparently  perfectly  at 
home.  Such  plants  no  doubt  started  from  pieces  thrown  out 
in  rubbish  heaps.  The  wild  honeysuckle  or  "woodbine"  is 
quite  common  and  is  sometimes  seen  in  cultivation.  The 
"  trumpet  vine"  is  thoroughly  established  in  fields  and  along 
hedge  rows  from  Tottenville  to  Prince's  bay,  near  the  beach. 
Ipomoea  pandurata,  Meyer,  sometimes  called  "wild  potato 
vine"  and  "  man-of-the-earth,"  is  common  at  Tottenville,  es- 
pecially in  the  pine  groves.  The  flower  resembles  a  convolvulus, 
and  the  root  is  sometimes  as  large  as  a  man's  arm.  It  is 
deeply  buried  in  the  ground,  however,  and  requires  considerable 
digging  to  extract  it. 

"Catbrier"  is  common  everywhere,  forming  dense  and  im- 
penetrable thickets  in  places,  affording  fine  cover  for  birds  and 
small  animals.  The  few  game  birds  and  rabbits  that  yet  remain 
on  the  island  owe  their  existence  to  this  plant  more  than  to 
almost  any  other  cause.  Clematis  Virginiana,  L.,  commonly 
called  "clematis"  and  "virgin's  bower,"  is  extensively  gath- 
ered for  household  decoration  in  the  autumn,  when  the  bunches 
of  feathery  tailed  seeds  are  ripe.  Another  species  of  clematis 
(C.  ochroleuca.  Ait.)  is  abundant  on  Todt  hill  and  near  Hich- 


28  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

uiond.  It  is  a  low  plant,  about  a  foot  or  two  in  height,  bearing 
heads  of  feathery  seeds  similar  to  the  first  mentioned.  It  is  one 
of  Staten  Island's  characteristic  ijlants,  as  it  is  very  rare  in 
other  parts  of  the  United  States,  being  known  in  but  few 
localities,  mostly  in  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia.  Botanists 
from  all  over  the  country  have  made  trips  to  Staten  Island  to 
collect  specimens,  and  they  are  now  contained  in  nearly  all  the 
large  herbaria  of  the  land.  Another  plant,  rare  elsewhere,  is  the 
"mouse-ear  chickweed"  {cerastium  oblong  if oUum,  Torr.)  It 
grows  in  company  with  the  latter,  especially  on  and  near  Todt 
Hill,  in  the  rear  of  the  Moravian  i)arsonage.  About  the  latter 
part  of  May  the  flowers  are  in  full  bloom,  forming  conspicuous 
white  tufts  and  masses.  This  locality  will  well  repay  a  visit 
at  this  season  of  the  year,  as  "bird's  foot"  violets  and  the 
delicate  little  "bluets"  are  at  their  best  about  the  same  time, 
and  all  grow  in  luxuriance  together. 

"  Trailing  arbutus  "  or  "  Mayflower"  was,  and  is  yet,  abund- 
ant from  Eltingville  to  Tottenville,  near  the  salt  water.  Un- 
fortunately its  location  is  known  to  many  people  in  both  New 
York  and  Brooklyn,  who  organize  "  arbutus  parties "  every 
year  and  carry  it  away  by  basketfuls.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
the  near  future  will  see  its  entire  extermination  if  the  present 
rate  of  destruction  continues.  It  is  one  of  the  earliest  flowers 
to  bloom  in  the  spring,  generally  showing  itself  before  April, 
and  sometimes  during  the  first  week  in  March.  Other  early 
flowers  are  the  "liverwort,"  which  is  common  everywhere,  and 
the  "whitlow  grass"  {Drabaverna,  L.),  which  is  particularly 
abundant  at  Tottenville.  In  the  warm  sandy  soil  of  the  latter 
place  it  is  sometimes  in  bloom  during  February,  and  may  fairly 
be  considered  as  our  earliest  spring  flower.  In  companj^  with 
it  grows  the  "crane's  bill  {Erodium  cicutarium,  L.  Her.).  This 
plant  has  been  found  in  blossom  there  during  every  month  of 
the  year,  the  late  flowers  frequently  holding  on  throughout  the 
winter  until  the  new  blossoms  appear  in  the  spring.  "  Blood- 
root"  is  abundant  in  several  restricted  localities,  which  are 
fortunately  not  well  known,  and  as  the  plant  is  in  blossom  very 
early  it  is  out  of  bloom  and  inconspicuous  before  people  are 
likely  to  be  rambling  through  the  woods.  It  grows  well  in  the 
garden  and  might  become  a  favorite.  The  common  "  water 
cress"  has  been  introduced  in  several  of  the  water  courses  and 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  29 

thrives  finely.     Certain  parties  have  for  years  been  in  the  habit 
of  gathering  it  for  sale. 

The  violets,  so  familiar  to  all,  number  twelve  species  and  va- 
rieties, all  common,  with  the  exception  ot  Viola  tricolor,  L.,  var 
arvensis,  which  is  the  immediate  ancestor  of  our  garden  pansy. 
A  species  of  cactus  {Opuntia  vulgaris.  Mill.)  is  common  at  Tot- 
tenville  and  South  beach,  and  also  sparingly  on  Todt  hill.  It 
readily  bears  transplanting,  and  is  a  beautiful  object  when  in 
full  bloom.  Dypsacus  syltiestris,  Mill.,  the  common  "  teasel," 
is  thoroughly  established  along  roadsides  near  Grarretson's  and 
Bull's  Head,  and  in  the  brick  yards  at  Green  Ridge.  The  pres- 
ent plants  are  doubtless  the  offspring  of  those  that  were  culti- 
vated years  ago  when  the  hand-weaving  of  cloth  was  a  home 
industry. 

It  will  probably  surprise  some  people  to  know  that  the  island 
possesses  nineteen  species  and  varieties  of ''golden  rod  "  and 
twenty-five  asters.  Many  of  these  are  well  worthy  of  cultiva- 
tion, but  are  too  common  to  attract  more  than  passing  attention. 
In  England,  however,  they  are  highly  appreciated,  and  many 
of  these  species  may  be  seen  there  adorning  the  gardens. 
Wintergreen  grows  in  certain  small  patches,  but  is  not  abund- 
ant and  does  not  seem  to  fruit  very  freely. 

One  of  the  most  gaudy  plants  is  undoubtedly  the  so-called 
•'painted  cup"  (Castilleia  coccinea,  Spreng).  It  is  very 
abundant  in  the  Clove  lake  swamp,  but  has  not  been  found  else- 
where. Both  the  yellow  and  red  grow  side  by  side.  Several 
other  rare  plants  make  this  place  their  home,  among  which 
may  be  mentioned  the  "grass  of  Parnassus"  {Parnassla  Gar- 
oliniana,  Michx.)  and  the  orchids  Calopogon pulchellus,  R.  Br., 
and  Pogonia  ophioglossoides,  Nutt.  For  many  other  plants, 
likewise,  it  is  a  favorite  spot,  and  has  quite  a  reputation  among 
botanists  as  a  favorite  hunting  ground. 

The  common  "cranberry"  is  abundant  in  certain  peat  bogs 
near  Richmond,  and  appears  sparingly  near  Clove  lake.  It  is 
likely  soon  to  be  exterminated  in  both  localities,  in  the  latter 
owing  to  a  rise  in  the  level  of  the  water,  and  in  the  former  on 
account  of  the  drainage  of  the  swamps.  Its  flourishing  condi- 
tion at  Richmond  suggests  the  possibility  of  utilizing  the  peat 
bogs  for  its  culture. 

It  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  nearly  all  our  worst  weeds  are  plants 
that  have  been  introduced  and  are  now  naturalized.     Among 


30  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COTJNTV. 

these  may  be  mentioned  Galinsoga  parmflora,  Cav.,  which  was 
unknown  here  a  few  years  ago,  but  lias  already  become  a 
nuisance  in  many  places.  Its  advent  is  so  recent  that,  although 
very  abundant,  no  common  name  has  yet  been  given  to  it.  The 
eleven  species  of  Chenopodium  and  Amaranthus,  known  as 
"  worm  seed,"  "pigweed,"  "prince's  feather,"  etc.,  are  familiar 
objects  in  all  waste  places,  rubbish  heaps,  and  cultivated 
grounds.     They  are  all  introduced  plants. 

"Mistletoe"  has  been  reported,  on  good  authority,  from 
the  neighborhood  of  Clifton,  but  no  specimens  have  been  pre- 
served and  it  has  not  recently  been  found.  Twenty-four  species 
of  orchids,  several  very  rare,  are  known  to  occur  here.  The 
".ladies'  slipper"  {Cypripeduim  acaule,  Ait.)  is  the  most  con- 
spicuous and  is  very  abundant  at  Tottenville,  Watchogue  and 
one  or  two  other  points.  The  "crane  fly  orchis"  {Tipularia 
discolor,  Nutt.)  is  abundant  in  most  of  the  deep  woods,  but  is 
so  inconspicuous  as  to  escape  general  attention.  The  so-called 
"  screw  plants "  belong  here,  of  which  there  are  four  species, 
two  of  which  are  worthy  of  mention.  They  occur  only  at 
Tottenville  and  are  not  very  common  there.  These  are  Spiran- 
thes  simplex,  Gray,  and  8.  gramivea,  Lindl.  var  Walieri,  Gray. 

The  rushes  and  sedges  number  about  ninety,  and  the  grasses 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty  species.  The  ferns  show 
twenty-eight  species,  of  which  the  rarest  and  least  known 
is  probably  Gystopteris  fragilis,  Bernb.  It  is  confined  to  a 
little  rocky  valley  near  Egbertville.  "Maiden's  hair"  is 
everywhere  abundant,  as  is  also  the  common  "  shield 
fern,"  which  is  evergreen.  The  "scouring  rush"  {Equisetum 
hyemale,  L.)  is  abundant  at  Tottenville  on  the  bluflf  overlook-* 
ing  Raritan  bay.  There  are  five  species  of  "club  moss"  or 
"lycopodium,"  so  well  known  as  "ground  pine"  and  used  for 
Christmas  decorations.  They  are,  however,  none  of  them  suf- 
ficiently abundant  to  be  of  any  economical  value. 

The  herbarium  from  which  the  original  catalogue  and  appen- 
dices were  compiled  is  now  in  the  possession  of  the  Natural 
Science  Association,  and  is  one  of  the  most  complete  local 
herbariums  in  the  country.  Lists  of  the  lower  forms  of  plant 
life  (Mosses,  lichens,  &c.)  are  in  course  of  preparation  by 
different  members  of  the  Natural  Science  Association,  but  ft 
will  take  many  years  yet  to  make  them  complete. 

Years  ago  the  island  was  frequented  by  deer,  foxes  and  some 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  31 

Other  large  animals,  and  within  the  last  half  century  foxes  have 
been  known,  bur  none  of  these  animals  are  now  known  to  live 
wild  upon  the  island.  At  the  time  of  the  revolution  it  is  said 
there  weie  plenty  of  foxes  and  raccoons,  and  some  opossums. 
Not  many  years  after  rhe  war  the  last  deer  known  to  be  upon 
the  island  were  shot.  Forty  years  ago  the  skunk  abounded, 
and  about  that  time  a  mink  was  caught  in  the  act  of  making  a 
raid  upon  a  poultry  yard.  Wolves  were  also  among  the  trouble- 
some animals  during  the  early  years  of  settlement  here.  The 
records  tell  us  that  about  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century 
the  county  paid  a  premium  on  all  wolves  that  were  caught.  An 
entry  before  us  shows  that  in  1698  Thomas  Still  well  received 
fifteen  shillings  for  a  wolf  and  Cornelius  Tysen  received  one 
pound  for  a  wolf  s  head.  Different  bounties  were  offered  for 
animals  of  different  sex  and  age,  as  was  the  custom  in  many 
counties  of  the  state.  By  this  means  those  animals  were  soon 
exterminated.  The  mammalia  now  known  to  the  island  are 
weasels  (least  and  common),  mink,  skunk,  moles  (common  and 
star-nosed  and  mole  shrew),  gray  and  flying  squirrels,  chipmunk, 
jumping  mouse,  Norway  rat,  common,  house  and  deer  mice, 
muskrat,  rabbit,  brown,  red,  hoary  and  silver  black  bats. 

The  following  list,  prepared  by  Mr.  Arthur  Hollick  and  his 
indefatigable  associates,  represents  that  part  of  the  bird  fauna 
of  Staten  Island  which  is  known  to  have  nested  here  within  the 
past  fifteen  years.  Several  species  not  in  the  list  would  no 
doubt  have  been  included  had  it  been  compiled  a  quarter  of  a 
century  ago,  and  there  is  a  probability  that  continued  careful 
search  will  reveal  others.  The  value  of  this  list  will  be  appre- 
ciated by  those  who  have  noticed  the  gradual  disappearance  of 
some  of  the  island  species,  and  the  scarcity  of  others  that  were 
formerly  abundant.  We  omit  the  scientific  names  from  this 
list 

Eobin,  wood  thrush,  brown  thrush,  mocking  bird,  cat  bird, 
blue  bird,  tufted  titmouse,  chickadee,  house  wren,  long-billed 
marsh  wren,  short-billed  marsh  wren,  summer  yellow  bird,  oven 
bird,  Maryland  yellow-throat,  yellow-breasted  chat,  scarlet 
tanager,  barn  swallow,  white-bellied  swallow,  eave  swallow, 
cedar  bird  or  wax- wing,  red-eyed  hang  bird,  white-eyed  hang 
bird,  yellow  bird,  sea-side  linch,  sharp-tailed  finch,  swamp 
sparrow,  song  sparrow,  chippy,  field  sparrow,  English  sparrow, 
indigo  bird,  cardinal  grosbeak,  chewink.  bob-o-link,  cow  bird. 


32  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

red-winged  blackbird,  meadow  lark,  orchard  oriole,  Baltimore 
oriole,  crow  blackbird,  common  crow,  fish  crow,  blue  jay,  king 
bird,  great  crested  flycatcher,  phoebe  bird,  peewee,  least  fly- 
catcher, night  hawk,  chimney  swallow,  ruby-throated  humming- 
bird, belted  kingfisher,  black-billed  cuckoo,  yellow-billed 
cuckoo,  downy  woodpecker,  red-headed  woodpecker  or  high- 
older,  golden- winged  wood  screech  owl,  sharp-shinned  or  pigeon 
hawk,  red-shouldered  hawk,  fish  hawk  or  osprey,  wild  pigeon, 
quail,  woodcock,  teeter-tail  or.  peep,  shytepoke,  and  clapper 
rail  or  mud  hen. 

Coming  down  to  the  lower  orders  and  lesser  wing  creatures 
we  have  the  following  list  of  butterflies  which  have  been 
captured  on  the  island.  This  has  been  kindly  furnished  us  by 
Mr.  William  T.  Davis,  to  whose  labors  in  this  department  of  nat- 
ural history  we  are  indebted  for  its  compilation.  The  list 
though  not  supposed  to  be  entirely  complete  comprises: 

Papilionidae. — Papilio  Philenor,  L.  Papilio  Asterias,  F. 
Papilio  Troilus,  L.  Papilio  Turnus,  L.  Papilio  Turnus,  dim. 
var.  Glaucus,  L.  Papilio  Cresphontes,  Cram.  Pieris  Protodice, 
Bd-Lec.  Pieris  Oleracea,  Bd.  Pieris  Rapae,  L.  Colias  Philo- 
dice,  Godt.  Colias  Philodice,  var  Alba.  Terias  Mcippe,  Cram, 
common  in  1880,  saw  none  before  or  since.     Terias  Lisa,  Bd. 

Nymphalidae. — Danais  Archippus,  F.  Argynnis  Idalia, 
Drury.  Argynnis  Cybele,  F.  Argynnis  Myrina,  Cram.  Ar- 
gynnis Bellona,  F.  Euptoieta  Claudia,  Cram,  one  specimen, 
Clove  Valley,  C.  W.  Butler.  Melitaea  Phaeton,  Drury.  Phy- 
ciodes  Tharos,  Drury.  Grapta  Interrogationis,  F.  Grapta  In- 
terrogationis,  var  Umbrosa,  Lintn.  Grapta  Comma,  Harr. 
Grapta  Comma,  var  Dryas,  Edw.  Grapta  Progne,  Cram. 
Grapta  J  Album,  Bd. ;  one  specimen,  New  Dorp,  Miss  M.  Brit- 
ton.  Vanessa  Antiopa,  L.  Pyrameis  Atalanta,  L.  Pyrameis 
Huntera,  Drury.  Pyrameis  Cardui,  L.  Junonia  Lavinia,  Cram. 
Limenitis  Ursula,  F.  Limenitis  Disippus,  Godt.  Neonympha 
Eurytris,  F.     Neonympha  Canthus,  L.     Satyrus  Alope,  F. 

Lycaenidae.—1]xQc\&  Humuli,  Harr.  Thecla  Calamis,  Hub. 
Thecla  Smilacis,  Bd.;  C.  W.  Leng.  Thecla  Henrici,  Gr.  Rob. 
Thecla  Niphon,  Hiib,  Watchogue.  Feniseca  Tarquinius,  G. 
Chrysophanus  Americana,  D' Urban.  Lycaena  Pseudargiolus, 
Bd-Lec.  Lycaena  Pseudargiolus,  var  Violacea,  Edw.  Lycaena 
Pseudargiolus,  var  Lucia,  Kirby.  Lycaena  Pseudargiolus,  var 
Neglecta,  Edw.     Lycaena  Comyntas,  Godt. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  33 

Resper idae. -^Ancyloxji)]ia  Numitor,  F.  Pampliila  Massa- 
soit,  Scud.  Pampliila  Zabulon,  Bd-Lec.  Pamphila  Zabulon, 
dim.  var.  Pocohontas.  Pamphila  ^assacus,  Scud.  Pamphila 
Pontiac,  Edw.  Pamphila  Otho,  var  Egeremet.  Pamphila 
Peckius,  Kirby.  Pamphila  Mystic,  Edw.  Pamphila  Cernes, 
Bd-Lec.  Pamphila  Metacomet,  Harr.  Pamphila  Verna,  Edw. 
Pyrgus  Tessellata,  Scud.  Thanaos  Brizo,  Bd.  Thanaos  Juven- 
alis,  F.  Pholisora  Catullus,  Cram.  Eudamus  Pylades,  Scud. 
Eudamus  Lycidas,  Sm-Abb;  one  specimen.  Clove  Valley.  Eu- 
damus Tityrus,  F. 

Mr.  Davis  has  also  furnished  us  with  tlie  following  list  of  the 
reptiles  and  batrachians  of  the  island.  In  geographical  distri- 
bution some  of  the  reptiles  are  almost  confined  to  the  Cretaceous 
and  those  portions -of  the  island  covered  by  marine  alluvium. 
C.  Pennsylvanicum  seems  to  be  restricted  to  the  shallow  pools 
near  the  salt  water.  It  occurs  near  New  Dorp,  Richmond  Val- 
ley station  and  Watchogue.  Ophibolus  triangulus  is  a  rather 
scarce  serpent  on  the  island.  Ranahalecina,  though  found  in 
other  portions  of  the  island,  is  much  more  common  on  the  marsh 
land  near  Watchogue.  The  species  of  Diemyctylus  have  only 
been  observed  in  the  hilly  districts.  In  1881  the  "spade  foot " 
frog  made  its  appearance  in  some  numbers,  but  it  has  not  since 
been  seen.     No  copperheads  or  rattlesnakes  have  been  found. 

Heptilia. — Testudinata;  Cistudo  clausa,  Nanemys  guttatus, 
Chrysemys  picta,  Malacoclemmyspalustris,  Cinosternum  Penn- 
sylvanicum, Chelydra  serpentina,  Chelonia  mydas:  OpMdia: 
Heterodon  platyrhinus,  Tropidonotus  sipedon,  Storeria  dekayi, 
Entaenia  saurita,  E.  sirtalis,  Bascanium  constrictor,  Liopeltis 
vernalis,  Diadophis  punctatus,  Ophibolus  doliatus  triangulus. 

Batrachia. — Anura;  Rana  halecina,  R.  palustris,  R.  clami- 
tans,  R.  temporaria,  Scaphiopus  holbrookii,  Hyla  versicolor,  H. 
pickeringii,  Acris  gryllus,  Bufolentiginosus:  Urodela;  Diemy- 
ctylus viridescens,  D.  miniatus,  Desmognathus  f  asca,  Hemida- 
ctylium  scutatum,  Plethodon  erythronotus,  P.  glutinosus, 
Spelerpes  bilineatus,  S.  ruber,  Amblystoma  opacum,A.  puncta- 
tum.         « 

The  waters  about  the  island  have  from  time  immemorial 
abounded  with  living  creatures  of  value  to  the  inhabitants.  To 
the  aborigines  the  abundance  of  clams  and  oysters  was  a  con- 
sideration that  attracted  thousands  hither.  Seals  frequently 
have  been  seen  about  the  bay,  and  whales  have  been  known  to 
3 


'34  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

enter  and  pass  through  the  Narrows,  up  the  river.  Van  der 
Donck  tells  us  that  in  1647  two  whales  of  common  size  swam  up 
the  river  fortj'^  miles,  and  one  of  them  on  its  return  stranded 
about  twelve  miles  from  sea.  The  other  he  says  ran  farther  up 
and  grounded  near  the  "'great  Chapoos  falls."  As  late  as  1841 
a  whale  was  seen  sporting  between  the  Narrows  and  Governor's 
island,  and  another  is  reported  as  entering  the  bay  some  five  or 
six  years  later.  The  menhaden  or  moss-bunker  abounded  in 
these  waters,  and  was  formerly  used  in  large  quantities  for  fer- 
tilizing the  soil,  the  fishing  commencing  on  the  south  shore  in 
June.  Thirty  or  forty  years  ago  these  fish  were  sold  to  farmers 
in  large  quantities  at  75  cents  a  thousand.  Soon  afterward  the 
business  of  extracting  the  oil  from  them  sprang  up,  and  this 
use  being  more  profitable  the  price  was  increased  until  it  became 
about  four  times  the  one  mentioned.  This  practically  placed 
the  fish  beyond  the  reach  of  the  farmer.  Clams  are  found  in 
large  numbers  along  the  shores  of  the  island.  The  Great  kills 
was  formerly  noted  for  these  bivalves.  Some  peculiarities  in 
the  soft  clams  found  at  different  points  along  the  shores  have 
been  noticed  by  those  who  have  studied  the  subject.  These  va- 
riations are  attributed  to  the  different  conditions  of  the  beach 
upon  which  they  are  found.  From  New  Brighton  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Narrows,  where  the  shore  is  rocky,  the  clams  are  o'nly 
of  moderate  size,  the  ends  being  often  broken  and  the  outside 
of  the  shell  corrugated.  On  the  sandy  beach  of  the  south 
shore,  which  is  open  to  the  sea,  the  shells  are  very  thin  and  of 
even  growth.  All  the  lateral  and^transverse  markings  are  com- 
plete, the  shells  often  very  beautiful  in  form  and  color,  and 
here  the  largest  specimens  are  found.  About  a  half-mile  south- 
west of  the  "Elm  Tree  Light"  the  shore  is  composed  of  salt 
meadow  or  peat,  which  is  supposed  to  be  too  hard  for  the  free 
development  of  well  formed  shells,  hence  the  clams  found  there 
exhibit  more  deformities  and  are  often  more  rounded  in  shape 
than  those  found  elsewhere.  Beyond  Seguine's  point,  however, 
the  shore  resembles  in  character  that  of  New  Brighton,  and  the 
clams  also  correspond  to  those  of  that  shore.  The  oyster 
growth  and  habits  will  be  more  particularly  noticed  in  connec- 
tion with  that  industry. 

Many  traces  of  the  savage  occupants  have  been  found  upon 
the  island.  These  are  most  common  along  the  shores  from 
Prince's  bay  around  to  Watchogue.     Shell  heaps  are  found 


HISTOEY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  35 

that  indicate  that  the  work  of  wampum  manufacture  and  the 
preparation  of  clams  and  oysters  for  food  was  carried  on  in 
those  localities.  The  two  most  fruitful  localities  in  affording 
Indian  relics  are  perhaps  Tottenville  and  Watchogue.  Hun- 
dreds of  implements  have  been  found,  some  mixed  up  with 
debris  of  the  shell  heaps  and  others  scattered  over  the  fields. 
These  implements  consist  of  net-sinkers,  hammer  stones,  axes, 
arrow-heads,  mortars,  pestles,  beads,  anvils,  and  others  the  use 
of  which  is  unknown.  Arrow-heads  were  found  by  the  bushel, 
being  turned  up  by  the  plow  in  most  of  the  fields.  Indian 
burying  grounds  have  been  discovered  near  Tottenville,  and 
isolated  remains  at  other  points.  In  these  interments  various 
implements  accompanied  the  bodies,  among  which  were  arrow- 
heads such  as  were  used  in  wai',  those  being  distinguishable 
from  the  arrow-heads  used  in  hunting.  Nearly  all  the  arrows 
found  about  the  fields  are  of  the  latter  kind.  Among  the 
objects  of  special  interest  are  discoidal  and  shuttle  shaped  per- 
forated stones,  supposed  by  some  to  have  been  intended  as 
ceremonial  implements  of  some  kind,  and  by  others  to  have 
been  for  the  practical  purpose  of  shaping  bow-strings  by  draw- 
ing the  soft  material  back  and  forth  through  the  small  holes. 
The  discoidal  stones  have  the  opposite  flat  faces  either  ground 
roughly  or  polished,  and  are  of  hard  quartzite.  The  only 
shuttle-shaped  stone  found  is  composed  of  soft  banded  slate. 
As  no  material  of  this  kind  exists  here  it  is  supposed  that  this 
specimen  had  been  brought  from  Ohio  or  Illinois,  where  similar 
objects  had  been  found.  Evidences  of  fire  places  have  been 
noticed  in  several  of  the  shell  mounds,  specimens  of  cracked 
and  partly  fused  stone  having  been  found.  In  some  of  the 
stones  the  surface  was  entirely  fused  into  a  glass-like  slag. 
One  of  the  most  striking  curiosities  of  this  nature,  however,  is 
the  stone  head  found  near  Clifton  in  1884.  This  was  unearthed 
by  Mr.  James  Clark,  in  the  latter  part  of  February,  while  dig- 
ging up  the  root  of  a  blue  huckleberry  bush  which  he  intended 
to  use  in  the  manufacture  of  rustic  basket  work.  It  lay  about 
eighteen  inches  under  the  soil  at  a  point  two  to  three  hundred 
feet  east  of  the  railroad  track,  and  near  the  Fingerboard  road, 
at  the  edge  of  a  low  dense  swamp.  In  digging  with  a  pick,  that 
instrument  struck  the  stone  and  turned  it  up.  The  material  is  a 
brown  sandstone,  apparently  more  compact  than  the  common  New 
Jersey  sandstone,  and  composed  almost  entirely  of  grains  of 


36  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

quartz  with  an  occasional  small  pebble.  The  head  is  seven  inches 
high,  four  inches  through  the  cheeks  and  six  inches  from  the  tip 
of  the  nose  through  to  the  back  of  the  head,  and  its  weight  is 
about  eight  pounds.  The  nostrils  are  one  and  seven-eighths 
inches  across  their  base  and  the  eyes  are  one  and  a  quarter 
inches  long  and  five-eighths  wide.  They  are  raised  in  the  cen- 
ters and  have  a  groove  running  around  close  to  the  lids.  A 
round  hole  one-fifth  inch  deep  had  been  drilled  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  nose,  in  the  space  between  the  two  nostrils,  evidently 
for  the  purpose  of  fastening  an  ornament,  and  both  nostrils 
were  hollowed  out  to  some  depth.  The  cheeks,  in  their  lower 
part,  are  sunken  in  a  very  curious  manner,  causing  the  cheek 
bones  to  stand  up  very  high.  The  forehead  is  low  and  retreats 
at  an  angle  of  sixty  degrees.  A  trace  of  what  had  been  or  was 
to  be  the  ear  was  noticeable  on  the  right  side.  The  back  and 
upper  parts  of  the  head  are  almost  entirely  rough  and  unworked, 
as  though  the  image  had  never  been  finished,  or  else  was  only 
a  part  of  some  larger  figure.  The  surface  is  rough  and  slightly 
weathered,  the  cheeks,  forehead  and  chin  having  single  grains 
of  sand  apparently  raised  above  the  surface  as  if  by  age  and 
exposure.  The  features  are  too  well  cut  for  a  common  off-hand 
piece  of  work  by  a  stone  maker.  The  style  is  not  Egyptian  or 
Eastern,  so  it  does  not  appear  that  it  could  have  been  thrown 
out  here  by  any  sailor  or  other  person  who  had  ever  brought  it 
from  across  the  ocean.  It  is  said  to  bear  some  resemblance  to 
the  Mexican,  and  still  more  to  the  Aztec  style  of  work.  The 
spot  where  it  was  found  is  and  has  been  within  the  memory  of 
man  an  unfrequented  wild,  remote  from  any  habitation,  and  the 
soil  in  which  it  lay  is  a  compact  sandy  clay  of  light  brown 
color,  in  which  a  stone  like  this  might  lie  buried  for  centuries 
without  much  disintegration. 

But  we  must  draw  this  chapter  of  description  to  a  close;  but 
in  doing  so  we  cannot  refrain  from  introducing  the  beautiful 
poem  by  James  Burke,  entitled  "The  Isle  of  the  Bay,"  which  so 
aptly  describes  the  island  whose  history  we  are  about  to  notice : 

Up  from  the  waters  that  come  as  the  daughters 

Of  Neptune,  the  lord  of  the  wide  spreading  main, 
Bringing  with  pleasure,  love,  homage  and  treasure 

To  lay  on  the  altar  of  Ldherty's  Fane, — 
Rises  serenely,  resplendent  and  queenly, 

As  far-famed  Atlantis,  in  Hercules'  day, — 
Sweet  Staten  Island,  of  valley  and  highland, 

So  fair  that  we  name  her  the  Pride  of  the  Bay  ! 


HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  37 

Summer  caressing,  while  breathing  the  blessing 

A  mother  invokes  on  her  daughter,  a  bride. 
Her  miniature  mountains  and  silver-spring  fountains 

Are  dimpled  and  rippled  with  beauty  and  pride. 
Valleys  are  smiling  with  pleasures  beguiling. 

And  terrace-like  hills  from  her  shores  roll  away  ; 
Green  are  the  meadows  and  cool  are  the  shadows 

Of  grottoes  and  groves  in  our  Isle  of  the  Bay. 

Winter,  though  bringing  his  terrors  and  flinging . 

Them  down  at  her  feet  with  a  pitiless  hand, 
Yet  is  her  ardor  sulficient  to  guard  her, 

And  laughter  defies  him  on  lake  and  on  land. 
Springtime  poetic  and  Autumn  pathetic. 

Are  seasons  whose  charms  have  a  limitless  sway. 
Yet  do  they  chasten  their  garments  and  hasten 

To  visit  their  homes  on  our  Isle  of  the  Bay  ! 

Add  to  what's  charming,  her  fishing  and  farming, 

Ser  soil  and  its  products  both  racy  and  rare, 
Shore  lines  combining,  by  Nature's  designing, 

A  wharfage  for  commerce  unrivalled  elsewhere  ; 
Gardens  and  goodlands,  with  wild  ways  and  woodlands. 

And  water  abundant  as  music  in  May, 
Then  Use  and  Beauty  unite  in  the  duty. 

An  Eden  to  make  of  our  Isle  of  the  Bay  ! 

History  rolling  its  gates  back,  and  tolling 

The  echoes  of  ages  receding  from  sight. 
Figures  are  walking  and  voices  are  talking. 

That  show  us  our  progress  to  Liberty's  light  ; 
First  the  red  foeman  and  next  the  Dutch  yeoman. 

Succeeded  by  Dongan's  Colonial  sway  ; 
Hanover's  scepter  then  subjugate  kept  her 

Till  Washington  rescued  our  Isle  of  the  Bay  ! 

But  though  her  story  be  studded  with  glory. 

And  Nature  hath  decked  her  with  grandeur  and  grace. 
Yet  are  these  phases  less  worthy  of  praises 

Than  this  that  here  Love  finds  a  fit  dwelling  place. 
Eefuge  from  dangers,  both  natives  and  strangers, 

Black,  white  or  red,  or  the  sons  of  Cathay, 
All  here  abiding,  in  friendship  confiding, 

Find  welcome  and  weal  in  our  Isle  of  the  Bay. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  PERIOD  OF  SETTLEMENT— 1609  TO  1683. 


Discovery.— The  First  Settlement  and  the  Settlers.— Conquest  by  the  English. 

STANDING-  upon  the  soil  of  this  beautiful  island  and 
reflecting  that  it  has  a  character,  a  history  and  a  name 
peculiar  to  itself,  we  feel  a  natural  desire  to  review  the  scenes 
which  broke  to  the  view  of  the  first  visitors  from  the  realm  of 
civilization,  and  indeed  to  see  what  is  possible  of  the  condition 
of  things  that  existed  previous  to  that  time.  Let  us  imagine 
the  wheels  of  time  turned  back  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  or 
more.  Let  us  wipe  out  all  the  improvement  which  the  white 
man  has  brought  here  and  look  at  the  land  in  the  full  pos- 
session of  its  aboriginal  occupants.  To  see  it  as  it  was  then  we 
must  silence  the  noise  of  the  railroad  train  and  steamboat 
whistles  and  bells,  tear  up  the  railroad  track  and  neutralize 
the  grade,  uproot  the  mills  and  manufactories,  dissolve  the 
villages,  wipe  out  the  farm  fences  and  obliterate  all  the  other 
marks  of  improvement  that  now  exist,  then  restore  the  primi- 
tive forest,  the  unbroken  sward,  and  repopulate  the  slopes 
and  plains,  the  hills  and  valleys  with  deer,  foxes,  raccoons, 
wolves,  rabbits  and  all  the  m altitudes  of  animals  that  once 
infested  them.  We  should  still  see  life  and  action.  But  it 
would  be  of  a  different  sort.  Instead  of  all  this  change,  which 
we  call  improvement,  we  should  see  the  work  of  Nature  glory- 
ing in  her  freedom,  untrammeled  by  the  arts  of  man.  We 
should  see  the  son  of  the  forest  restored  to  his  native  haunts, 
the  tangled  thicket,  the  pebbled  shore  and  the  groves  of 
majestic  trees  whose  heads  had  bowed  to  the  winds  of  cen- 
turies. 

It  were  a  useless  undertaking  to  attempt  to  set  forth  a 
learned  hypothesis  in  regard  to  the  occupancy  of  this  region 
during  the  ages  of  the  world's  existence  which  preceded  its 
discovery  and  settlement  by  the  European  white  man.     That 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  39 

history  must  ever  remain  as  it  has  thus  far,  a  sealed  book.  At 
the  time  alluded  to  it  was  occupied  by  Indians,  but  their  tra- 
ditions threw  no  light  upon  the  darkness  that  enshrouded  the 
ages  which  had  been  rolling  away  since  the  creation  of  the 
world.  They  were  numerous,  and  had  been  more  so,  even  to 
such  an  extent  that  in  their  traditions  the  blades  of  grass  and 
sands  of  the  sea-shore  were  used  as  figures  to  represent  the 
magnitude  of  their  numbers.  But  no  memorial  was  left  to  tell 
us  what  scenes  were  passing  here  while  the  great  events  of  the 
ancient  world's  history  were  agitating  the  people  of  the 
eastern  hemisphere.  How  long  had  they  held  sway  ?  By 
what  race  of  beings  had  they  been  preceded  ?  Was  their 
course  of  development  progressive  or  retrograde  ?  These  ques- 
tions are  answered  only  by  their  echoes,  which  the  hollow, 
darkness  of  uncomputed  ages  gives  back  to  us. 

To  approach  a  realization  of  the  primitive  condition  of  things, 
let  us  indulge  in  an  imaginative  scene  of  that  period.  Suppose 
ourselves  to  be  surrounded  by  the  whispering  solitude  of  the 
virgin  wilderness.  Along  the  sea-girt  shore  we  have  wandered, 
listening  to  the  hoarse  song  of  the  sea;  our  faces  have  felt  the 
burning  of  the  glancing  sunlight,  and  we  have  breathed  the 
strong  salt  air  as  it  came  in  upon  us  from  beyond  Sandy  Hook. 
From  the  seashore  coming  through  the  interior  we  see  no  roads, 
no  houses,  no  farms,  but  life  is  represented  by  the  animals  and 
birds  that  start  at  our  approach  and  by  the  fruit  and  flower 
laden  vines  and  shrubs  that  impede  our  movements.  From  a 
commanding  hill  we  can  see  now  and  then  a  little  band  of  In- 
dians following  some  obscure  trail  through  the  valley  below, 
as  they  move  from  place  to  place  upon  some  unknown  embassy 
of  friendship)  or  perchance  of  hatred. 

Looking  across  the  valley,  behold!  yonder  an  Indian  hunts- 
man has  secreted  himself  hard  by  a  little  sheet  of  clear,  fresh 
water,  to  watch  for  the  deer  that  may  come  there  to  drink.  As 
we  look,  the  sharp  twang  of  the  bow  and  the  whirr  of  the 
death-dealing  arrow,  and  the  commotion  of  the  bushes  where 
the  game  has  fallen  in  its  dying  struggle  tell  us  that  he  has 
not  watched  in  vain. 

Let  us  approach  one  of  their  rude  settlements  which  is  con- 
veniently located  on  the  shore  of  the  beautiful  bay,  and  taking 
refuge  behind  one  of  these  old  oaks,  watch  the  movements  of 
the  savages  before  us.     They  know  nothing  of  the  existence  of 


40  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

any  race  of  beings  in  the  shape  of  men  besides  themselves. 
Their  lives,  their  habits,  their  religion  and  language  are  un- 
mixed— and  shall  we  say  uncorrupted  ? — by  contact  v?ith  the 
white  man. 

We  are  looking  down  upon  a  quiet  Indian  village  in  the  fore- 
ground, located  upon  a  low  bluff.  The  bay,  with  its  partially 
encircling  belt  of  white  sand,  and  the  verdnre  clad  hills  rising 
from  it  in  beautiful  undulations,  presents  a  landscape  scene  of 
surpassing  loveliness.  Beyond  the  glimmer  and  sheen  of  the 
nearer  waters,  the  view  takes  in  a  glimpse  of  the  wider  expanse 
which  loses  itself  in  the  hazy  veil  that  obscures  the  distant  hor 
izon.  On  the  placid  water  before  us  half  a  dozen  canoes  are 
paddling  lazily  about,  some  containing  a  single  Indian  each, 
others  several,  returning  perhaps  from  some  neighborly  errand 
to  another  tribe  or  village,  or  perhaps  from  a  hunting  or  fishing 
expedition  in  which  they  have  been  engaged.  Yonder  comes  a 
canoe  containing  three  half  grown  boys  and  a  quantity  of  long, 
coarse  grass  or  rushes  which  they  have  gathered  from  the  bog 
just  across  the  cove.  They  are  bringing  them  to  be  made  into 
mats  by  that  group  of  women  who  are  seated  on  the  slope  just 
in  front  of  us.  That  rude  manufacture  is  to  them  one  of  the 
fine  arts.  But  a  much  finer  art  is  being  practiced  by  that  little 
company  which  you  see  away  to  the  right  of  them,  hovering 
about  that  heai?  of  shells.  They  are  working  out  from  the 
shells,  by  a  slow  and  tedious  process,  the  details  of  which  we 
are  not  near  enough  to  see,  those  curious  little  beads,  which 
when  strung  are  called  wampum  and  are  used  for  ornaments  as 
well  as  for  money.  Back  on  the  rolling  elevation  to  the  right 
of  us,  and  in  rear  of  the  little  cluster  of  wigwams,  lies  their 
cornfield.  The  women  have  planted  and  cultivated  it,  and  now 
the  crop  is  almost  ready  to  harvest.  Some  women  are  in  the 
field  looking  to  see  if  the  ears  are  ripe  enough  to  pull  from  the 
stalk.  Here  on  our  left  two  men  are  digging  clay  from  the  side 
of  the  very  hill  upon  which  we  stand.  This  clay  they  are  roughly 
forming  into  some  sort  of  primitive  pottery,  which  they  will 
presently  harden  by  baking  in  a  hot  fire,  when  all  is  ready. 
Seated  at  a  little  distance  from  them  three  old  men  sit  chatting, 
rather  socially  for  Indians  it  may  be,  and  pecking  away  at  stone 
arrow-heads,  which  they  are  forming  for  the  use  of  the  younger 
and  more  active  men,  two  of  whom  maybe  seen  Just  now  return- 
ing from  the  woods,  bringing  with  them  the  carcass  of  a  fat 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  41 

buck,  which  their  skilled  aim  and  the  magic  qualities  of  the 
old  men's  arrows  have  brought  to  the  ground.  Between  the 
primitive  pottery  works  and  yonder  clump  of  cedars,  which 
crowns  the  projecting  bluff,  some  men  have  rolled  the  trunk  of 
a  huge  tree  down  from  a  higher  hill  where  it  grew,  and  are 
working  perseveringly  with  fire  and  water  and  their  stone  axes, 
digging  it  out  and  shaping  it  for  a  canoe.  This  is  primitive 
ship-building. 

As  we  gaze  upon  the  scene  before  us,  ruminating  on  the  con- 
trast two  hundred  and  seventy-five  years  will  bring  over  the 
face  of  this  rock-ribbed  and  verdure- clothed  island,  two  half- 
grown  Indian  girls  emerge  from  the  thicket  and  come  running 
down  the  slope  to  where  these  men  are  at  work.  With  excited 
gestures  they  tell  of  something  they  have  seen  from  the  hill  be- 
hind the  cedars.  We  cannot  hear  their  story,  but  from  the 
manner  of  its  recital  and  the  absorbed  attention  the  men  are 
ready  to  give  to  it  we  are  led  to  wonder  what  startling  news  the 
little  girls  have  brought. 

Presently  the  men  throw  down  their  implements  and  start 
with  quick  and  stealthy  tread,  following  as  the  girls  retrace 
their  steps,  until  the  whole  party  disappears  among  the  cedars. 
Some  women  who  were  at  work  about  the  shell-heap  and  the 
wigwams,  having  seen  these  movements,  come  over  to  where 
the  old  men  are  shaping  arrow-points,  and  ask  what  strange 
story  the  little  girls  brought.  Perhaps  these  old  men  are  sup- 
posed to  possess  some  peculiar  spirit  charm  by  which  they  can 
divine  things  not  made  known  to  ordinary  minds.  To  them  the 
women  come,  but  they  can  give  no  solution  of  this  mystery. 
Then  the  returned  hunters  come  over  to  the  spot,  and  the  small 
boys  come  running  up  from  the  shore  with  the  same  inquiry 
upon  their  lips.  The  collecting  group  attracts  the  attention  of 
the  women  out  in  the  cornfield,  and  they  leave  their  work  to 
come  and  learn  the  cause  of  its  gathering. 

Presently  the  absent  men  and  girls  are  seen  emerging  from 
the  thicket  and  running  down  the  hill  and  across  the  valley  to 
where  the  wondering  group  is  waiting.  They  are  too  much  out 
of  breath  and  overcome  with  excitement  to  say  more  than  that 
they  have  seen  a  strange  sight,  which  they  fear  is  an  omen  of 
danger.  As  they  recover  sufficient  calmness  and  possession  of 
their  faculties  to  do  so  they  explain  that  away  out  on  the  great 
water  something  is  moving  toward  them — something  like  a  great 


42  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

canoe,  so  large  that  a  big  tree  was  growing  out  of  it,  and  a  very 
great  blanket  was  hung  upon  the  tree  so  that  the  wind  pushing 
against  it  drove  the  unnamed  thing  along.  What  it  was  they 
could  not  tell.  Whether  it  was  a  great  canoe  with  men  in  it,  or 
some  terrible  monster  of  the  sea,  with  wings,  or  a  veritable 
delegation  from  the  spirit  world,  good  or  bad,  is  a  matter  of 
speculation  with  them. 

As  they  stand  describing  the  strange  sight  to  their  spell- 
bound listeners,  the  apparition  itself  suddenly  shoots  past  the 
cedar-crowned  jjoint  and  glides  into  full  view,  less  than  a  mile 
away.  Its  appearance  is  greeted  by  an  exclamatory  chorus 
which  we  may  interpret,  "There  it  is!"  and  then  in  dead 
silence  the  group  of  savages  contemplate  the  wonderful  spec- 
tacle. The  children  cling  trembling  to  their  mothers  while  the 
squaws  crouch  nearer  to  their  husbands  and  the  warriors,  and 
all  draw  instinctively  together  as  they  press  around  the  old  ar- 
row makers,  who  meanwhile  have  thrown  down  their  work  and 
sit  gazing  in  speechless  wonder  at  the  approaching  nondescript. 
Fear  seizes  every  heart,  and  the  breast  of  even  the  bravest  war- 
rior is  troubled  with  misgivings  as  to  what  this  visitation  may 
bring  forth.  And  well  they  may  be  disturbed.  It  is  indeed  a 
kind  Providence  that  hides  from  them  their  fate.  If  they  could 
peer  behind  the  veil  and  read  the  future  they  would  know  that 
the  vision  before  them  is  the  harbinger  of  their  own  dissolution; 
the  lirst  breath  of  a  poisonous  wind  that  in  a  few  generations 
shall  wrest  from  them  their  hunting  grounds  and  sweep  their 
race  into  the  great  common  sepulchre  upon  whose  portal  is  in- 
scribed, "They  were,  but  are  not:"  aye,  the  prophetic  hand- 
writing which  foretells  their  doom  as  surely  as  that  which 
blazed  upon  the  walls  of  Belshazzar's  banquet  hall. 

"  The  Great  Spirit  is  angry,"  explains  one  of  the  savages,  who 
is  the  tirst  to  break  the  spell  of  silence,  "and  he  is  coming  in  his 
big,  flying  canoe,  to  look  for  some  warrior  who  has  done  some 
wicked  th^ng,  or  for  some  other  man  who  has  displeased  him  ; 
but  maybe  he  will  not  find  the  bad  one  here.  If  he  wants  any 
of  us  w:e  must  go.  No  use  trying  to  run  away  from  him,  so 
we  may  just  as  well  stay  where  we  are." 

Another  explains:  "  I  don't  think  it  is  the  Great  Spirit.  That 
is  not  the  way  he  moves.  It  is  a  great  big  canoe,  with  many 
men  in  it.     They  may  be  our  enemies   or  they  may  be   our 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  43 

friends,  or  maybe  they  are  strangers  from  some  tribe  away,  far 
over  the  water." 

"  No,"  answers  a  third,  whose  clearer  vision  allows  him  to  see 
those  on  board,  "  these  are  not  men  like  ns.  They  are  pale- 
faced,— more  than  our  dead  fathers  and  brothers  are.  They 
must  be  spirit  men.  That  is  a  more  beautiful  canoe  than  any 
man  could  make  in  this  world.  It  comes  from  the  spirit  land 
where  our  fathers  and  chiefs  have  gone.  Its  wings  are  white 
and  beautiful.  They  are  made  of  the  skins  of  animals  that  are 
hunted  in  that  world  where  everything  is  so  white  and  good. 
Maybe  the  spirit  men  in  the  canoe  are  our  friends  who  are  look- 
ing for  us,  to  take  us  in  the  beautiful  canoe  to  the  liappy  hunt- 
ing grounds  which  they  have  found." 

But  all  this  savage  wisdom  does  not  prevent  the  young  war- 
riors and  hunters  thinking  that  whatever  may  be  the  errand 
upon  which  the  approaching  party  comes,  it  would  be  well  to 
be  ready  for  the  worst,  as  least  so  far  as  the  power  to  prepare 
for  it  is  theirs.  So  their  bows  and  their  arrows  are  made  ready 
and  brought  out  with  them,  to  be  at  hand  in  case  of  need. 
Some  of  the  squaws,  though  they  have  never  heard  the  proverb, 
"  Distance  lends  enchantment,"  still  have  an  instinctive  convic- 
tion of  its  truth,  and  acting  on  that  conviction  are  retreating 
beyond  the  corn-field  as  the  approaching  vessel  nears  the  shore 
on  her  passage  toward  the  Narrows,  while  some  of  the  braver 
Indians  move  cautiously  down  the  slope  to  get  a  closer  view  of 
the  new  revelation. 

As  the  representatives  of  two  distinct  races  of  men,  having 
nothing  in  language,  manners  nor  customs  alike,  approach  each 
other  the  new  comers  are  able  to  convey  to  the  Indians — by  what 
sort  of  language  who  shall  ever  know? — the  impression  that 
their  mission  is  a  friendly  one;  that  they  intend  no  harm  to 
them,  but  that  they  have  brought  some  very  useful  and  curious 
things,  which  by  way  of  friendly  entertainment  they  proceed  to 
show  them.  The  Indians  readily  see  the  usefulness  of  the 
metal  knives,  the  axes,  the  awls,  the  hatchets,  the  blankets,  the 
coats  and  various  other  articles  which  the  pale-faces  had  brought 
to  escite  their  admiration  and  cupidity. 

The  setting  sun  that  evening  closed  a  day  never  to  be  forgot- 
ten by  those  who  participated  in  the  events  which  we  have  por- 
trayed— the  day  that  saw  the  meeting  of  two  races  of  men  upon 
the  soil  that  had  been,  no  one  knows  how  long,  the  home  of  one. 


44  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

and  was  to  be,  no  one  knows  how  long,  the  home  of  the  other. 
The  former  should  decrease  while  the  latter  should  increase. 

From  the  contemplation  of  these  important  events  as  they 
may  have  appeared  from  the  Indian  standpoint,  let  us  turn  to 
consider  in  more  explicit  and  definite  terms  the  discovery  of 
the  territory  by  Europeans  and  the  establishment  and  progress 
of  civilization  upon  the  soil  which  for  unknown  centuries  had 
been  the  home  of  the  untutored  savage. 

The  bay  of  New  York  was  first  discovered,  according  to  a 
claim  (which  has,  however,  been  disputed  by  some)  in  1524  by 
Giovanni  da  Verrazzano,  the  celebrated  iriorentine  navigator. 
It  does  not  appear,  however,  that  any  attempt  was  made  by  the 
government  under  which  the  navigator  sailed  to  hold  the  terri- 
tory discovered  by  him.  Of  course  it  naturally  follows  that 
the  exploration  of  New  York  bay  involved  the  discovery  of 
Staten  Island.  But  whatever  may  have  been  the  facts  with  re- 
gard to  the  exploration  of  Verrazzano,  the  honors  of  discovery 
are  accorded  to  Henry  Hudson,  and  whatever  advantages  at- 
tended that  discovery  were  husbanded  by  the  Dutch  govern- 
ment, under  whose  flag  Hudson  sailed. 

Henry  Hudson  was  one  of  those  ambitious  navigators  who 
were  ready  to  sacrifice  their  ease,  and  even  their  lives,  in  the 
exciting  enterprise  of  searching  for  the  northwest  passage  to 
the  Indies.  A  native  Englishman,  the  early  part  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  found  him  in  the  employ  first,  of  the  London 
Company,  and  after  that  company  had  abandoned  the  enter- 
prise, then  engaged  with  the  Dutch  East  India  Company. 
Under  the  commission  of  the  latter  he  left  Amsterdam  in  the 
"  Half  Moon,"  a  ship  of  about  eighty  tons  capacity,  and  on  the 
4th  of  April,  1609,  sailed  for  the  new  world.  He  arrived  on  the 
"Banks"  of  Newfoundland  early  in  July,  and  for  two  months 
cruised  along  the  coast,  looking  for  some  opening  that  would 
promise  to  admit  him  to  the  Indian  sea  beyond. 

How  easy  it  is  in  the  light  of  the  present  day  to  smile  at  the 
unavailing  enthusiasm  of  Hudson  and  the  folly  of  his  scheme ! 
But  whatever  the  motives  that  led  to  it  the  momentous  conse- 
quences of  that  exploration  are  sufficient  to  provoke  our  pro- 
f oundest  gratitude.  After  several  unsuccessful  attempts  to  find 
such  an  opening  in  the  land  as  would  indicate  what  he  desired 
to  see,  he  entered  the  Lower  bay  and  anchored  inside  of  Sandy 
Hook  on  the  3d  day  of  September,  1609.     Though  not  the  first 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  45 

to  behold,  Hudson  was  the  first  to  penetrate  the  mysteries  of 
the  land  and  water  which  extended  to  an  unknown  distance 
before  him.  In  one  boat  he  visited  "Coney  Island,"  and  sent  an- 
other, containing  five  men,  on  an  exploring  expedition  north- 
ward. These  men  passed  through  the  IsTarrows,  coasted  along 
Staten  Island,  and  penetrated  some  distance  into  the  kills.  On 
their  return  they  suddenly  encountered  two  large  canoes,  con- 
taining twenty-six  Indians,  who,  in  their  alarm,  discharged  a 
shower  of  arrowy  at  thesttanger^  and  killed;  one  m^n,  an  Eng- 
lishman, named  John  Coleman,  by  shooting  him  in  the  neck. 
Both  parties  became  frightened,  and  pulled  away  from  each 
other  with  all  their  strength.  Coleman's  body  was  taken  to 
Sandy  Hook  and  there  interred,  and  the  place  was  called  "Cole- 
man's Point." 

Notwithstanding  the  mishap,  as  the  death  of  Coleman  was 
regarded,  the  natives  proved  to  be  friendly,  and  freely  bartered 
with  the  strangers  such  articles  as  they  had  to  dispose  of, 
as  tobacco,  maize,  wild  fruits,  etc.  Hudson  remained  at  anchor 
until  the  eleventh,  when  he  sailed  through  the  Narrows  and 
anchored  in  the  mouth  of  the  great  river  which  now  bears  his 
name.  On  the  thirteenth  he  again  weighed  anchor,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  explore  the  beautiful  stream  upon  whose  bosom  he 
was  floating;  he  was  eleven  days  in  ascending  as  far  as  the  site 
of  Albany,  and  as  many  more  in  descending.  Before  starling 
he  had  had  considerable  intercourse  with  the  natives,  but  had  al- 
ways prudently  kept  himself  and  his  men  prepared  for  any 
emergency,  and  though  the  natives  frequently  came  on  board 
armed  they  made  no  hostile  demonstrations;  Hudson,  however, 
detained  two  of  the  Staten  Island  Indians  as  hostages,  and  took 
them  with  him  on  the  voyage  up  the  river,  as  far  as  the  site  of 
West  Point,  where  they  escaped  by  jumping  overboard  and 
swimming  to  the  shore.  On  his  way  he  encountered  many  of 
the  Indians,  who,  though  they  manifested  a  friendly  disposi- 
tion, were  nevertheless  suspected  of  entertaining  hostile  inten- 
tions, and  it  was  supposed  that  the  dread  with  which  they 
regarded  the  arms  of  their  visitors  alone  restrained  them. 

On  his  return  down  the  river,  while  lying  at  anchor  oflf  Stony 
Point,  numerous  canoes  from  both  sides  surrounded  the  ship, 
from  one  of  which  an  Indian  entered  the  cabin  by  climbing 
through  a  stei-fi  window,  from  which  he  stole  several  articles  of 
clothing.     As  he  left  the  ship  with  his  plunder,    the  mate 


46  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

detected  him  and  shot  him,  killing  him  instantly.  Tbis  was  the 
first  blood  shed  by  the  whites.  When  the  ship's  boat  was  sent 
to  recover  the  stolen  articles,  one  Indian,  who  appeared  to  pos- 
sess more  courage  than  his  fellows,  while  swimming,  laid  hold 
of  the  boat,  apparently  for  the  purpose  of  overturning  it,  but  a 
sailor,  with  a  single  blow  of  his  sword,  cut  off  his  hands,  and 
he  was  drowned.  It  was  supposed  that  the  two  Staten  Island 
savages  who  had  escaped  at  West  Point,  on  their  way  down  the 
river  had  alarmed  the  several  tribes  so  that  when  the  ship 
ariived  at  the  upper  end  of  Manhattan  Island  it  was  met  by  a 
large  fleet  of  canoes  filled  with  armed  savages,  who  discharged 
their  arrows,  but  fortunately  without  doing  any  serious  injury. 
A  cannon  was  twice  discharged  at  them,  killing  some  of  them 
and  tearing  their  canoes  to  pieces,  the  sailors  meanwhile  firing 
at  them  with  small  arms.  The  result  of  this  engagement  was 
that  nine  Indians  were  killed,  and  many  more  wounded,  while 
the  whites  sustained  no  injury  whatever.  Hudson,  having  spent 
a  month  in  exploring  the  river  and  bay,  put  to  sea  on  the  4th  of 
October,  and  arrived  at  Dartmouth,  England,  on  the  7th  of  the 
following  Nc»vember. 

There  is  no  evidence  that  Hudson  ever  circumnavigated  the 
island,  but  that  he  satisfied  himself  of  its  insular  character  is 
evident  from  the  name  "  Staaten  Eylandt,"  vs^hich  he  gave  to  it. 

Following  this  mere  outline  discovery,  no  notice  was  paid  to 
Staten  Island  for  several  years,  at  least  so  far  as  any  accounts 
that  we  have  of  the  movements  of  the  Dutch  traders  show. 
Some  descriptions  of  the  condition  of  the  island  may  have  been 
written  at  an  earlier  period,  but  the  following  extract  from  a 
letter  written  by  Isaack  de  Rasieres  to  Samuel  Blommaert, 
about  the  close  of  the  year  1627  (as  is  supposed)  contains  the 
earliest  description  of  this  part  of  the  country  that  we  have 
by  one  who  was  an  eye  witness  of  those  primitive  scenes.  The 
letter  was  found  in  the  Royal  Library  at  the  Hague,  and  trans- 
lated by  Mr.  J.  R.  Brodhead.  It  bears  no  date,  but  was  proba- 
bly written  after  De  Rasieres'  return  to  Holland.  A  copy  may 
be  found  in  N.  Y.  Hist.  Soc.  Collections,  II.  Series,  Vol.  2, 
page  34;j. 

"On  the  27th  of  July,  Anno  1626,  by  the  help  of  God,  I 
arrived  with  the  ship  The  Arms  of  Amsterdam,  before  the  Bay 
of  the  great  Mauritse  River,*  sailing  into  it  about  a  musket  shot 

*  The  North  river — so  called  after  Prince  Maurice  of  Orange. 


HI8T0KY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  47 

from  Godyn's  Point*  into  Coeuraet's  Bayf  (where  the  greatest 
depth  is,  because  from  the  East  point  there  stretches  out  a  sand 
bank  on  which  there  is  only  from  9  to  14  feet  water),  then  sailed 
on  Northeast  and  North  Northeast,  to  about  half  way  from 
the  low  sand  bank  called  Godyn's  Point,  to  the  Hamel's- 
Hoofden,:]:  the  mouth  of  the  river,  where  we  found  at  half  ebb, 
16,  17,  18  feet  water,  and  which  is  a  sandy  reef  a  musket  shot 
broad,  stretching  for  the  most  part  Northeast  and  Southwest, 
quite  across,  according  to  my  opinion,  and  to  have  been  formed 
there  by  the  stream,  inasmuch  as  the  flood  runs  in  to  the  bay 
from  the  sea  East  Southeast;  the  depth  at  Grodyn's  Point  is 
caused  by  the  ebb  flowing  out  along  there  with  such  rapidity. 
Between  the  Hamel's-Hoofden  the  width  is  about  a  cannon's 
shot  of  2,000  [yards].  The  depth  10,  11,  12  fathoms.  They 
are  tolerably  high  points,  and  well  wooded.  The  West  point  is 
an  island,  inhabited  by  from  eighty  to  ninety  savages,  who  sup- 
port themselves  by  planting  maize.  The  East  point  is  a  very 
large  island,  full  24  miles§  long,  stretching  East  by  South  and 
East  Southeast  along  the  sea-coast  from  the  river  to  the  East 
end  of  the  Fisher's  Point. || 

***** 

"  TheHamels-Hoofden  being  passed,  there  is  about  a  mile  width 
in  the  river,  and  also  on  the  West  side  there  is  an  inlet,  where 
another  river  runs  up  about  20  miles  to  the  North-North-East, 
emptying  into  the  Mauritse  River  in  the  highlands,  thus  making 
the  North-West  land  opiJ)osite  to  the  Manhatas,  an  island  18 
miles  long.  It  is  inhabited  by  the  old  Manhatans  ;  they  are 
about  200  to  300  strong,  women  and  men,  under  different  chiefs 
whom  they  call  '  Sackimas.'  This  island  is  more  mountainous 
than  the  other  land  on  the  South-east  side  of  the  river,  which 
opposite  to  the  Manhatas  is  about  a  mile  and  a  half  in  breadth. 
At  the  side  of  the  before-mentioned  little  river  which  we  call 
Achter  ColT  there  is  a  great  deal  of  waste,  reedy  land  ;  the  rest 

*  Sandy  Hook — so  named  after  Samuel  Godyn,  one  of  the  directors  of  the  West 
India  Company  at  Amsterdam, 
f  The  Lower  bay  of  New  York — also  called  Port  May  or  Godyn's  bay. 

I  Hamel's  Hoofden — the  Narrows,  between  Staten  and  Long  Islands.  These 
"  Hoofden,"  or  headlands,  were  named  after  Hendrick  Hamel,  one  of  the 
directors  of  the  West  India  Company. 

§  Dutch  miles — a  Dutch  mile  is  equal  to  about  three  English  miles. 

II  Visscher's  Hoeck — Montauk  Point. 
•[[The  Kills. 


48  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

is  full  of  trees,  and  in  some  places  there  is  good  soil,  where  the 
savages  plant  their  maize,  upon  which  they  live  as  well  as  by 
hunting.  The  other  side  of  the  small  river,  according  to  con- 
jecture, is  about  20  to  30  miles  broad  to  the  South  river,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Suncicans,  as  well  as  I  have  been  able  to 
make  it  out  from  the  mouths  of  the  savages  ;  but  as  they  live 
in  a  state  of  constant  enmity  with  those  tribes  the  passage  is 
seldom  made  ;  wherefore  I  have  not  been  able  to  learn  the  exact 
distance;  so  that  when  we  wish  to  send  letters  overland  they 
(the  natives)  take  them  way  across  the  bay  and  have  the  letters 
carried  forward  by  others  unless  one  amongst  them  may  hap- 
pen to  be  on  friendly  terms  and  who  might  venture  to  go 
there." 

The  Indians  dwelling  on  Staten  Island  at  the  time  of  its 
discovery  were  the  Rai-itans,  a  branch  of  the  great  nation  of 
Dela  wares  or  Leni-Lenapes.  From  indications  found  in  various 
localities,  such  as  large  collections  of  shells  and  bones,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  they  dwelt  on  or  near  the  shores  of  the  island,  where 
fish,  scale  and  shell,  were  easily  obtained  ;  this  is  also  conhrmed 
by  the  fact  that  their  burial  places  have  been  found  in  the 
vicinity  of  those  places,  neither  of  these  indications  of  human 
occupancy  having  been  found  in  the  interior.  Stone  hatchets  and 
stone  arrow-heads,  and  springs  rudely  built  up  with  stone  walls, 
have  been  found  at  no  great  distance  from  the  shores  ;  one  of 
the  latter  may  still  be  seen  a  short  distance  northeast,  of  the 
Fresh  pond,  or  Silver  lake,  in  Castleton,  and  is  known  by  the 
name  of  the  Logan  spring. 

The  interior  of  the  island  was  their  hunting  ground,  where 
deer,  bears  and  other  animals  of  the  chase  were  found.  The 
shores  also  afforded  an  abundant  supply  of  water  fowls,  and 
thus,  all  their  resources  considered,  the  Indians  were  well  sup- 
plied by  nature  with  the  necessaries  of  life.  In  addition  to 
these,  they  had  wild  berries  and  fruits,  maize,  of  which  it  is 
said  they  cultivated  large  quantities,  beans,  tobacco,  and  other 
articles  of  their  own  cultivation.  The  proximity  of  the  island 
to  the  mainland  enabled  them  to  extend  their  hunting  expedi- 
tions indefinitely.  The  wild  animals  which  were  found  on  the 
neighboring  continent  were  also  found  here,  but  they,  as  well 
as  their  human  contemporaries,  have  gradually  retired  or  per- 
ished as  civilization  advanced. 

It  is  supposed  that  the  Indians  of  Staten  Island,  in  common 


HISTORY  OF  RICiniOND  COUNTY.  49 

with  tliose  of  the  neighborhood,  were  subject  to  the  Mohawks, 
and  stood  in  constant  and  mortal  fear  of  them.  Their  clothing 
was  the  skins  of  the  beaver,  fox,  and  other  animals,  and  con- 
sisted of  but  little  more  than  a  covering  of  the  thighs  and  loins. 
Their  food  was  maize  or  Indian  corn,  fish,  birds  and  wild  game. 
Their  weapons  were  bows  and  arrows,  the  latter  sharpened  with 
flint  stones  or  the  bones  of  fishes.  Boats  were  made  from  a 
single  piece  of  wood,  hollowed  out  by  fire.  Some  led  a  wander- 
ing life,  while  others  had  fixed  abodes  built  with  rafters,  and 
oven-formed,  covered  with  the  bark  of  trees,  and  large  enough 
to  accommodate  several  families.  A  few  mats,  wooden  dishes, 
stone  hatchets  and  smoking  tubes  composed  their  scanty  fur- 
niture. The  fire  was  kindled  in  the  middle  of  these  dwellings, 
from  one  end  to  the  other,  and  the  smoke  let  out  at  an  opening 
in  the  crown  of  the  roof.  On  hunting  and  fishing  expeditions 
they  erected  temporary  huts  in  the  same  fashion. 

All  the  agriculture  was  done  by  the  women,  who  of  course 
knew  nothing  of  plowing  or  spading  the  soil,  nor  the  culture  of 
wheat,  oats,  barley  or  rye.  Their  universal  grain  was  maize,  or 
turkey  corn,  of  which  they  made  bread  and  "sapraen"  or 
mush.  They  also  cultivated  beans,  pumpkins,  squashes  and 
tobacco.     The  old  men  made  wooden  bowls,  ladles  and  baskets. 

Their  hatches  were  made  of  stone,  in  shape  like  rude  wedges, 
about  a  half  foot  long,  and  broad  in  proportion.  A  notch  was 
made  around  the  thick  end,  which  received  the  two  parts  of  a 
stick  split  at  one  end  which  formed  the  handle.  The  jaws  of 
the  handle  were  then  firmly  bound  with  thongs  to  the  hatchet 
and  the  implement  was  ready  for  use.  Sometimes  these  hatchets 
were  not  handled  at  all,  but  were  simply  held  in  the  hands 
when  being  used.  Their  chief  use  was  to  make  good  fields  for 
maize  plantations,  by  girdling  tlie  trees  and  thus  clearing  the 
ground  by  taking  advantage  of  the  natural  course  of  decay  and 
time  in  removing  the  wood  growth. 

When  the  Indians  wished  to  fell  a  thick,  strong  tree  they  em- 
ployed fire.  This  was  done  by  heaping  a  great  quantity  of 
wood  about  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  and  burning  it,  continuing 
this  process  until  the  trunk  was  burned  through  and  the  tree  fell. 
But  to  prevent  the  fire  consuming  the  part  which  they  wished 
to  save  they  made  a  swab  with  which,  fastened  to  the  end  of  a 
pole,  they  kept  applying  water  to  the  trunk  a  little  above  the 
fire.  When  it  was  desired  to  hollow  out  a  log  they  applied  fire 
4 


60  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

in  a  similar  way  and  kept  wetting  the  part  that  was  to  be  pre- 
served. After  thus  burning  and  charring  the  inside  of  the 
trunk  they  finished  it  by  chipping  and  scraping  the  burnt  parts 
with  their  stone  hatchets,  flints  and  sharp  shells.  Canoes  were 
often  made  thirty  to  forty  feet  long. 

Instead  of  knives  they  used  little  sharp  pieces  of  flint  or 
quartz  or  some  other  hard  kind  of  stone,  and  these  were  some- 
times substituted  by  sharp  shells  or  pieces  of  bone  which  they 
had  sharpened.  At  the  end  of  their  arrows  they  fastened 
narrow  angular  or  pointed  pieces  of  stone.  These  points  were 
commonly  pieces  of  flint  or  quartz,  but  sometimes  other  hard 
kinds  of  stone  were  used,  and  again  the  bones  of  animals  or 
the  claws  of  birds  were  sometimes  used. 

They  had  stone  pestles,  about  a  foot  long  and  as  thick  as  a 
man's  arm.  These  were  made  of  a  black  sort  of  stone,  and 
were  used  for  pounding  their  maize,  which  was  an  important 
article  of  their  food.  Sometimes  they  used  wooden  pestles. 
For  mortars  they  hollowed  out  the  stumps  or  butts  of  trees. 
The  old  boilers  or  kettles  of  the  Indians  were  either  made  of 
clay  or  of  different  kinds  of  stone.  The  former  were  made  of 
a  dark  clay  mixed  with  grains  of  white  sand  or  quartz,  and 
burnt  in  the  fire.  Many  of  these  kettles  had  holes  in  opposite 
sides  of  the  upper  edge,  through  which  a  stick  was  passed,  and 
by  this  means  the  kettle  was  held  over  the  fire  to  boil.  These 
kettles  seldom  had  feet,  and  were  never  glazed  either  inside  or 
outside. 

Their  tobacco  pipes  were  made  of  clay,  or  pot-stone  or  ser- 
pentine stone.  The  clay  pipes  were  shaped  like  our  common 
pipes  of  that  material,  though  they  were  much  coarser  and  more 
rudely  formed.  The  tube  was  thick  and  short,  often  not  more 
than  an  inch  but  sometimes  a  finger  in  length.  In  color  they 
were  like  our  pipes  that  have  been  long  in  use.  The  celebrated 
*'  pipe  of  peace"  was  made  of  a  fine  red  stone,  not  found  in 
this  part  of  the  country,  and  it  was  probably  almost  unknown 
to  the  Indians  of  Staten  Island. 

For  fishing  they  used  hooks  made  of  bone  or  the  claws  of 
Mrds.  Fire  was  kindled  by  rubbing  one  end  of  a  hard  piece 
•of  wood  against  another  dry  one  till  after  a  time  the  friction 
became  so  great  that  the  wood  began  to  smoke  and  finally  to 
burn. 

The  Indians  in    personal    character  and    appearance   w:ere 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  51 

healthy,  strong,  robust  and  well  proportioned.  In  social  life 
they  were  polygamous,  their  chiefs  having  several  wives.  They 
were  faithful,  however,  to  the  marriage  relations,  and  the 
women  often  preferred  death  to  dishonor.  Wassenaer  of 
Amsterdam,  who  wrote  in  1621-33,  says  that  the  Indian  women 
"  are  the  most  experienced  star-gazers;  there  is  scarcely  one  of 
them  but  can  name  all  the  stars — their  rising  and  setting,  the 
position  of  the  Arctos,  that  is,  the  wagon,  is  as  well  known  to 
them  as  to  us,  and  they  name  them  by  other  names."  All  the 
natives  paid  particular  attention  to  the  sun,  moon  and  stars  in 
connection  with  their  seasons.  The  first  moon  following  the  one 
at  the  end  of  February  was  greatly  honored,  and  as  she  rose 
they  had  a  festival,  feasting  on  fish  and  wild  game,  and  drink- 
ing with  it  clear,  fresh  water.  The  Indian  year  now  com- 
menced, and  this  moon  was  hailed  as  the  harbinger  of  spring, 
and  the  women  began  to  prepare  for  planting.  At  the  arrival 
of  the  new  August  moon  another  feast  was  celebrated  for  the 
coming  harvest. 

The  Indians  seemed  to  have  no  knowledge  of  God  or  religion. 
Some  of  them  paid  homage  to  the  Devil  or  evil  spirits,  but  not 
with  so  much  ceremony  as  the  native  Africans  do.  They  be- 
lieved in  good  and  evil  spirits,  and  their  spiritual  affairs  were 
entrusted  to  Kitzinacka,  a  sort  of  weather  priest.  He  visited 
the  sick  and  dying,  and  sat  beside  them  bawling,  crying  and 
roaring  like  a  demon.  He  was  a  kind  of  Capuchin,  with  no 
abode  of  his  own,  lodged  where  he  pleased,  and  never  ate  food 
prepared  by  a  married  woman.  It  must  be  cooked  by  a  maiden 
or  an  old  woman. 

Wampum  was  the  universal  money  among  the  Indians.  It 
was  made  of  the  thick  and  blue  part  of  sea  clam-shells  and 
oyster  shells.  The  thin  covering  of  this  part  being  split  off  a 
hole  was  drilled  through  it  and  then  the  outward  shape  given 
to  it  by  means  of  a  stone  upon  which  it  was  rubbed  or 
ground.  The  form  was  sometimes  eight  sided,  but  generally 
round  or  nearly  so,  and  in  size  resembling  the  cylindrical 
glass  beads  sometimes  known  as  "bugles."  The  beads  were 
usually  about  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  When  fin- 
ished they  were  strung  upon  cords  of  some  kind,  and  these 
strings  of  wampum  were  measured  by  the  foot,  yard  or 
fathom.  In  their  manufacture  from  six  to  ten  feet  in  length 
were   considered   a  day's  work.     It  was  of  two   kinds,  white 


52  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

and  purple  or  black.  The  latter  was  wrought  out  of  the 
mussel  shells.  With  the  Dutch  governors  six  beads  of  the 
white  or  four  of  the  purple  were  equal  in  value  to  one  penny. 
This  currency  was  used  by  the  Europeans  for  many  years  after 
their  settlement  here.  The  Indians  made  belts  of  wampum 
by  weaving  the  strings  into  widths  of  several  inches  and  they 
were  two  feet  or  more  in  length.  It  was  sometimes  called  seewan. 
Both  the  Dutch  and  English  recognized  it  as  currency  for  a  long 
time.  In  1683  the  schoolmaster  at  Platbush,  L.  I.,  was  paid 
his  salary  in  wheat  at  "  wampum  value."  Among  other  fees  he 
received  for  supplying  water  for  baptisms  twelve  styvers,  in 
wampum,  for  every  baptism.  In  1693  the  ferriage  for  passen- 
gers from  New  York  to  Brooklyn  was  eight  styvers  in  wampum 
each.  It  was  also  used  for  ornamenting  the  i)erson  and  as  an 
emblem  of  agreement  in  treaties.  The  belt  of  wampum  removed 
the  remembrance  of  injuries  and  bloodshed.  On  Staten  Island, 
Long  Island  and  the  neighboring  shores  of  the  mainland  are 
found  numerous  beds  or  heaps  of  clam  shells  broken  into  very 
small  pieces.  These  were  without  doubt  the  scenes  of  this 
manufacture.  When  we  remember  that  this  article  was  the 
currency  of  all  the  tribes  even  away  inland,  and  that  the  ma- 
terials of  which  it  was  made  were  only  found  on  the  sea  coast, 
we  can  see  what  an  important  and  advantageous  position  the 
Indians  of  this  locality  occupied. 

In  their  burials  the  dead  were  placed  in  the  earth  without  a 
coffin,  but  with  all  their  costly  garments  of  skins,  in  a  sitting 
posture,  upon  a  stone  or  block  of  wood.  Near  the  body  were 
also  arranged  a  pot,  kettle,  platter  and  spoon,  with  some  wam- 
pum and  provisions,  for  their  invisible  journey  to  the  Spirit 
Land.  Over  the  grave  was  heaped  a  pile  of  wood,  stone  or 
earth.  A  few  of  these  spots  of  sepulture  have  been  found  in 
different  parts  of  the  island.  One  of  these  was  on  or 
near  the  old  Pelton  place  at  West  New  Brighton.  Here  have 
been  found,  in  years  long  gone  by,  various  trinkets— a  copper 
box,  copper  earrings  and  a  glass  pipe.  The  last  was  found  in 
the  mouth  of  an  Indian  skeleton. 

Tradition  says  that  the  point  of  the  island  now  occupied  by 
Tottenville  was  once  a  favorite  burial  spot  with  the  Indians. 
The  remains  of  several  have  been  exhumed  there  within  a  few 
years  past.  One  was  found  while  digging  a  cistern  on  the 
premises  of  Mr.  Appleby,  and  several  others  were  dug  up  on 


HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOISTD  COUNTY.  53 

the  premises  of  Joel  Cole.  The  peculiar  beauty  of  the  site,  it 
is  said,  made  it  attractive  (o  the  aborigines  for  sepulture,  af- 
fording as  it  did  an  uninterrupted  view  of  the  rising  and  the 
setting  sun.  The  site  was  also  a  favorite  meeting  place  during 
the  periods  of  their  spirit  worshipping.  Friendly  tribes  from 
Long  Island,  Manhattan  island  and  the  Jersey  shore  were  wont 
to  join  the  natives  here,  on  their  festive  occasions,  when  doubt- 
less the  surrounding  forests  and  the  neighboring  hills  resounded 
with  the  untutored  songs  of  thousands  of  the  children  of 
nature's  wilds. 

The  treatment  of  the  Indians  by  the  Dutch  explorers  and 
the  Dutch  government  was  not  such  as  to  inspire  friendly  re- 
turns from  the  savages.  The  disgraceful  barbarities  with  which 
the  Indians  were  often  treated  are  too  common  matters  of  his- 
tory to  need  repetition  here.  In  consequence  of  the  savage 
passions  which  this  treatment  aroused  Staten  -Island  was  re- 
peatedly scourged  by  the  spirit  of  retaliation  naturally  evinced 
by  the  sons  of  the  forest.  Of  some  of  the  more  notable  de- 
monstrations of  hostility  between  the  two  races  we  shall  speak. 

In  the  spring  of  1640  some  parties,  on  their  way  from  New 
Amsterdam  to  South  River,  Delaware,  stopped  at  Staten  Island 
to  take  in  water,  and  while  there  stole  some  hogs  from  the  settlers 
on  de  Vries' bouweries.  The  Indians  residing  on  the  Raritan,  and 
who  had  manifested  a  hostile  disposition,  were  at  once  charged 
with  the  theft,  which  was  regarded  as  a  serious  offense,  and  Gov- 
ernor Kieft  to  punish  them  sent  a  company  of  about  seventy 
men,  under  command  of  his  secretary.  Van  Tienhoven,  with  in- 
structions to  invade  the  Indian  country,  capture  as  many  of  the 
natives  as  they  could,  and  destroy  their  crops.  When  the 
party  reached  their  destination  they  became  insubordinate,  and 
the  secretary  lost  control  over  them.  They  declared  their  in- 
tention to  kill  every  Indian  they  could  find,  and  though  re- 
minded that  such  a  course  would  be  going  beyond  their  instruc- 
tions, they  persisted,  and  the  secretary,  seeeing  that  expostula- 
tion was  in  vain,  left  them  to  execute  their  wanton  determina- 
tion. Several  of  the  unfortunate  savages  were  killed,  and  the 
chief's  brother  was  barbarously  murdered  after  he  had  been 
made  a  prisoner  by  one  of  the  party  named  Grovert  Loocker- 
mans.  Their  crops  were  destroyed,  their  wigwams  burned, 
and  other  outrages  perpetrated.  Having  satiated  their  fiendish 
spirit,    the  Dutchmen  retired,   leaving   one  of  their  number. 


54  HISTORT  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

whose  name  was  Ross,  supercargo  of  the  ship  "Neptune,"  dead 
on  the  field. 

The  Indians,  goaded  to  desperation,  not  only  by  the  unjusti- 
fiable destruction  of  their  crops,  and  slaughter  of  their  brethren, 
but  by  a  long  continued  course  of  frauds  practised  upon  them 
by  unscrupulous  men,  who  first  intoxicated  and  then  cheated 
them  in  bargaining  with  them,  resolved  upon  revenge.  One  of 
their  first  acts  was  to  invade  Staten  Island,  where  in  1641  they 
attacked  the  settlement  that  de  Vries  had  begun,  and  killed 
four  men  and  burned  two  of  his  houses. 

Not  long  before,  a  young  Indian,  smarting  under  a  sense  of 
wrong, vowed  to  kill  the  first  Dutchman  who  crossed  his  path,  and 
he  kept  his  vow.  Governor  Kieft,  forgetting  that  he  himself  was 
the  instigator  of  all  these  outrages,  announced  his  intention  of 
taking  summary  vengeance  upon  the  savages.  It  was  in  vain 
that  the  prominent  men  of  the  colony  counselled  moderation — 
in  vain  that  they  represented  to  him  that  his  course  would  be 
adding  fuel  to  the  fire— he  replied  to  all  their  remonstrances 
that  the  law  was  "blood  for  blood,"  and  he  meant  to  have  it ; 
he  recognized  the  applicability  of  the  law  to  the  whites,  but  not 
to  the  savages.  His  anger  was  chiefly  directed  to  the  Raritans, 
and  he  entered  into  an  agreement  with  some  of  the  river  Indians 
to  assist  him  in  annihilating  that  tribe,  and  to  excite  their  blood- 
thirsty dispositions,  he  offered  ten  fathoms  of  wampum  for  the 
head  of  a  Raritan,  and  twenty  fathoms  for  the  head  of  every 
Indian  engaged  in  the  murders  upon  Staten  Island.  At  this 
time  he  built  a  small  redoubt  upon  the  island. 

In  the  meanwhile,  the  Indians  upon  Long  Island  began  to 
manifest  a  hostile  disposition,  and  Kieft  found  himself  involved 
in  new  troubles.  It  was  evident  from  some  of  his  measures 
that  he  began  to  regret  his  precipitancy,  and  if  nothing  else 
had  occurred  to  irritate  him  anew,  he  might  have  consented  to 
forget  the  past,  and  to  "bury  the  hatchet;"  but  just  at  this 
juncture  some  traders  happened  to  meet  an  Indian  of  the  Hack- 
ensack  tribe,  who  was  clothed  in  a  dress  of  valuable  beaver 
skins,  whom  they  made  drunk,  and  then  robbed.  On  recover- 
ing his  senses,  the  savage  vowed  to  kill  the  first  Swannakin 
(white  man)  whom  he  should  meet.  He  did  that,  and  more ; 
an  Englishman  who  was  a  servant  of  de  Vries  on  Staten  Island, 
was  met  by  him  and  killed,  and  shortly  after  a  man  named  Van 
Vorst,  while  engaged  in  repairing  a  house  in  the  vicinity  of 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  55 

Newark  bay,  met  the  same  fate.  Apprehensive  of  further 
trouble,  a  deputation  of  chiefs  of  some  of  the  neighboring 
tribes,  waited  upon  the  director,  whom  they  found  greatly  ex- 
cited, and  not  disposed  to  reason  with  them.  He  informed  them 
hat  the  only  way  to  keep  peace  was  to  surrender  the  murderer. 
"We  cannot  do  that,"  they  replied,  "because  he  has  iled,  and 
is  out  of  our  reach."  They  offered  to  make  compensation  for 
the  crime,  according  to  the  customs  of  their  people!;  nothing, 
however,  could  propitiate  Kieft  but  the  possession  of  the  mur- 
derer. The  Indians  represented  to  him,  that  it  was  not  they  who 
committed  the  murders,  but  the  white  men's  rum  ;  "keep  that 
away  from  the  Indians,"  said  they,  "and  there  will  be  no  more 
murders;"  but  Kieft  was  inexorable — he  was  resolved  upon 
war,  unless  they  surrendered  the  murderer,  who  was  as  far  out 
of  their  reach  as  out  of  his. 

New  troubles  now  arose  with  the  Long  Island  Indians.  Thus 
far  they  had  remained  quiet,  but  the  Dutch,  with  an  infatu 
ation  utterly  unaccountable,  suffered  no  opportunities  to  pass 
to  excite  them  to  deeds  of  violence.  Matters  were  becoming 
worse  daily,  and  an  outbreak  of  Indian  fury  could  not  have 
been  suppressed  much  longer,  when,  through  the  unremitting 
assiduity  of  the  philanthropic  Roger  Williams,  a  meeting 
between  Kieft  and  several  Indian  sachems  took  place  at  Rock- 
away  on  the  25th  of  March,  and  a  reconciliation  was  effected. 

The  peace  thus  concluded  was  of  short  duration.  The  Indi- 
ans continued  to  commit  depredations  upon  the  property  of  the 
settlers,  and  especially  was  this  the  case  upon  Staten  Island. 
Many  of  them  still  held  their  residence  there,  and  could  not 
resist  the  temptation  to  appropriate  the  products  of  the  agri- 
cultural skill  and  labor  of  their  white  neighbors,  which  were 
so  much  superior  in  quantity,  quality  and  variety  to  their  own. 
Remonstrances  had  proved  ineffectual,  and  it  became  necessary 
to  adopt  severer  measures.  In  addition  to  this,  the  Raritans, 
who  were  the  offending  tribe,  had  interrupted  the  communi- 
cation between  the  two  shores  of  the  river  at  New  Amster- 
dam, and  it  had  become  perilous  to  attempt  to  land  on  the 
west  shore. 

In  the  winter  of  1642-3  two  armed  parties  from  Fort  Amster- 
dam attacked  the  Indians  at  Corlear's  Hook  and  Pavonia  (Ho- 
boken)  slaying  thirty  at  the  former  place  and  eighty  at  the 
latter.     This  outrage  led  to  almost  fatal  consequences.     From 


56  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

the  Raritan  to  the  Connecticut  the  war-whoop  was  heard,  and 
eleven  tribes  declared  open  war  against  the  Dutch.  All  settlers 
they  met  with  were  murdered,— men,  women  and  children — 
dwellings  were  burnt,  cattle  killed  and  crops  destroyed.  In  the 
spring  of  1643  peace  was  secured,  but  it  was  unsatisfactory  to 
the  river  Indians,  and  the  war-fires  were  again  kindled.  Fk- 
vonia,  and  the  greater  part  of  Manhattan  and  Long  islands, 
were  in  the  hands  of  the  savage  foes,  now  embracing  seven 
tribes  and  numbering  1,500  warriors.  To  oppose  this  uncivilized 
body  the  Dutch  forces  amounted  to  not  more  than  200  to  300 
settlers  and  between  50  and  60  badly  munitioned  soldiers.  All 
the  "Bouweries,"  or  plantations  at  Pavonia,  and  with  one  excep- 
tion only  on  the  Long  island  shore,  were  destroyed.  An  early 
chronicle  says:  "  Staten  Island,  where  Cornelius  Melyn  estab- 
lished himself  (1643)  is  unattacked  yet,  but  stands  expecting  an 
assault  every  hour." 

Early  in  1644  an  expedition  against  the  Staten  Island  Indians 
was  organized.  It  consisted  of  forty  burghers  under  Joachim 
Pietersen  Kuyter  ;  thirty-five  Englishmen  under  Lieutenant 
Baxter,  and  several  soldiers  from  the  fort  under  Sergeant  Peter 
Cock,  and  the  whole  being  under  command  of  Counsellor  La 
Montange.  They  embarked  after  dark,  and  at  a  late  hour 
landed  upon  the  island.  They  marched  all  night,  and  when 
the  morning  dawned,  had  arrived  at  the  place  where  they  ex- 
pected to  find  the  Indians,  but  there  were  none  there.  Secretly 
as  the  whole  enterprise  had  been  conducted,  the  savages  had 
discovered  it  and  escaped.  The  troops,  after  burning  the  vil- 
lage, returned,  taking  with  them  over  five  hundred  schepels  of 
corn.* 

To  the  honor  of  a  few,  however,  be  it  said  the  Dutch  were  not 
unanimous  in  their  inhuman  hostility  to  the  Indians.  Promi- 
nent among  the  few  who  comprehended  the  situation,  and 
understood  what  course  of  policy  would  have  been  best  for  the 
colony,  was  the  minister,  Dominie  Bogardus,  and  de  Vries,  the 
patroon  of  part  of  Staten  Island.  They  were  strongly  opposed 
to  the  course  pursued  by  the  directors  in  their  dealings  with 
the  Indians,  and  the  event  showed  the  wisdom  of  the  policy  of 
forbearance  and  conciliation  which  they  recommended.  So 
persistent  were  they  in  pressing  their  views  upon  the  authori- 
ties, that   they  excited  their  anger,  and  were  charged  with  a 

*  A  schepel  was  almost  three  pecks. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  57 

design  of  ingratiating  themselves  into  the  favor  of  the  Indians 
for  selfish  purposes,  and  to  the  prejudice  of  the  interests  of  the 
colony  at  large.  The  Indians  understood  these  men  and  rec- 
ognized them  as  friends,  and  when,  in  one  of  the  raids  they 
made  upon  the  settlers  on  the  island,  they  had  killed  some  of 
de  Vries'  cattle  without  knowing  to  whom  they  belonged,  they 
expressed  their  regret  for  the  act,  calling  him  the  friend  of  the 
Indians.  At  another  time,  when  a  difficulty  had  occurred  with 
some  of  the  Long  Island  Indians,  and  Kief t  found  himself  in  a 
dilemma,  he  was  very  desirous  of  making  peace  with  them,  but 
he  could  find  no  ambassador  who  was  willing  to  trust  himself 
in  their  power,  until  de  Vries  offered  to  visit  them  for  the  pur- 
pose. He  was  hospitably  received,  and  when  his  mission  was 
explained  to  them,  and  they  were  requested  to  visit  the  director 
at  the  fort  in  New  Amsterdam,  they  refused  to  go  until  he  had 
pledged  himself  for  their  safety. 

On  what  part  of  the  island  the  Indian  village,  which  has  been 
spoken  of  as  having  been  burned  by  the  Dutch  expedition  in 
1644,  was  located  is  entirely  a  matter  of  conjecture.  There  is 
a  tradition  that  an  Indian  village  once  stood  on  the  shore  of  the 
Lower  bay  not  far  from  the  present  Annadale,  but  no  remains 
have  been  found  to  establish  its  site.  From  numerous  relics 
and  Indian  remains  that  have  been  found  about  Tottenville, 
Kreischerville  and  Watchogue,  it  is  possible  that  the  village 
may  have  been  at  one  or  other  of  those  places. 

During  the  year  1655,  another  and  more  serious  calamity  be- 
fell Staten  Island  than  any  which  had  preceded  it.  Hendrick 
Van  Dyck,  former  attorney-general  at  New  Amsterdam,  on 
rising  one  morning,  discovered  a  squaw  in  his  garden  stealing 
peaches  ;  in  a  moment  of  anger  he  seized  his  gun  and  shot  her, 
killing  her  instantly.  Of  this  rash  act,  little,  if  any,  notice  was 
taken  by  the  authorities,  but  the  Indians  did  not  overlook  it  ; 
immediate  measures  were  taken  by  them  to  avenge  the  outrage. 
Several  of  the  neighboring  tribes  united,  and  early  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  15th  of  September  sixty-four  canoes,  containing  nine- 
teen hundred  savages,  some  of  whom  were  Mohicans,  and 
others  from  Esopus,  Hackingsack,  Tappaan  and  Stamford,  sud- 
denly appeared  before  New  Amsterdam.  They  landed  and  dis- 
persed through  the  various  streets,  while  many  of  the  people 
were  still  asleep.  They  broke  into  several  houses  on  pretense 
of  looking  for  "Indians  from   the  North,"  but  in  reality  to 


58  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

avenge  the  death  of  the  squaw  that  Van  Dyke  had  shot.  As 
soon  as  they  were  discovered,  an  alarm  was  sounded.  The 
oflBcers  of  the  colony  and  city,  and  many  of  the  principal  inhab- 
itants, assembled,  and  the  leaders  of  the  savages  were  requested 
to  meet  with  them,  which  they  did;  they  accounted'  for  their 
sudden  appearance  under  pretext  of  searching  for  some  hostile 
northern  Indians,  who,  they  pretended  they  had  been  informed, 
were  either  in  the  city  or  its  vicinity.  After  much  persuasion 
they  were  induced  to  promise  to  leave  Manhattan  island  at  sun- 
set, but  when  evening  came  they  were  still  there,  and  manifested 
no  disposition  to  leave.  They  became  unruly  and  the  people 
became  excited,  a,nd  violent  acts  were  committed  by  both 
parties  ;  Yan  Dyck,  the  thoughtless  author  of  the  trouble,  paid 
the  penalty  of  his  rashness  by  being  killed  with  an  arrow,  and 
Paulus  Leinderstein  Van  Der  Grist,  one  of  the  city  oflBcials, 
was  killed  by  a  blow  with  an  axe.  The  soldiers  in  the  fort  and 
the  city  guard  were  called  out,  and  attacked  the  invaders,  driv- 
ing them  back  to  their  canoes.  Crossing  the  river,  the  savages 
attacked  the  settlements  there,  and  killed  or  captured  most  of 
the  people.  Thence  they  went  to  Staten  Island,  which  at  that 
time  had  a  population  of  ninety  souls  and  eleven  flourishing 
bouweries  ;  twenty-two  of  the  people  were  killed,  and  all  of  the 
remainder  who  did  not  escape  were  carried  away  captive,  and 
the  bouweries  were  desolated.  The  Indians  continued  their 
ravages  three  days,  during  which  time  they  killed  one  hundred 
whites,  took  one  hundred  and  fifty  prisoners,  and  ruined  three 
hundred  more  in  their  estates.  Alarm  spread  throughout  the 
entire  region,  and  there  was  no  safety  anywhere,  for  the  hostile 
Indians  were  prowling  about  by  day  and  by  night,  even  upon 
Manhattan  island,  where  they  killed  all  who  came  within  their 
reach.  Stuyvesant  employed  every  means  in  his  power  for  the 
protection  of  the  settlement  at  New  Amsterdam  and  the  neigh- 
boring settlements,  and  after  awhile  the  ransom  of  all  or  nearly 
all  the  prisoners  taken  by  the  Indians  was  accomplished,  the 
Indians  receiving  ammimition  in  return  for  the  captives. 

This  bloody  siege  has  been  known  as  the  "Peach  war," 
from  the  circumstance  of  its  origin  as  already  narrated.  The 
island  was  now  almost  entirely  depopulated,  and  the  settlement 
had  to  be  recommenced  from  the  beginning.  Adrian  Post,  the 
overseer  for  Baron  Van  de  Cappelan  was  one  of  the  sixty-seven 
who  escaped  massacre  and  was  taken  captive    He  affirms,  with 


HISTOKT  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  59 


reference  to  Staten  Island,  "that  all  the  dwelling-houses  were 
burned  in  the  known  conflict  with  the  savages  in  1655,  and  that 
no  Other  e£fects  were  then  left  than  a  few  beasts,  which  he,  after 
his  imprisonment  by  them,  collected  together,  and  of  which  the 
greatest  part  died,  while  the  few  remaining  were  sold  by  him 
for  the  maintenance  of  his  wife  and  children."  In  relation  to 
the  affair  we  also  quote  from  the  reminiscences  of  Altie  Widelar, 
wife  of  Thomas  Burbank,  who  "settled  at  V:  Duses:"  "  She  sd. 
there  was  2  or  3  houses  at  Old  Town  and  at  Carlsneck  &  the 
Indians  run  off  the  Island  and  murderd.  at  Old  Town  all  Except 
a  little  girl  who  run  into  the  woods— the  Indian  put  on  her 
fathers  Cloths  and  Decoyd.  the  Girl  supposing  it  to  be  her 
father  her  they  savd. — The  Indians  Came  principally  from 
Bergain." 

The  Indians  of  Staten  Island  after  the  coming  of  the  whites 
rapidly  diminished  in  numbers.  As  they  gave  up  their  lands 
to  the  white  settlers  they  moved  back  into  the  country.  But  in 
reality  comparatively  few  of  them  moved  in  that  way.  Most 
of  them  ended  their  days  either  by  wars  among  themselves  or 
were  destroyed  by  small-pox,  a  disease  with  which  they  are 
said  to  have  been  unacquainted  before  their  commerce  with 
Europeans,  but  which  afterward  made  sad  havoc  with  them. 
And  in  addition  to  these  causes  a  writer  dnring  the  middle  of  the 
last  century  said,  "  But  Brandy  has  killed  most  of  the  Indians. 
This  liquor  was  likewise  entirely  unknown  to  them  before  the 
Europeans  came  hither;  but  after  they  had  tasted  it  they  could 
never  get  enough  of  it.  A  man  can  hardly  have  a  greater  de- 
sire of  a  thing  than  the  Indians  have  of  brandy.  I  have  heard 
them  say  that  to  die  by  drinking  brandy  was  a  desirable  and 
honorable  death;  and  indeed 'tis  no  very  uncommon  thing  to 
kill  themselves  by  drinking  this  liquor  to  excess." 

The  last  of  the  old  Staten  Island  Indians  were  "  Sam"  and 
"Hannah,"  and  their  daughter  "Wance."  The  old  couple 
lived  at  Fresh  kill  near  the  Seaman  farm,  and  upon  it  they  used 
to  depredate  for  timber  of  which  they  made  baskets,  for  this 
was  their  occupation.  They  were  very  old  during  the  first 
quarter  of  this  century.  They  sold  their  baskets  for  rum,  and 
then  they  would  quarrel.  Hannah  finally  disappeared,  and  no 
one  knew  what  had  become  of  her.  It  was  supposed  that  Sam 
had  killed  her,  for  he  always  flew  into  a  rage  whenever  any  one 


60  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

asked  him  where  she  was.     After  the  death  of  one  or  both  of 
her  parents  it  is  supposed  that  Nance  left  the  island,  . 

The  first  idea  of  value  that  was  conceived  by  the  Dutch  in 
view  of  the  newly  discovered  regions  here  was  not  associated 
with  any  design  of  forming  settlements  here.  The  climate  of 
Holland  and  other  countries  of  Europe,  rendered  furs  indispen- 
sable to  their  inhabitants;  hitherto  these  had  been  obtained 
chiefly  from  Russia,  and  at  great  expense.  The  Dutch  had  dis- 
covered that  there  were  furs  in  the  countries  newly  discovered, 
which  were  easily  procurable  in  exchange  for  articles  of  ex- 
tremely trifling  value;  the  temptation  to  engage  in  a  traffic  so 
exceedingly  profitable,  was  too  strong  to  be  resisted  by  a  people 
so  prompt  to  promote  their  own  interests.  Accordingly,  in  1611, 
a  vessel'was  dispatched  to  the  Manhattans^as  an  experiment,  and 
so  successful  was  the  venture,  that  a  spirit  of  commercial  enter- 
prise was  at  once  awakened.  Two  more  vessels,  the  ' 'Little  Fox' ' 
and  the  "'Little  Crane,"  were  licensed,  and  under  the  pretense 
of  looking  for  the  northwest  passage,  sailed  direct  for  the  newly- 
discovered  river.  This  was  in  the  spring  of  1613.  Having  ar- 
rived, the  traders  erected  one  or  two  small  forts  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  trade  on  the  river.  The  position  of  the  island  of 
Manhattan  for  commercial  purposes  was  so  favorable  as  to  strike 
the  Europeans  at  once,  and  the  traders  who  had  scattered  in 
various  directions  made  that  island  their  head-quarters.  Hen- 
drick  Cortiansen  was  the  superintendent  of  the  business,  and 
with  his  small  craft  penetrated  every  bay  or  stream  where  In- 
dians were  to  be  found,  in  pursuit  of  furs. 

The  results  of  these  expeditions  were  successful,  and  many 
others  were  projected,  and  crowned  with  similar  success.  When 
the  intelligence  of  these  discoveries  reached  the  projectors  of 
the  several  voyages  at  home,  steps  were  immediately  taken  by 
them  to  secure  to  themselves  the  benefits  of  their  enterprise  and 
perseverance.  All  the  country  lying  between  the  40th  and  45th 
degree  of  north  latitude  was  called  "  New  Netherland."  Ex- 
clusive privileges  to  trade  to  these  countries  for  a  limited 
period  were  given  to  them.  A  trading  house  was  at  once  erected 
on  an  island  in  the  Hudson,  near  the  present  site  of  Albany, 
and  the  country  on  both  sides  of  the  river  thoroughly  explored 
in  quest  of  furs;  and  by  the  time  of  the  expiration  of  the  grant, 
which  was  at  the  close  of  1617,  some  of  the  merchants  engaged 
in  the  trade  had  realized  immense  fortunes  therefrom. 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  61 

The  charter  having  expired,  the  trade  of  New  Netherland 
was  thrown  open,  and  adventurers  from  all  parts  of  the  father- 
land eagerly  enlisted  therein  ;  the  former  traders,  however, 
held  on  to  the  advantages  they  liad  gained  by  their  prior  occu- 
pancy. 

Different  commercial  associations  were  formed,  whose  several 
interests  began  to  interfere  with  each  other,  and  all  contention 
and  disputes  were  at  last  adjusted  by  the  consolidation  of  all 
interests  in  the  organization  and  charter  of  the  "  Dutch  West 
India  Company." 

The  powers  and  privileges  with  which  this  company  was 
invested  were  not  confined  to  the  narrow  limits  of  the  New 
Netherlands  ;  they  embraced  the  whole  range  of  the  American 
coast,  from  the  Horn  to  the  Arctic  sea,  and  on  the  west  coast 
of  Africa  from  the  Hope  to  the  Tropic  of  Cancer,  not  pre- 
viously occupied  by  other  nations.  On  the  American  coast 
settlements  had  been  made  by  the  French  at  Canada,  by  the 
English  at  Virginia,  and  by  the  Spaniards  at  Florida.  The  prep- 
arations made  by  the  directors  of  the  newly  chartered  com- 
pany to  improve  the  privileges  granted  to  them,  attracted,  in 
England,  the  attention  of  the  government,  and  a  strong  remon- 
strance was  sent  to  Holland,  insisting  that  all  the  territory 
claimed  by  the  Dutch  was  embraced  in  the  charter  of  Virginia, 
and  therefore  was  under  the  jurisdiction  of  England.  The 
matter  was  from  time  to  time  brought  before  the  authorities  of 
both  countries,  and  the  discussion  protracted  by  the  Dutch  for 
the  purpose  of  gaining  time,  that  the  preparations  of  the  new 
company  might  be  completed. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  first  Europeans  who  visited  this 
part  of  the  continent  came  for  the  purpose  of  trading,  not  of 
settling  permanently  ;  but  having  become  favorably  impressed 
with  the  soil  and  climate  of  the  country,  they  began  to  enter- 
tain the  idea  of  making  it  the  place  of  their  future  abode,  and 
to  devote  to  agriculture  that  part  of  the  season  when  furs  were 
not  obtainable.  The  country  was  organized  into  a  province,  a 
few  settlers  were  sent  out,  and  a  form  of  government  was  estab- 
lished, with  Peter  Minuit  at  its  head  as  director ;  this  was  in 
the  year  1624.  In  the  same  year,  and  probably  in  the  same  ship 
with  Minuit,  a  number  of  Walloons  arrived  and  settled  on 
Staten  Island  ;  this  is  the  first  settlement  on  the  island  of 
which  we  have  any  knowledge.     These  people  came  from  the 


62  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

country  bordering  on  the  river  Scheldt  and  Flanders  ;  they 
professed  the  reformed  religion,  and  spoke  the  old  French,  or 
Gallic  language  ;  they  were  good  soldiers,  and  had  done  elBcient 
service  in  the  thirty  years'  war.  Two  years  before  their  arrival 
here,  they  had  applied  to  Sir  Dudley  Carleton  for  permission 
to  emigrate  to  some  part  of  Virginia,  upon  condition  that  they 
might  build  a  town  of  their  own,  and  be  governed  by  officers 
chosen  by  and  amongst  themselves.  This  application  was 
referred  to  the  Virginia  company,  and  met  with  a  favorable 
response  so  far  as  the  mere  settlement  was  concerned,  but  the 
privilege  to  elect  their  own  officers  was  too  long  a  step  toward 
popular  freedom,  and  could  not  be  conceded ;  the  permission 
to  settle  upon  the  company's  land  was  fettered  with  so  many 
conditions  affecting  their  civil  and  religious  liberty  that  they 
declined  to  entertain  it,  and  turned  their  attention  to  the  New 
Netherlands,  where  so  many  arbitrary  conditions  were  not  in- 
sisted on.  On  their  arrival  here  they  appear  to  have  aban- 
doned the  plan  of  settling  in  a  colony  or  single  community, 
and  separated,  going  in  different  directions,  a  few  families  taking 
up  their  abode  on  Staten  Island.  It  is  supposed  that  among 
these  was  a  family  by  the  name  of  Rapelje,  among  whom  was 
one  George  Jansen  de  Rapelje.  Surrounded  by  the  savages  and 
separated  from  their  friends  at  Manhattan,  they  did  not  long 
remain  here.  Yielding  to  the  necessities  of  their  condition, 
lacking  both  food  and  clothing,  they  returned  to  Rapsie,  the 
southern  extremity  of  Manhattan  island,  where  they  found  not 
much  relief  but  were  subjected  with  the  other  colonists  to  ex- 
tremes of  privation  and  suffering.  But  relief  soon  after  came 
by  the  arrival  of  a  ship  from  the  mother  country.  The  Rapelje 
family  soon  after  removed  to  Wallabout,  on  Long  Island,  and 
are  recorded  as  the  first  European  settlers  upon  that  island. 
Their  child  Sarah  has  down  to  the  present  time  borne  the  honor 
of  having  been  the  first  child  of  European  parentage  born  in 
the  colony.  Her  birth  is  dated  June  9th,  1625,  and  though  some 
have  claimed  that  it  took  place  while  the  family  were  upon 
Staten  Island,  the  facts  indicate  more  strongly  that  the  honor 
belongs  to  Long  Island.  She  lived  to  be  the  wife  of  two  hus- 
bands and  the  mother  of  twelve  children,  from  whom  has 
descended  a  large  and  highly  respectable  lineage. 

For  many  years  the  traffic  with  the  Indians  for  peltries  had 
been    exceedingly   profitable,    and   large   fortunes    had  been 


HISTOBY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  63 

secured  by  many  of  the  traders,  but  in  the  course  of  time,  as 
the  articles  of  the  Indian's  traffic  became  scarcer,  and  the  val- 
ue of  the  Dutch  commodities  depreciated  in  consequence  of 
their  abundance,  the  trade  graduallj'  decreased,  until  at  length 
the  cost  of  sustaining  the  colony  was  greater  than  its  revenues, 
and  the  West  India  company  found  itself  rapidly  descending 
to  the  verge  of  bankruptcy. 

The  first  great  landed  proprietors  in  New  Netherland  were 
called  "patroons;"  they  were  Samuel  Godyn,  Samuel  Bloemart, 
Killian  Van  Kensselaer  and  Michael  Pauw.  The  two  first  named 
settled  in  Delaware.  Van  Rensselaer  obtained  a  patent  for  a 
large  tract  on  the  Hudson  in  the  vicinity  of  Albany  and  Troy, 
and  Pauw  became  the  proprietor  of  all  the  country  extending 
from  Hoboken  southward  along  the  bay  and  Staten  Island 
sound,  including  Staten  Island  ;  this  grant  was  made  to  him  by 
the  directors  in  1630.  At  the  same  time  the  country  was 
purchased  from  the  natives  for  "  certain  cargoes  or  parcels  of 
goods,"  and  called  Pavonia.  The  name  of  this  proprietor  still 
attaches  to  a  part  of  his  possessions  in  the  locality  known  as  Com- 
munipaw.  It  is  to  be  mentioned  to  the  credit  of  the  company, 
that  they  made  it  a  condition  in  the  patents  which  they  granted, 
that  the  recipients  should  extinguish  the  Indian  title  by  direct 
purchase,  and  this  was  exacted  in  every  instance.  By  some  it 
is  claimed  that  the  director  general  and  council  had  purchased 
the  island  of  the  Indians  in  1626,  but  what  the  authority  is  for 
the  statement  we  do  not  know.  The  consideration  paid  to  the 
natives  was  not  money,  which  would  have  been  useless  to  them, 
but  cloths  of  various  kinds,  culinary  utensils,  ornaments,  etc., 
but  not  fire-arms. 

The  value  of  the  articles  paid  for  the  fee  of  the  island  varied 
at  different  times,  for  the  Indians  sold  it  repeatedly.  Pauw's 
acquisition  was  not  of  much  benefit  to  him  ;  it  is  not  known 
that  he  made  any  effort  to  colonize  it,  or  that  he  ever  cleared  a 
rood  of  it,  for  very  soon  after  acquiring  it,  difficulties  arose-  be- 
tween him  and  the  directors,  and  he  disposed  of  his  territorial 
rights  on  the  island  and  on  the  continent  to  his  associate  direct- 
ors for  the  sum  of  26,000  guilders.  He  was  a  man  of  conse- 
quence in  his  own  country  ;  he  was  one  of  the  lord  directors 
of  the  company,  and  among  their  names  we  find  his  set  down 
as  the  Lord  of  Achtienhoven. 

In  1636,    David  Pietersen  de  Vries    obtained  a  grant  for  a 


64  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

part  of  the  island,  and  began  to  make  settlements  on  it, 
but  the  precise  locality  is  not  known ;  it  is  supposed,  how- 
ever, to  have  been  at  or  near  Old  Town  (Oude  Dorp).  The 
dwellings  of  the  settlers,  on  their  arrival,  were  generally  con- 
structed as  speedily  as  possible,  that  their  families  might  be 
sheltered.  Excavations  for  this  purpose  were  generally 
made  in  the  side  of  a  hill,  or  other  convenient  spot, 
and  lined  and  roofed  with  rude  planks,  split  out  of  the  trees  ; 
sometimes  the  roofs  were  covered  with  several  layers  of  bark  ; 
these  were  only  meant  for  temporary  dwelling  places,  until 
better  ones  could  be  provided. 

The  date  of  the  grant  which  had  been  obtained  by  de  Vries 
from  Wouter  Van  Twiller  was  August  13,  1636,  and  de  Vries 
set  sail  for  Holland  two  days  afterward  for  the  purpose  of  gath- 
ering a  colony  to  come  and  occupy  the  land.  He  returned  with 
his  settlers  about  the  end  of  the  year  1638.  This  was  the  third 
time  de  Vries  had  sailed  across  the  ocean  to  the  New  Nether- 
lands, and  when  the  ship  neared  the  entrance  at  Sandy  Hook 
he  was  called  upon  to  pilot  her  in,  as  the  following  extracts 
from  his  journal  will  show  : 

"  Sept.  25,  1638.  On  board  the  ship  of  the  West  India  Com- 
pany, sailed  from  Holland. 

"  Dec.  26.  Got  sight  of  Sandy  Hook.  The  captain  *  *  * 
at  the  request  of  the  passengers,  who  all  had  their  homes  in  the 
New-Netherlands,  solicited  me  to  pilot  the  ship  in,  which  I  did, 
and  anchored  the  same  evening  before  Staten  Island,  which  was 
my  property,  and  put  my  people  on  shore." 

Other  memoranda  made  by  de  Vries  at  different  dates  tell 
in  his  own  language  something  of  his  connection  with  the 
island.  Under  date  of  August  13,  1636,  he  says:  ''  I  requested 
Wouter  Van  Twiller  to  put  Staten  Island  down  in  ray  name, 
intending  to  form  a  colony  there,  which  was  granted."  Under 
date  of  January  5,  1639,  he  writes:  "Sent  my  people  to  Staten 
Island,  to  commence  the  colony  and  buildings."  But  his  pos- 
session of  the  island  was  disturbed  as  we  see  by  this  entry  of 
August  20,  1641:  "  Arrived,  the  ship  Eyckenboom,  and  had  on 
board  a  person  named  Malyn,  who  said  he  was  the  owner  of 
Staten  Island,  that  it  was  given  to  him  and  to  Mr.  Van  Der 
Horst  by  the  directors  of  the  company.  I  could  not  believe 
this,  having  left  the  country  in  1638  to  take  possession  of  this 
island,  and  in  that  time  have  settled  there.     I  could  not  think 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  65 

that  the  directors  of  the  company  would  act  in  this  way,  it  be- 
ing granted  by  the  sixth  article,  and  we  being  the  first  occu- 
pants and  of  course  it  could  not  be  taken  from  us." 

The  two  following  entries  give  us  de  Vries'  view  of  the  Indian 
massacre  of  1641.  September  Istof  that  year  he  writes  :  "My 
people  were  murdered  on  Staten  Island  by  the  Indians  of 
Raritan.  They  told  an  Indian  who  was  assisting  my  people 
that  we  should  now  come  to  fight  for  the  killing  of  the  men  as 
we  formerly  had  done  for  the  hogs,  with  the  stealing  of  which 
they  were  wrongfully  accused.  It  was  done  by  the  servants  of 
the  company,  then  going  to  the  South  river,  who  landed  first  at 
Staten  Island  to  take  in  wood  and  water,  when  they  stole  the 
hogs  and  the  blame  was  laid  on  the  innocent  Indians,  who 
tho'  cunning  enough,  will  do  no  harm  if  no  harm  is  done  to 
them.  And  so  my  colony  of  Staten  Island  was  smothered  in 
its  birth  by  the  management  of  Governor  Kief  t,  who  wanted  to 
•  avenge  the  wrongs  of  his  people  on  the  Indians."  On  the  day 
following,  that  is,  September  2,  1641,  we  have  this  entry  :  "An 
Indian  chief  belonging  to  the  Tankitekes,  called  Pacham,  came 
to  the  fort  in  much  triumph,  with  the  hand  of  a  dead  man 
hanging  on  a  stick,  saying  it  was  the  hand  of  the  chief  who  had 
killed  our  people  at  Staten  Island,  who  had  avenged  the  wrongs 
of  the  Swannekins,  whose  friend  he  was." 

De  Vries  is  said  to  have  been  a  literary  man,  and  was  the 
author  of  a  historical  work.  There  is  no  evidence  that  he  re- 
sided upon  the  island  himself.  The  settlers  introduced  by  him, 
however,  prospered  for  a  time,  until,  as  we  have  already  seen, 
their  bouweries  or  farms  were  desolated  by  the  savages.  DeVries 
remained  in  the  colony  for  several  years,  and  for  some  time 
thereafter  maintained  his  hold  on  the  "bouwerie"  on  Staten 
Island,  but  the  relations  existing  between  the  Dutch  and  the 
Indians  were  not  favorable  to  the  growth  of  a  settlement  here, 
and  though  we  have  evidence  to  support  the  above  statement  in 
the  fact  that  de  Vries'  bouwerie  was  excepted  from  the  grant  to 
Melyn,  and  also  the  fact  that  an  Englishman  residing  here  in 
the  service  of  de  Vries,  was  killed  in  1642,  yet  it  is  probable 
that  he  soon  afterward  abandoned  the  attempt  to  maintain  a 
settlement  here. 

The  third  attempt  to  found  a  settlement  on  Staten  Island  was 
made  by  a  Dutch  merchant  by  the  name  of  Cornells  Melyn. 
He  came  from  Antwerp,  and  his  first  visit  was  made  here  in 

5 


66  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

1639.  July  3,  1640,  he  obtained  an  order  from  the  directors  in 
Holland,  authorizing  him  to  take  possession  of  Staten  Island 
and  erect  it  into  a  "Colonie."  Bat  on  his  passage  hither,  in 
February,  1641,  the  vessel  in  which  he  sailed  was  captured 
by  the  "Dunkirkers."  and  he  thus  lost  all  he  had  on  board, 
and  was  glad  to  reach  his  native  shores  in  safety.  He  was 
obliged  then  to  apply  to  the  directors  for  a  passage  to  the  New 
Netherlands,  which  he  obtained,  and  again  embarked,  with  his 
family  and  some  goods  for  trade  with  the  Indians,  to  the 
value  of  about  1,000  guilders.  This  voyage  was  made  on 
board  the  ship  "  Eyckenboom  "(meaning  "oak  tree"), and  he  ar- 
rived at  ISTew  Amsterdam  August  20,  1641.  He  received  letters 
patent  from  the  directors,  bearing  date  June  19th,  1642,  for 
the  whole  of  Staten  Island  (excepting  the  bouwerie  of  Capt.  de 
Vries),  and  constituting  him  patroon  of  the  island,  investing 
him  at  the  same  time  with  all  the  powers,  jurisdiction  and 
pre-eminences  of  that  privileged  order. 

During  the  administration  of  Kieft,  Melyn,  the  patroon  of 
Staten  Island,  lived  in  a  state  of  unremitting  hostility  with 
him.  Having  adopted,  in  a  great  measure,  the  policy  of  de 
Vries  in  the  treatment  of  the  Indians,  though  not  as  success- 
fully, he  found  himself  in  almost  constant  collision  with  Kieft, 
who  was  prompt  to  notice  and  avenge  every  act  of  the  savages 
which  he  could  torture  into  a  hostile  demonstration. 

Kieft  continued  to  reside  at  New  Amsterdam  for  a  short  time 
after  he  had  been  superseded,  and  Melyn  improved  the  oppor- 
tunity to  prefer  charges  against  him.  Stuyvesant,  though  on 
the  whole  disposed  to  deal  justly  with  all  men,  would  brook  no 
direct  attack  upon  the  dignity  of  the  directorship,  either  in  his 
own  person  or  in  that  of  his  predecessor,  and  this  was  the  light 
in  which  he  chose  to  regard  Melyn' s  complaint,  so  when  these 
charges  were  preferred  they  were  met  by  counter-charges  from 
the  ex  director,  among  which  was  one  that  Melyn  had  said  he 
could  get  no  justice  from  Kieft.  However  true  the  assertion 
may  have  been  in  its  application  to  Kieft,  it  proved  quite  true 
in  application  to  Stuyvesant,  for  after  a  long  investigation,  the 
attorney-general  expressed  an  opinion  that  both  Melyn  and 
Kuyter,  who  had  also  been  implicated  in  the  charges,  ought  to 
suffer  death.  The  director,  however,  knowing  that  his  public 
acts  were  likely  to  be  reviewed,  was  disposed  to  deal  more 
leniently  with   them  ;    he  therefore,  with   the  consent   of  the 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  67 

majority  of  the  council,  condemned  Melyn  to  a  banishment  of 
seven  years  and  a  fine  of  three  hundred  guilders  and  Kuyter  to 
three  years'  banishment  and  a  fine  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
guilders. 

In  accordance  with  this  sentence,  the  defendants  were  sent  to 
Holland.*  The  attention  of  the  government  was  immediately 
called  to  the  manner  in  which  justice  was  administered  in  the 
colony,  by  an  appeal  which  the  banished  patroon  and  his  asso- 
ciates took  on  their  arrival.  An  elaborate  investigation  followed, 
and  the  sentence  was  reversed;  the  director  was  also  .censured, 
and  required  to  return  home  and  answer  for  his  arbitrary  con- 
duct. Melyn,  armed  with  the  necessary  documents,  returned 
triumphantly  to  New  Amsterdam,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of 
serving  them  upon  the  director  in  person.  These  proceedings 
on  the  part  of  the  patroon  were  far  from  mollifying  the  direc- 
tor; and,  as  he  had  proved  to  be  a  dangerous  man  to  meddle  with 
arbitrarily,  he  gratified  his  animosity  by  acts  of  hostility  to 
Melyn' s  family.  Jacob  Loper,  the  son-in-law  of  the  patroon, 
who  had  served  under  Stuyvesant  in  the  West  Indies,  applied 
for  permission  to  make  a  trading  voyage  to  South  River,  Dela- 
ware, but  it  was  peremptorily  refused. 

Stuyvesant' s  representatives  appeared  before  the  tribunal 
which  had  cited  him,  to  answer  for  and  defend  the  acts  of  their 
principal.  The  opinion  of  the  court  was  that  Melyn  had  been 
seriouslj'  injured  in  his  property  and  person  for  no  other  crime 
or  cause  than  presuming  to  differ'in  opinion  with  the  director. 
In  the  meantime  the  trade  of  the  colony  had  become  less  re- 
munerative, and  the  government,  both  at  home  and  in  the  col- 
ony, had  become  involved  in  complications  with  other  powers 
to  such  an  extent  as  to  divert  attention  from  Melyn' s  cause, 
and  it  was  left  for  the  time  in  abeyance. 

*Tlie  ex-director,  Kieft,  was  also  a  passenger  on  the  same  vessel.  In  regard  to 
their  treatment  and  the  events  of  the  voyage  we  may  quote  another  chronicle: — 
"  They  were  brought  on  board  Uke  criminals,  and  torn  away  from  their  goods, 
their  wives,  and  their  children.  The  Princess  (the  name  of  the  ship)  was  to  carry 
the  director  and  these  two  faithful  patriots  away  from  New  Netherland;  but, 
coming  into  the  wrong  channel,  it  struck  upon  a  rock  and  was  wrecked.  And 
now,  this  wicked  Kieft,  seeing  death  before  his  eyes,  sighed  deeply,  and,  turning 
to  these  two  (Melyn  and  Kuyter),  said:  '  Friends,  I  have  been  unjust  towards  you; 
can  you  forgive  me?'  Towards  morning  the  ship  was  broken  to  pieces.  Among 
those  drowned  were  Melyn's  son,  the  minister,  Bogardus,  Kieft,  Captain  John  De 
Vries,  and  a  great  number  pf  other  persons.  Much  treasure  was  lost,  as  Kieft 
was  on  his  return  with  a  fortune  of  four  hundred  thousand  guilders — 160,000 
dollars." 


68  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Melyn's  appeal  seems  to  have  at  last  gained  the  reversal  of 
the  sentence  which  had  been  imposed  upon  him  by  Stuyvesant. 
But  notwithstanding  this,  the  persecutions  of  the  governor  seem 
to  have  continued  with  unabated  zeal.  In  the  spring  of  1650 
Melyn  associated  with  himself  Baron  Van  Cappelan,  a  man  of 
wealth,  who  immediately  fitted  out  a  ship  called  the  "  New 
Netherland's  Fortune,"  with  a  cargo  and  some  twenty  colonists 
for  Staten  Island.  The  ship  was  commanded  by  Capt.  Adrian 
Post. 

The  passage  was  one  of  extraordinary  length  and  the  sea  was 
unusually  boisterous,  and  they  were  obliged  to  put  into  Rhode 
Island  for  supplies.  They  did  not  reach  New  Amsterdam  until 
the  following  winter.  Making  this  stop  at  Rhode  Island  the 
occasion  for  another  persecution,  Stuyvesant  seized  the  ship 
under  the  pretext  that  it  belonged  to  Melyn,  and  caused  it  and 
the  cargo  to  be  sold.  It  was  purchased  by  Thomas  Willet,  who 
sent  it  on  a  voyage  to  Virginia,  and  thence  to  Holland,  where 
Van  Cappelan  replevined  it,  and  after  a  protracted  law  suit,  the 
West  India  company  was  obliged  to  pay  a  large  sum  in  conse- 
quence of  the  illegal  act  of  its  representative  and  servant  in 
New  Netherland. 

The  harassed  patroon  immediately  withdrew  to  his  "  colonie  " 
on  Staten  Island,  from  whence  he  was  summoned  by  Stuyvesant 
to  appear,  and  answer  to  new  charges  which  had  been  preferred 
against  him.  This  summons  he  positively  refused  to  obey,  and 
ii  lot  of  land,  with  a  house  on  it,  in  New  Amsterdam,  belong- 
ing to  him,  was  declared  confiscated,  and  accordingly  was  sold. 
Melyn  now  fortified  himself  on  the  island  and  established  a 
manorial  court. 

Among  the  charges  preferred  against  Melyn  were  the  follow- 
ing: that  he  had  distributed  arms  amongst  the  Indians,  and  had 
endeavored  to  excite  hostile  feelings  toward  the  director  among 
some  of  the  river  tribes.  When  he  left  Holland  the  patroon 
had  taken  the  precaution  of  furnishing  himself  with  a  "safe 
<'onduct,"  as  it  was  called,  which  was  a  sort  of  protection 
against  further  aggressions  on  the  part  of  Stuyvesant ;  to  this, 
however,  he  paid  little  regard  when  he  had  the  patroon  in  his 
power  ;  but  now  that  he  had  proved  contumacious  by  refusing 
to  appear,  and  putting  himself  into  his  enemy's  power,  the  di- 
rector scarcely  dared  venture  to  arrest  by  force  one  who  was 


HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  69 

protected  by  a  document  of  such  authority  ;  he  therefore 
affected  to  be  alarmed  for  his  own  personal  safety,  and  applied 
to  the  council  for  protection,  who  granted  him  a  body  guard  of 
four  halbidiers,  to  attend  him  whenever  he  went  abroad.  Van 
Dincklagen,  the  vice-director,  had  been  instrumental  in  assist- 
ing both  Van  Cappelan  and  Melyn  in  promoting  the  successful 
settlement  of  Staten  Island ;  he  therefore  fell  under  the  dis- 
pleasure of  the  director,  who  ordered  him  to  resign,  or  the 
council  to  expel  him  from  their  body,  but  he  refused  to  resign, 
and  defied  the  council  to  expel  him,  as  they  had  no  more  power 
to  deprive  him  of  his  office  than  the  director  himself,  as  both 
held  their  commissions  from  the  same  authority  at  home. 
N^evertheless,  he  was  arrested  and  imprisoned  in  the  guard- 
house, and  the  counsel  who  had  defended  him  was  forbidden  to 
practice  his  profession  in  the  colony.  After  the  lapse  of  several 
days  the  vice-director  was  liberated,  and  immediately  took  up 
his  residence  with  Melyn  on  Staten  Island. 

These  settlements  were  probably  located  on  the  east  side  of 
the  island,  between  the  Narrows  and  the  locality  known  as  Old 
Town,  or  "Oude  Dorp,"  as  it  was  called.  But  all  traces  of 
these  settlements  have  long  since  vanished,  and  no  records  are 
left  to  tell  us  of  their  locality.  Though  the  site  was  well  se- 
lected in  some  respects — sheltered  by  hills  on  the  north,  acces- 
sible by  water,  convenient  for  fishing,  and  comprising  both  up- 
land and  meadow — it  was  early  abandoned  for  other  situations. 
An  atmosphere  of  misfortune,  too,  seemed  to  hover  over  it. 
The  first  plantation,  by  de  Vries,  had  been  destroyed  ;  Melyn, 
the  patroon,  and  all  connected  with  him  seemed  to  be  the 
especial  objects  of  the  governor's  animosity,  and  we  now  come 
to  the  period  when  the  settlement  is  again  wiped  out  by  the 
bloody  Indian  raid  of  1655,  an  account  of  which  has  already 
been  given.  At  that  time  Baron  Van  Cappelan' s  colonists 
numbered  "ninety  souls  in  eleven  bouweries,"  all  of  whom 
were  killed  or  dispersed.  The  island  was  now  depopulated,  and 
the  settlement  had  to  be  re-commenced.  Van  Cappelan  did 
what  he  could  to  induce  the  affrighted  people  to  return  to  their 
desolated  homes,  and  sent  out  new  colonists.  These  efforts  were 
made  by  Van  Dincklagen,  his  agent.  To  avert  the  probability 
of  another  attack,  he  negotiated  another  purchase  of  the  island 
from  the  Indians,  and  made  a  treaty  with  them.     This  was  done 


70  HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

on  the  10th  of  July,  1657.*  These  proceedings  on  his  part  were 
disapproved  by  the  directors  of  the  company  at  home,  who 
insisted  that  all  settlers'  titles  should  come  through  them. 
Stuyvesant  was,  therefore,  directed  to  declare  the  late  purchase 
void,  to  secure  the  Indian  title  for  the  company,  and  then  to 
convey  to  Van  Cappelan  what  land  he  might  require. 

In  1661  Melyn  returned  to  Holland,  having,  in  consideration 
of  fifteen  hundred  guilders  (six  hundred  dollars),  conveyed  all 
his  interest  in  Staten  Island  to  the  West  India  Company.  The 
deed  was  dated  June  14, 1659.  He  was  also  granted  an  amnesty 
for  all  offenses  which  had  been  charged  upon  him  by  either 
Stuyvesant  or  his  predecessor.  Van  Cappelan  being  dead,  the 
company  also  purchased  all  the  title  he  had  to  any  part  of  the 
island  during  his  life  time,  and  thus  became  the  possessors  of 
the  whole  of  it. 

About  this  time  Johannes  de  Decker,  who  first  came  to  New 
Amsterdam  in  1655,  acquired  title  to  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  land  on  Staten  Island.  He  was  a  young  man  of  good 
reputation,  and  for  a  time  occupied  important  official  trusts. 
By  what  steps  he  obtained  possession  of  the  land  mentioned,  or 
where  it  was  located,  we  have  not  learned.  By  some  disagree- 
ment with  Stuyvesant  he  fell  into  discord  with  that  turbulent 
oflacial  and  was  dispossessed  and  banished.  The  sentence  was, 
however,  in  all  probability  reversed,  since  he  was  back  in  the 
colony  again  at  the  time  of  the  conquest  of  1664.  Among  the 
last  of  the  Dutch  patents  was  one  granted  to  him  for  this  land, 
dated  January  15,  1664.  During  the  administration  of  NicoUs, 
however,    his    Dutch    patriotism  made  him    offensive  to  the 

English  government,,  and  he  was  again  banished  from  the 
province. 

Some  time  after  the  peace  of  Breda,  he  applied  to  the  Duke 

of  York  for  a  redress  of  his  grievances  and  a  restitution  of  his 

property.     This  application  the  duke  referred  to  Lovelace,  with 

*Dunlap  has  set  forth  that  the  island  was  purchased  of  the  Indians  in  1651,  by- 
Augustine  Herman,  but  we  fail  to  find  authority  sufficient  to  sustain  the  as- 
sertion. A  purchase  was  made  of  the  Indians  December  6th  of  that  year,  by  '  'Au- 
gustine Heermans,"  acting  for  Cornelis  van  Werckhoven,  a  Schepen  of  Utrecht, 
which  covered  a  large  tract  lying  between  the  Arthur  kill  and  the  Earitan  river  ; 
and  from  the  incidental  mention  of  Staten  Island  in  giving  the  boundaries  the 
idea  may  have  been  gained  that  the  conveyance  included  this  island.  But  as 
Melyn  was  in  undisputed  possession  here  at  the  time,  had  been  for  several  years 
previous,  and  continued  to  be  for  several  years  after,  it  is  fair  to  presume  that  no 
such  purchase  of  the  Indians  was  made  or  intended  to  be  made. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  OOtJWTy.  71 

instructions  to  do  in  the  premises  what  might  be  just  and 
proper  ;  the  result  was  that  de  Becker  was  restored  to  all  his 
rights  and  privileges,  and  he  retired  to  private  life  on  his  farm 
on  Staten  Island. 

He  was  the  progenitor  of  a  numerous  family  now  residing 
on  the  island,  by  the  name  of  Decker,  and  further  notice  of 
him  will  be  found  in  connection  with  the  history  of  that  family. 

Soon  after  the  sale  of  the  island  by  Melyn  and  Van  Cappel- 
an's  heirs  to  the  West  India  company,  the  latter  made  grants 
of  land  to  several  French  Waldenses,  and  a  still  greater  number 
of  Huguenots  from  Rochelle,  the  descendants  of  whom  are  still 
residents  here,  and  in  a  few  instances  still  occupying  the  iden- 
tical grants  made  to  their  ancestors.  About  a  dozen  families 
commenced  a  settlement  south  of  the  Narrows.  In  1663  they 
built  a  block-house  as  a  defense  against  the  Indians,  and  placed 
within  it  a  garrison  of  ten  men,  and  armed  it  with  two  small 
cannons.  At  the  request  of  these  settlers,  Dominie  Dri^us,  of 
New  Amsterdam,  visited  them  every  two  months  and  preached 
to  them  in  French,  performing  also  the  other  functions  of  his 
calling.  Kev.  Samuel  Drisius  was  sent  to  America  by  the 
Classis  of  Amsterdam,  in  1654,  at  the  request  of  the  people, 
who  desired  a  minister  who  could  preach  to  them  either  in 
Dutch  or  French,  which  he  was  able  to  do.  On  his  arrival  at 
New  Amsterdam  he  was  at  once  installed  as  the  colleague  of 
the  Rev.  Johannes  Megapolensis,  who  had  resided  in  the  coun- 
try since  1642.  Drisius  continued  to  officiate  at  New  Amster- 
dam and  on  Staten  Island  until  1671.  From  about  1660  his 
visits  to  the  island  were  more  frequent,  being  made  once  each 
month. 

It  would  be  pleasant  could  we  bring  out  a  fuller  picture  of 
the  times  in  which  these  interesting  people  made  their  homes 
here,  but  the  data  is  very  meagre.  Their  memory  is  by  many 
fondly  cherished,  and  by  others,  some  of  whom  live  nearest 
the  scenes  of  their  conflicts  with  the  wilderness,  sadly  neglected. 
In  the  shadow  of  the  court  house  at  Richmond,  within  a  neg- 
lected enclosure  stands  a  tombstone  bearing  the  following  in- 
scription : 

SUSAWJMAH  VAN  PeLT 

was 

The  Grand  Daughter  of 

Jacob  Rezean,  Sen'r 


72  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

and  the  last  of  five  generations 
interred  in  this  burying  ground. 
They  were  Huguenots 
who  left  France  when 
persecuted  for  their  religion  ; 
settled  in  this  neighborhood  ; 
they  selected  this  spot 
for  their  last  resting  place 
on  earth. 
Sacred  be  their  dust. 
Susannah  van  Pelt 
reached  the  advanced  age 
of  99  years,  5  months,  25  days. 
This  monument  is  erected  by  her  only  surviving  relative. 
We  come  now  to  one  of  the  important  landmarks  in  the  his- 
tory of  New  York  and  as  a  consequence  in  the  history  of  Staten 
Island.     The  year  1664  was  the  commencement  of  a  new  era, 
and  one  which  was  to  give  to  the  settlement  here  a  better  chance 
for  life  and  a  more  favorable  atmosphere  for  growth. 

The  English  claimed  to  have  discovered,  through  their  repre- 
sentative, Sebastian  Cabot,  as  early  as  1497,  the  coast  of  Worth 
America.  Their  claim  extended  from  thirty  to  fifty-eight  de- 
grees north  latitude.  Voyages  were  made  to  different  parts  of 
the  coast  by  English  navigators  before  the  year  1606.  On  the 
12th  of  March,  1664,  Charles  II.  of  England,  by  virtue  of  the 
claim  just  stated,  made  a  grant  of  land  to  his  brother  James, 
Duke  of  York,  which  included  within  its  liberal  boundaries  the 
territory  then  occupied  by  the  Dutch  at  New  Amsterdam  and 
vicinity,  of  which  Staten  Island  formed  a  part. 

The  duke  immediately  fitted  out  an  expedition  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  field  covered  by  this  patent.  Richard  Nicolls 
was  commissioned  deputy  governor  of  this  colony,  and  his 
associates  in  the  government  were  Robert  Carr,  George  Cart- 
wright  and  Samuel  Maverick.  Four  ships  composed  the  fleet, 
and  they  together  carried  nearly  one  hundred  guns  and  some 
six  hundred  men.  The  fleet  arrived  in  New  York  bay  in  August 
of  the  same  year,  and  Colonel  Nicolls  sent  a  demand  to  Governor 
Stuyvesant  for  the  surrender  of  the  fort  and  the  government. 
The  latter  at  first  stoutly  refused  to  comply  with  the  demand, 
but  after  a  few  days  spent  in  consultation  with  the  burgo- 
masters and  people  of  the  city,  and  finding  the  latter  strongly 


HISTOKY  or  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  73 

in  favor  of  such  a  course,  he  was  forced  to  yield  to  the  popular 
sentiment,  and  with  much  reluctance  agreed  to  a  surrender. 
This  was  accomplished  on  the  26th  of  August,  and  the  sceptre 
of  New  Netherlands  passed  from  the  wooden-legged  warrior  to 
the  representatives  of  the  Duke  of  York. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  when  the  English  fleet  arrived  in 
the  bay  the  first  Dutch  property  seized  by  them  was  on  Staten 
Island,  where  the  block  house  was  taken  and  occupied. 

Stuyvesant  appointed  six  commissioners,  among  whom  was 
Dom.  Megapolensis  and  Johannes  de  Decker,  to  meet  a  like 
number  on  the  part  of  the  English,  to  arrange  the  terms  of  the 
capitulation.  Tiese  were  just  and  reasonable,  under  the  circum- 
StUnces;  no  change  was  to  be  made  iutheconditionof  the  people 
but  all  were  to  be  permitted  to  enjoy  their  property  and  their 
religion  to  the  fullest  extent.  As  the  individual  rights  and 
privileges  of  no  one  were  to  be  molested,  the  people  submitted 
to  a  change  of  rulers,  not  only  with  a  good  grace,  but  many 
with  satisfaction,  as  it  released  them  from  the  overbearing  and 
arbitrary  tyranny  of  the  director. 

Though  de  Decker  had  been  one  of  the  commissioners  who 
agreed  to  and  signed  the  articles  of  surrender,  yet,  when  the 
English  began  to  change  the  names  of  places,  and  appoint  new 
officers  in  place  of  those  who  had  become  obnoxious  to  them; 
in  short,  when  everything  began  to  assume  an  English  aspect, 
his  patriotism  began  to  revolt,  and  he  endeavored  in  some  in- 
stances to  oppose  the  work  of  reform  which  the  conquerors  had 
initiated.  This  brought  him  to  the  notice  of  NicoUs,  who,  to 
rid  himself  of  a  troublesome  subject,  ordered  him  to  leave  the 
colony  within  ten  days.  In  the  course  of  a  few  months  every- 
thing became  quiet,  and  the  people  seemed  to  be  content  with 
the  new  order  of  things.  Unappropriated  laiids  now  began  to 
be  parcelled  out  to  English  proprietors,  by  English  authority. 
Staten  island,  already  settled  by  the  Dutch  and  French,  was 
now  to  receive  acquisition  of  another  nationality.  Capt.  James 
BoUen  received  a  grant  of  land  on  the  island;  the  country  be- 
tween the  Raritan  river  and  Newark  bay  was  bought  anew  from 
the  savages,  and  settled  by  people  from  Long  Island,  chiefly 
along  Achter  Cull,  and  four  families  from  Jamaica  began  the 
settlement  of  Elizabethtown.  Besides  Captain  Bollen,  Captain 
William  Hill,  Lieutenant  Humphrey  Fox  and  one  Coleman,  all 
officers  of  the  fleet,  received  grants  of  land  on  Staten  Island, 


74  HISTOKY  OF  KICH3I0ND  COUNTY. 

but  as  the  vessels  to  which  they  were  attached  were  no  longer 
needed,  and  were  sent  back  to  England,  they  had  little  or  no 
opportunity  of  enjoying  their  acquisitions. 

The  government  of  Kew  Netherland,  under  the  original 
Dutch  settlers,  was  committed  to  the  director  and  his  council, 
which  at  first  consisted  of  five  members.  This  council  had  su- 
preme executive  and  legislative  authority  in  the  whole  colony. 
It  had  also  the  power  to  try  all  civil  and  criminal  cases,  and  all 
prosecutions  before  it  were  conducted  by  a  "Schout  Fiscaal," 
whose  duties  were  similar  to  those  of  a  sheriff  and  district  at- 
torney of  the  present  day.  He  had  the  power  to  arrest  all  per- 
sons, but  not  without  a  complaint  previously  made  to  him,  un- 
less he  caught  an  offender  in  flagrante  delictu.  It  was  His 
duty  to  examine  into  the  merits  of  every  case,  and  lay  them  be- 
fore the  court,  without  favor  to  either  party;  he  was  also  to  re- 
port to  the  directors  in  Holland  the  nature  of  every  case  prose- 
cuted by  him,  and  the  judgment  therein.  In  addition  to  the 
duties  above  enumerated,  it  devolved  upon  him  to  examine  the 
papers  of  all  vessels  arriving  or  departing;  to  superintend  the 
lading  and  discharging  of  cargoes,  and  to  prevent  smuggling. 
He  had  a  right  to  attend  the  meetings  of  the  council,  and  give 
his  opinion  when  asked,  but  not  to  vote  on  any  question. 

Several  of  the  patroons  claimed  in  a  great  measure  to  be  in- 
dependent of  the  director  and  his  council,  and  organized 
courts  and  appointed  magistrates  for  their  own  territories,  as 
did  the  patroons  of  Kensselaerwyck  and  Staten  Island,  but 
they  were  at  constant  variance  with  the  authorities  at  New  Am- 
sterdam. 

It  is  true  that  all  who  felt  themselves  aggrieved  by  the  judg- 
ment of  the  director  and  his  council,  had  a  chartered  right  to 
appeal  to  the  XIX  at  home — that  is,  the  West  India  Company 
— but  the  directors  of  New  Netherland  generally  played  the 
despot  during  the  brief  terms  of  their  authority,  and  if  any 
suitor  manifested  an  intention  to  appeal,  he  was  at  once  charged 
with  a  contempt  of  the  supreme  power  in  the  colony  and  most 
severely  punished,  unless  he  contrived  to  keep  out  of  the  direc- 
tor's reach  until  his  case  had  been  heard  and  decided  in  Hol- 
land, as  in  the  instance  of  Melyn,  the  patroon  of  Staten  Island, 
who  appears  to  have  been  a  thorn  in  the  sides  of  both  Kief  t  and 
Stuyvesant. 

The  religion  recognized  by  the  government  of  the  province 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  75 

was  that  of  the  Keformed  Dutch  church,  or  the  Church  of  Hol- 
land, and  though  other  sects  were  regarded  with  a  certain  degree 
of  suspicion,  they  were  tolerated  so  long  as  they  did  not  inter- 
fere with  the  privileges  of  others. 

When  Stuyvesant  was  compelled  by  the  popular  clamor  to 
surrender  the  country  to  the  English,  he  stipulated  for  the 
preservation  and  continuance  of  all  the  political  and  religions 
rights  and  privileges  of  the  people  as  then  enjoyed,  allegiance 
alone  excepted,  which  was  conceded  by  Nicolls. 

After  the  conquest,  this  stipulation  was  generally  held  invio- 
late, but  the  civil  institutions  of  the  country  were  modified  to 
make  them  accord  with  English  ideas  of  government. 

There  are  instances  on  record  of  persecution  for  opinion's 
sake  on  religious  subjects  under  the  Dutch,  but  all  such  matters 
were  at  once  rectified  when  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  home 
government.  This  continued  to  be  the  practice  of  the  English 
government  also. 

Staten  Island,  Long  Island  and  Westchester  were  now  united 
in  a  political  division,  called  Yorkshire,  and  this  was  sub-divided 
into  three  parts  called  "Ridings."  These  were  respectively 
known  as  the  East,  West,  and  North  ridings.  The  West  riding 
was  composed  of  Staten  Island,  together  with  the  towns  now  of 
Kings  county  and  Newtown,  on  Long  Island.  The  term  "  Rid- 
ing" is  a  corruption  of  the  word  "Tri thing,"  the  name  of  a 
division  of  Yorkshire  in  England,  after  which  this  American 
"Yorkshire"  seems  to  have  been  fashioned.  The  ridings  were 
established  principally  for  the  accommodation  of  courts  and 
convenience  in  apportioning  taxes. 

Under  the  duke's  government  each  town  had  a  justice  of  the 
peace,  who  was  appointed  by  the  governor  ;  and  at  first  eight, 
but  afterward  four  overseers  and  a  constable,  who  were  elected 
by  the  people.  Three  ofiicers  were  charged  with  the  duty  of 
assessing  taxes,  holding  town  courts,  and  regulating  such  mat- 
ters of  minor  importance  as  should  not  otherwise  be  provided 
for  by  the  laws  or  orders  of  the  governor.  The  jurisdiction  of 
the  town  court  was  limited  to  cases  not  exceeding  five  pounds 
in  value. 

A  court  of  sessions,  composed  of  the  justices  of  the  peace, 
was  established  in  each  riding.  This  court  was  held  twice  each 
year,  and  was  competent  to  decide  all  criminal  cases,  and  all 
civil  ones  where  the  amount  of  difference  exceeded  five  pounds. 


76  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUWTY. 

Judgments  rendered  in  this  court  for  sums  under  twenty 
pounds  were  final,  but  in  cases  exceeding  that  amount  an  appeal 
to  the  court  of  assize  was  allowed.  Criminal  cases  involving 
capital  punishment  required  the  unanimous  cpncnrrence  of 
twelve  jurors,  but  all  other  cases  were  decided  by  the  majority 
of  seven  jurors.  The  high  sheriff,  members  of  the  council,  and 
the  secretary  of  the  colony  were  authorized  to  sit  with  the 
justices  in  this  court. 

The  court  of  assize  was  held  once  a  year,  in  the  city  of  !N"ew 
York.  It  was  composed  of  the  governor,  his  council,  and  an 
indefinite  number  of  the  justices.  It  entertained  appeals  from 
the  inferior  courts,  and  had  original  jurisdiction  in  cases  where 
the  demand  exceeded  twenty  pounds.  The  governor  appointed 
a  high  sheriff  for  the  "shire,"  and  a  deputy  sheriff  for  each 
riding.  This  court  was  the  nominal  head  of  the  government — 
legislative  as  well  as  judicial.  It  was,  however,  in  reality  the 
governor' s  cloak,  under  cover  of  which  he  issued  whatever  reg- 
ulations his  judgment  or  fancy  dictated.  All  its  members  held 
their  positions  during  his  pleasure,  and  were  virtually  obliged 
to  sanction  his  views  and  second  his  opinions.  Many  of  the 
laws,  amendments  and  orders  enacted  through  the  name  of  this 
court  were  arbitrary,  obnoxious  and  oppressive  to  the  people. 
Petitions  from  the  people  for  redress  of  their  grievances  had 
but  little  if  any  effect  in  the  desired  direction. 

The  early  governors  imposed  duties  on  imported  and  ex- 
ported goods,  disposed  of  the  public  lands,  and  levied  taxes 
on  the  people,  for  the  support  of  the  government.  The  fi- 
nances of  the  colony  were  under  their  control,  in  common  with 
every  other  department,  and  this  power  over  the  treasury  was 
doubtless  often  used  for  their  own  individual  benefit. 

In  the  orders  made  at  the  general  court  of  assize,  from  the 
6th  to  the  13th  of  October,  1675,  the  following  appears  : 

"That  by  reason  of  the  Separacon  by  water,  Staten  Island 
shall  have  Jurisdiction  of  it  Self  and  to  have  noe  further  de- 
pendance  on  the  Courts  of  Long  Island  nor  on  their  Militia." 
From  this  time  forward  the  island  has  been  an  independent 
judicial  district,  and  the  first  record,  which  soon  after  began  to 
be  kept,  is  still  in  existence  in  the  office  of  the  county  clerk  ; 
it  is  a  small  square  volume,  bound  in  vellum,  and  besides  many 
quaint  records  of  "sewts,"  contains  the  descriptions  of  the 
ear-marks  on  domestic  animals,  to  distinguish  the  ownership, 


HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  77 

as  the  animals  were  allowed  to  run  at  large  through  the  woods 
and  unappropriated  lands. 

Among  some  of  these  early  court  records  we  find  the  follow- 
ing: 

Jacob  Jeyoung  (Guyon)  Ptf  )  In  A  Action  of  the  Caus 
Isaac  See  (?)  Deft  f  At  A  Court  held  on  Staten  Island 

By  the  Constable  and  oversears  of  the  seam  on  this  present 
Munday  Being  the  7  day  of  febraery  1680  wharas  the  caus  de- 
pending Between  the  Ptf  and  deft  hath  Bin  heard  the  Court 
ordereth  deft  to  Cleer  his  flax  forthwith  and  his  Corn  out  of 
the  Barn  within  ten  days  from  the  deat  hearof  and  to  clear  up 
his  other  A  Counts  at  the  next  Court. 

A  A  Court  held  on  Staton  Island  By  the  Constabl  and  over- 
sears  of  the  Seam  on  this  presont  Munday  Being  the  5  day  of 
September  1680  Sarah  whittman  Ptf  William  Britton  Deft,  in 
A  Action  of  the  Case  to  the  valew  of  £4.  10  s.  6d.  The  Caus 
depending  Betwixt  the  Ptf  and  Deft  hath  Bin  heard  and  for 
want  of  farther  proof  the  Caus  is  Referred  till  the  next  Court. 
Sarah  Whittman  Ptf 
William  Briten  Deft 

At  A  Court  held  on  Staton  Island  by  the  Constabll  and  over- 
sears  of  the  seam  on  this  present  Munday  Being  the  3  day  of 
October  1680  the  Court  ordereth  that  the  Deft  shall  seat  (set)  up 
and  geett  (get?)  forty  panell  of  soefisiont  (sufficient)  fence  for  the 
yous  (use)  of  Sarah  whitman  at  or  Be  foor  the  first  of  november 
next  in  sewing  (ensuing)  with  Cost  of  sewt. 

The  regulation  of  the  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  received  the 
early  attention  of  the  government,  and  the  following  rates  were 
established  throughout  the  province,  which  "tapsters"  were 
allowed  to  charge  :  French  wines.  Is.  3d.  per  quart;  Fayal  wines 
and  St.  George's,  Is.  6d.;  Madeira  wines  and  Portaport,  Is. 
lOd.;  Canaryes  and  Malaga,  2s.  per  quart ;  brandy,  6d.  per  gill; 
rum,  3d  per  gill ;  syder,  4d.  per  quart ;  double  beere,  3d.  per 
quart ;  meals  at  wine-houses.  Is.;  at  beere-houses,  8d.;  lodgings 
at  wine-houses,  4d.  per  night;  at  beere-houses,  3d. 

In  1668,  Nicolls,  by  his  own  request,  was  relieved  of  the 
government  of  the  province,  and  was  succeeded  by  Colonel 
Francis  Lovelace.  Thomas  Lovelace,  whose  official  signature  is 
appended  to  so  many  of  the  old  documents  connected  with  the 
conveyance  of  property  on  Staten  Island,  and  otherwise,  and 
who  at  one  time  was  sheriff  of  the  county,  was  a  brother  to  the 


78  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

governor,  and  a  member  of  his  council ;  there  was  also  another 
brother,  named  Dudley,  likewise  a  member  of  the  council.  The 
record  of  the  administration  of  this  governor  contains  many- 
acts  of  arbitrary  ruling  and  disregard  of  the  rights  of  the  com- 
mon people.  His  theory  of  the  proper  way  to  hold  a  people  in 
submission  appears  in  a  letter  written  by  himself  to  a  friend,  to 
have  been  by  imposing  "such  taxes  on  them  as  may  not  give 
them  liberty  to  entertain  any  other  thoughts  but  how  to  dis- 
charge them." 

Governor  Lovelace,  it  is  said,  owned  a  plantation  on  Staten 
Island,  on  which  he  built  a  mill  for  grinding  cereals.  One  of 
the  prominent  acts  of  his  administration  was  the  re-purchase 
and  final  extinction  of  the  Indian  claim  to  the  island.  This  was 
consummated  on  the  13th  of  April,  1670.  This  act  has  been 
termed  '"the  most  memorable"  of  his  administration,  and  the 
island  was  described  as  "the  most  commodiousest  seate  and 
richestland"  in  America.  The  year  previous,  the  principal  sa- 
chem had  confirmed  the  former  bargains  made  with  the  English, 
but  several  other  inferior  sachems  now  presented  their  claims, 
insisting  that  they  were  the  owners.  To  quiet  them,  a  new 
bargain  was  made  ;  they  executed  another  deed  and  possession 
was  given  by  "  turf  and  twigg."  This  was  the  last  sale  made 
by  the  Indians.  They  reserved  two  sorts  of  wood,  however, 
and  within  the  memory  of  the  people  now  living,  small  parties 
of  Indians,  at  long  intervals  have  visited  the  island,  and  ex- 
ercised their  reserved  right  of  cutting  such  wood  as  they  re- 
quired for  the  purpose  of  making  baskets. 

The  original  Indian  deed  is  still  in  existence.  Its  preamble 
cites  that  it  was  made  "between  Francis  Lovelace,  Governor- 
General  under  James,  Duke  of  York  and  Albany,  etc.,  and  the 
Indians  Aquepo,  Warrines,  Minqua,  Sachemack,  Permantowes, 
Qurvequeen,  Wewaneca,  Oneck  and  Mataris,  on  behalf  of 
theirselves,  as  the  true  owners  and  lawful  Indians,  proprietors 
of  Staten  Island."  The  conveyance  was  executed  by  the  afllx- 
ing  of  the  hands  and  seals  of  all  the  parties  and  the  attesting 
witnesses  'as  follows:  Couns.  Steenwick,  Maijor  Tho.  Lovelace, 
C.  V.  Reinjven,  Oloff  Steven  V.  Cortland,  Allard  Anthony,' 
Johannes  Vamburgh,  Gerrit  Van  Tright,  J.  Bedlow,  Warn 
Wessols,  Constapel,  William  Nicolls,  Humph' y  Davenport, 
Cornells  Bedloo,  Mcholas  Antony. 

The  Indians  were  to  have  the  privilege  of  remaining  until  the 


HI8T0RY  OF  EIOHMOND  COUNTY.  79 

following  May,  when  they  were  to  surrender  the  island  to  such 
persons  as  the  governor  should  appoint  to  receive  it.  This  was 
accordingly  done  on  the  first  day  of  May,  Thomas  Lovelace  and 
Matthias  Nicolls  having  been  deputed  by  the  governor  to 
receive  the  transfer  of  possession  from  the  Indians. 

The  conveyance  also  contained  the  following  two  paragraphs 
which  are  of  sufficient  interest  to  warrant  copying : 

"The  payment  agreed  upon  for  ye  purchase  of  Stateu  Island, 
conveyed  this  day  by  ye  Indian  Sachems,  propriet's  is  (vizt.) : 

I,  Foure  hundred  Fathoms  of  Wampum  ;  2,  Thirty  Match 
Boots  ;  3,  Eight  Coates  of  Durens,  made  up ;  4,  Thirty  Shirts ; 
5,  Thirty  Kettles  ;  6.  Twenty  Gunnes  ;  7,  A  Firkin  of  Powder  ; 
8,  Sixty  Barres  of  Lead ;    9,  Thirty  Axes ;    10,  Thirty  Howes  ; 

II,  Fifty  Knives." 

"It  was  further  covenanted  that  two  or  three  of  the  said 
Sachems,  their  heirs  or  successors,  or  persons  employed  by 
them,  should  once  in  every  year,  the  first  day  of  May,  after 
their  surrender,  repair  to  the  fort,  and  acknowledge  their  sale 
to  the  Grovernor,  and  continue  in  mutual  friendship." 

The  latter  paragraph  appears  as  an  endorsed  memorandum, 
with  the  signature  of  Francis  Lovelace  attached  to  it. 

Several  young  Indians  were  not  present  at  the  time  the  above 
conveyance  was  made,  accordingly,  in  order  to  secure  their  firm 
understanding  and  approval  it  was  again  delivered  on  the  25th 
of  April,  and  in  their  presence.  Thej'  made  their  marks  upon 
it  as  witnesses.  The  names  of  those  who  thus  subscribed  were — 
"Pewowahone,  about  5  yeares  old,  a  boy;  Pokoques,  about 
8  yeares  old,  a  girle ;  Shirjuirneho,  about  12  yeares  old, 
a  girle  ;  Kanarekante,  about  12  yeares  old,  a  girle  ;  Mahquadus, 
about  15  yeares  old,  a  young  man;  Ashehanewes.  about  20 
yeares  old,  a  young  man." 

This  was  the  final  sale  of  the  island  by  the  Indians,  and  we 
have  no  knowledge  of  any  claim  ever  being  made  by  them  to  its 
soil  from  that  time  forward  to  the  present.  It  has  already  been 
said  that  the  Indians  were  always  ready  to  sell  the  island.  In 
1636  they  sold  it  to  Michael  Pauw  ;  shortly  after  they  sold  a 
part  to  David  Pietersen  de  Vries ;  in  1641  to  Cornells  Melyn  ; 
in  1657  to  Baron  Van  Cappelan,  and  in  1670  to  Governor  Love, 
lace.  To  this  last  sale  they  were  obliged  to  adhere  ;  there  was 
probably  more  ceremony  about  it,  which  rendered  the  transac- 
tion more  impressive.     In  delivering  possession,  they  presented 


80  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  OOUNTr. 

a  sod  and  a  shrub  or  branch  of  every  kind  of  tree  which  grew 
upon  the  island,  except  the  ash  and  elder  (some  say  ash  and 
hickory). 

The  administration  of  Governor  Lovelace  was  brought  to  an 
unexpected  end  by  the  surrender  of  the  colony  to  its  foi'mer 
masters,  the  Dutch.  Rumors  of  anticipated  troubles  in  Europe 
reached  America,  and  Lovelace  immediately  began  to  make 
preparations  for  the  worst,  so  far  as  his  means  permitted ;  he 
strengthened  the  defenses  of  the  fort,  organized  several  military 
companies  in  the  metropolis,  and  other  places  in  the  province, 
repaired  arms  and  laid  in  a  large  quantity  of  ammunition  and 
other  warlike  stores.  In  April,  1(372,  England  and  France  de- 
clared war  against  Holland ;  in  Europe,  the  war  was  chiefly 
naval,  and  the  English  and  French  fleets  suffered  severely  at  the 
hands  of  De  Ruyter  and  Tromp.  On  the  7th  day  of  August, 
1673,  a  Dutch  fleet  of  twentj'^-three  vessels  arrived  in  New  York 
bay,  and  anchored  under  Staten  Island.  Soon  after  their  arrival 
they  made  a  raid  upon  the  plantation  of  Lovelace,  and  carried 
off  sufficient  cattle  and  sheep  to  make  a  breakfast  for  the  1,600 
men  on  board  the  ships  of  the  fleet.  This  arrival  produced  the 
greatest  consternation  in  the  city  and  neighboring  villages. 
Lovelace  himself  was  absent  from  the  city  at  the  time,  and 
when  the  demand  was  made  for  the  surrender  of  the  fort,  it  was 
yielded  without  the  firing  of  a  gun.  Captain  Manning,  the 
commandant  of  the  fort,  was  afterward  tried  for  treachery  and 
cowardice,  and  sentenced  to  have  his  sword  broken  over  his  head. 

The  conquest  having  been  consummated  Anthony  Colve  was 
immediately  appointed  governor  of  the  colony,  and  at  once 
commenced  the  work  of  obtaining  the  submission  of  the  people 
to  his  authority,  and  reorganizing  the  government  according  to 
his  own  notions.  But  the  Dutch  rule  was  of  short  duration. 
On  the  9th  of  February.  1^4,  peace  was  concluded  between 
England  and  the  states  general,  by  the  treaty  of  Westminister, 
and  according  to  its  terms  the  colony  reverted  to  the  English. 
Major  Edmond  Andros,  of  Prince  Rupert's  dragoon  regiment, 
which  had  been  disbanded,  was  selected  as  the  proper  person  to 
proceed  to  America  and  receive  the  province  from  the  Dutch. 
Armed  with  the  proper  authority  from  the  Dutch  government, 
which  had  been  furnished  at  the  request  of  the  English  king, 
he  arrived  in  the  Diamond  frigate  in  October,  1674,  and  an- 
chored under  Staten  Island.     A  correspondence  was  at  once 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  81 

opened  between  him  and  Colve,  which  resulted  in  a  surrender 
of  the  province  on  the  10th  day  of  that  month. 

Andros  having  received  his  commission  as  governor,  caused 
the  oath  of  allegiance  to  be  administered  to  the  people  ;  the 
English  government  was  once  more  established,  and  so  con- 
tinued for  a  century  thereafter.  The  Duke  of  York,  apprehen- 
sive that  the  validity  of  his  title  might  be  called  in  question,  in 
consequence  of  the  province  having  been  in  the  possession  of 
a  foreign  power,  received  a  new  patent  from  the  king. 

Andros  having  been  recalled,  Brockholst  administered  the 
government  until  the  arrival  of  Colonel  Thomas  Dongan,  who, 
though  commissioned  September  30th,  1682,  did  not  arrive 
until  the  25th  of  the  following  August.  He  was  a  professed 
papist,  but  is  said  to  have  been  a  "wiser  man  than  a  master." 
The  people  of  Staten  Island  are  more  directly  interested  in  him 
than  in  any  other  governor  of  the  province  under  either  nation- 
ality ;  having  the  whole  country  before  him,  from  which  to 
select  his  residence,  he  made  choice  of  Staten  Island,  and  the 
evidences  of  his  residence  here  are  still,  in  some  measure,  per- 
ceptible. 

Let  us  pause  in  our  narrative  for  a  brief  space,  to  take 
a  view  of  the  condition  of  the  island  at  this  early  period. 
The  tirst  dwelling  houses  erected  on  the  island  after  the 
removal  of  the  Walloons  to  Long  Island,  were  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Narrows,  or  between  that  and  Old  Town^ 
which  is  so  called,  probably,  from  that  circumstance,  and 
were  not  more  than  five  or  six  in  number.  There  was 
one,  probably,  at  the  extreme  south  end,  and  one  or  two  at 
Fresh  kill.  Subsequently,  in  1651,  when  the  Waldenses  arrived, 
and,  after  them,  the  Huguenots,  the  settlements  at  Old  Town 
and  Fresh  kill  received  accessions.  Before  their  arrival  there 
were  no  roads,  except,  perhaps,  foot-paths  through  the  forest, 
between  the  two  last-mentioned  localities  ;  there  was  no  need 
of  any,  for  the  intercourse  of  the  islanders  was  with  New  Am- 
sterdam. After  the  settlements  at  Old  Town  and  Fresh  kill 
had  received  accessions,  intercourse  between  them  became  more 
frequent,  and,  in  due  course  of  time,  the  road  from  the  one  to 
the  other  was  constructed ;  particularlj'  after  the  Waldenses 
had  built  their  church  at  Stony  Brook,  and  the  Huguenots 
their  at  Fresh  kill. 

The  houses  were  built  in  clusters,  or  hamlets,  for  convenience 
6 


82  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTiT. 

in  mutual  defense  and  protection.  Tradition  says  that  one  of 
the  first  dwellings  on  the  island  was  situated  on  the  heights  at 
New  Brighton,  and  was  constructed  of  bricks  imported  from 
Holland,  and  occupied,  for  a  time  at  least,  by  a  prominent  of- 
ficial of  the  government.  If  there  is  any  truth  in  the  tradition, 
the  house  was,  probably,  the  residence  of  de  Vries,  who,  feel- 
ing secure  in  the  friendship  of  the  Indians,  ventured  to  erect 
his  dwelling  in  that  beautiful,  but  remote,  locality.  That  the 
builder's  confidence  in  the  Indians  was  not  misplaced,  the  same 
tradition  further  says  that,  in  1655,  when  the  great  Indian  war 
broke  out,  and  the  island  was  nearly  depopulated,  this  house 
and  its  occupants  were  spared.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  last 
century,  and  in  the  beginning  of  the  present,  all  the  territory 
embraced  in  the  first,  and  most  of  the  second  wards  of  the 
present  village  of  New  Brighton  constituted  farms  owned  by  the 
families  of  the  Van  Buskirks,  Crocherons  and  Vreelands  ;  these 
farms  extended  from  the  kills  one  mile  into  the  country.  Abra- 
ham Crocheron,  the  owner  of  one  of  them,  erected  a  grist  mill 
in  the  valley  east  of  Jersey  street,  relying  for  a  supply  of  water 
on  the  spring  now  known  as  the  Hessian  spring  ;  but  this 
not  proving  sufficient,  he  converted  his  grist  mill  into  a  snuff 
mill,  for  which  the  supply  was  abundant.  About  the  same  time 
Captain  Thomas  Lawrence  built  a  distillery  on  a  small  wharf 
which  now  forms  a  part  of  the  present  large  New  Brighton 
wharf.  Long  before  this  part  of  the  island  was  patented  to  any 
individual,  and  laid  out  into  farms,  and  while  it  was  yet  covered 
with  the  original  forests,  there  was  a  deep  ravine,  extending 
from  the  spring  mentioned  above  to  the  kills,  into  which  the 
tide  ebbed  and  flowed,  and  which,  in  the  days  of  the  Dutch  and 
early  English  governors,  afforded  a  place  of  concealment  for 
the  smugglers  who  infested  the  coast.  The  face  of  the  country 
has  now  become  materially  changed,  by  cutting  down  the  hills 
and  filling  up  the  valleys. 

In  process  of  time,  as  settlers  arrived,  they  located  along  the 
shores,  and  roads  became  a  necessity  ;  these  at  first  were  con- 
structed along  the  shores,  until  at  length  cross  roads  for  con- 
venience of  communication  between  the  several  settlements  were 
constructed.  Some  of  these  old  roads  have  been  closed,  and  the 
Clove  road  is  the  only  original  one  now  left. 

In  regard  to  the  character  of  the  early  settlers,  a  writer  of 
that  century  said  :  "As  to  their  wealth  and  disposition  thereto, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  83 

the  Dutch  are  rich  and  sparing  ;  the  English  neither  very  rich, 
nor  too  great  husbands  ;  the  French  are  poor,  and  therefore 
forced  to  be  penurious." 

Among  the  earliest  manufacturing  enterprises  in  this  country 
was  the  establishment  of  a  still  for  the  manufacture  of  brandy. 
This  was  founded  on  Staten  Island  by  Director  Kief t,  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  year  1640,  and  was  said  to  be  the  first  man- 
ufactory of  spirituous  liquors  in  America.  William  Hendrick- 
son,  a  native  of  Holland,  was  the  superintendent  of  the  enter- 
prise, on  a  salary  of  twenty-five  guilders  per  month.  It  was  in 
operation  six  or  seven  months.  Its  location  is  not  known,  but 
it  is  supposed  to  have  been  at"Oude  Dorp."  A  buckskin 
factory,  also  established  by  Governor  Kief  t  a  little  later,  is  sup- 
posed to  have  been  located  in  the  same  part  of  the  island. 

We  shall  bring  this  period  to  a  close  by  inserting  the  follow- 
ing extract  from  a  manuscript  found  in  the  city  of  Amsterdam 
some  years  since,  by  Hon.  H.  C.  Murphy.  It  gives  an  excel- 
lent picture  of  the  time  of  which  we  are  writing.  On  the  8th 
day  of  June,  1676,  two  Labadists,  Jasper  Dankers  and  Peter 
Sluyter,  sailed  from  Amsterdam  in  a  ship  called  the  "  Charles," 
Captain  Thomas  Singleton,  and  arrived  at  Sandy  Hook  on  the 
22d  of  September  following.  They  say  :  "  When  we  came  be- 
tween the  Hoofden  (theHig-hlands  of  Staten  and  Long  Islands — 
that  is,  in  the  Narrows)  we  saw  some  Indians  on  the  beach 
with  a  canoe,  and  others  coming  down  the  hill.  As  we  tacked 
about,  we  came  close  to  the  shore,  and  called  out  to  them  to 
come  on  board  the  ship.  The  Indians  came  on  board,  and  we 
looked  upon  them  with  wonder.  They  are  dull  of  comprehen- 
sion, slow  of  speech,  bashful,  but  otherwise  bold  of  person  and 
red  of  skin.  They  wear  something  in  front  over  the  thighs, 
and  a  piece  of  duffels,  like  a  blanket,  around  the  body,  and  that 
is  all  the  clothing  they  have.  Their  hair  hangs  down  from 
their  head  in  strings,  well  smeared  with  fat,  and  sometimes 
with  quantities  of  little  beads  twisted  in  it,  out  of  pride.  They 
have  thick  lips  and  thick  noses,  but  not  fallen  in  like  the 
negroes,  heavy  eyebrows  or  eyelids,  brown  or  black  eyes,  thick 
tongues,  and  all  of  them  black  hair.  After  they  had  obtained 
some  biscuit,  and  had  amused  themselves  a  little  climbing  and 
looking  here  and  there,  they  also  received  some  brandy  to  taste, 
of  which  they  drank  excessively,  and  threw  it  up  again.  They 
Ihen  went  ashore  in  their  canoe,  and  we,  having  a  better  breeze, 


84  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

sailed  ahead  handsomely."  After  narrating  how  they  landed 
in  the  city,  and  describing  the  bay  and  the  immense  quantities 
of  fish  therein,  they  proceeded  with  their  journal. 

"  October  Wi,  Monday.— We  remained  at  home  two  days,  ex- 
cept I  went  out  to  ascertain  whether  there  was  any  way  of  go- 
ing over  to  Staten  Island. 

"10,  Tuesday. — Finding  no  opportunity  of  going  to  Staten 
Island,  we  asked  our  old  friend  Symon,  who  had  come  over 
from  Gouaues  [Gowanus  1],  what  was  the  best  way  for  us  to  go 
there,  when  he  offered  us  his  services  to  take  us  over  in  his 
skiff,  which  we  accepted,  and  at  dusk  accompanied  him  in  his 
boat  to  Gouanes,  where  we  arrived  about  8  o'clock,  and  where 
he  welcomed  us  and  entertained  us  well. 

"■11,  Wednesday. — We  embarked  early  this  morning  in  his 
boat,  and  rowed  over  to  Staten  Island,  where  we  arrived  about 
8  o'clock.  He  left  us  there,  and  we  went  on  our  way.  This 
Island  is  about  32  miles  long,  and  four  broad.  Its  sides  are 
very  irregular,  with  projecting  points  and  indenting  bays  and 
creeks  running  deep  into  the  country.  It  lies  for  the  most  part 
east  and  west,  and  is  somewhat  triangular ;  the  most  promi- 
nent point  is  to  the  west.  On  the  east  side  is  the  narrow  passage 
which  they  call  the  channel,  by  which  it  is  separated  from  the 
high  point  of  Long  Island.  On  the  south  is  the  great  bay, 
which  is  enclosed  by  Nayag,  t'Conijnen  island,  Rentselaer's 
Hook,  Neversink,  etc.  On  the  west  is  the  Raritans.  On  the 
north  or  north-west  is  New  Jersey,  from  which  it  is  separated 
by  a  large  creek  or  arm  of  the  river  called  Kil  Van  Kol. 
The  eastern  part  is  high  and  steep,  and  has  few  inhabitants. 
It  is  the  usual  place  where  ships  ready  for  sea  stop  to  take 
in  water.  The  whole  south  side  is  a  large  plain,  with  much 
salt  meadow  or  marsh,  and  several  creeks. 

"  The  west  point  is  flat,  and  on  or  around  it  is  a  large  creek 
with  much  marsh,  but  to  the  north  of  this  creek  it  is  high  anfi 
hilly,  and  beyond  that  it  begins  to  be  more  level,  but  not  so 
low  as  on  the  other  side,  and  is  well  populated.  On  the 
northwest  it  is  well  provided  with  creeks  and  marshes,  and 
the  land  is  generally  better  than  on  the  south  side,  although 
there  is  a  good  parcel  of  land  in  the  middle  of  the  latter.  As 
it  is  the  middle  or  most  hilly  part  of  the  island,  it  is  uninhab- 
ited, although  the  soil  is  better  than  the  land  around  it;  but 
in  consequence  of  its  being  away  from  the  water,  and  lying 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  85 

SO  high,  no  one  will  live  there,  the  creeks  and  rivers  being  so 
serviceable  to  them  in  enabling  them  to  go  to  the  city,  and 
for  fishing  and  catching  oysters,  and  for  being  near  the  salt 
meadow.  The  woods  are  used  for  pasturing  horses  and  ca.ttle, 
for,  being  an  island,  none  of  them  can  get  off.  Each  person 
has  marks  upon  his  own  by  which  he  can  find  them  when  he 
wants  them.  When  the  population  shall  increase,  these 
places  will  be  taken  up.  Game  of  all  kinds  is  plenty,  and 
twenty-five  or  thirty  deer  are  sometimes  seen  in  a  herd.  A 
boy  who  came  in  a  house  where  we  were,  told  us  he  had  shot 
ten  the  last  winter  himself,  and  more  than  forty  in  his  life, 
and  in  the  same  manner  other  game.  We  tasted  here  the 
best  grapes.  There  are  now  about  100  families  on  the  Island, 
of  which  the  English  constitute  the  least  portion,  and  the 
Dutch  and  French  divide  between  them  about  equally  the 
greater  portion.  They  have  neither  church  nor  minister,  and 
live  rather  far  from  each  other,  and  inconveniently  to  meet 
together.  The  English  are  less  disposed  to  religion,  and  inquire 
little  after  it;  but  in  case  there  was  a  minister,  would  contribute 
to  his  support.  The  French  and  Dutch  are  very  desirous  and 
eager  for  one,  for  they  spoke  of  it  wherever  we  went.  The 
French  are  good  Reformed  church-men,  and  some  of  them  are 
Walloons.  The  Dutch  are  also  from  different  quarters.  We 
reached  the  Island,  as  I  have  said,  about  9  o'clock,  directly 
opposite  Gouanes,  not  far  from  the  watering-place.  We  pro- 
ceeded southwardly  along  the  shore  of  the  highland  on 
the  east  end,  where  it  was  sometimes  stony  and  rocky,  and 
sometimes  sandy,  supplied  with  tine  constantly  flowing  springs, 
with  which  at  times  we  quenched  our  thirst. 

"  We  had  now  come  nearly  to  the  furthest  point  on  the  south- 
east, behind  which  I  had  observed  several  houses  when  we  came 
in  with  the  ship.  We  had  also  made  inquiry  as  to  the  villages 
through  which  we  would  have  to  pass,  and  they  told  us  the 
'  Oude  Dorp  '  would  be  the  first  one  we  would  come  to;  but  my 
comrade  finding  the  point  very  rocky  and  difficult,  and  believ- 
ing the  village  was  inland,  and  as  we  discovered  no  path  to 
follow,  we  determined  to  clamber  to  the  top  of  this  steep  bluff, 
through  the  bushes  and  thickets,  which  we  accomplished  with 
great  difficulty  and  in  a  perspiration.  We  found  as  little  of  a 
road  above  as  below,  and  nothing  but  woods,  through  which  no 
one  could  see.     There  appeared  to  be  a  little  foot-path  along 


86  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

the  edge,  which  I  followed  a  short  distance  to  the  side  of  the 
point,  but  my  companion  calling  me,  and  saying  that  he  thought 
we  had  certainly  passed  by  the  road  to  the  Oude  Dorp,  and 
observing  myself  that  the  little  path  led  down  to  the  point,  I 
returned  again,  and  we  followed  it  the  other  way,  which  led  us 
back  to  the  place  where  we  started.  We  supposed  we  ought 
to  go  from  the  shore  to  find  the  road  to  Oude  Dorp,  and  seeing 
here  these  slight  tracks  into  the  woods,  we  followed  them  as  far 
as  we  could,  till  at  last  they  ran  to  nothing  else  than  dry 
leaves. 

"  Having  wandered  an  hour  or  more  in  the  woods,  now  in  a 
hollow  and  then  over  a  hill,  at  one  time  through  a  swamp,  at 
another  across  a  brook,  without  finding  any  road  or  path,  we 
entirely  lost  the  way.     We  could  see   nothing  but    the    sky 
through  the  thick  branches  of  the  trees  over  our  heads,  and  we 
thought  it  best  to  break  out  of  the  woods  entirely  and  regain 
the  shore.     I  had  taken  an  observation  of  the  shore  and  point, 
having  been  able  to  look  at  the  sun,  which  shone  extraordi- 
narily hot  in  the  thick  woods,  without  the  least  breath  of  air 
stirring.     We  made  our  way  at  last,  as  well  as  we  could,  out 
of    the  woods,    and    struck  the  shore  a  quarter  of  an  hour's 
distance  from  where  we  began  to  climb  up.     We  were  rejoiced, 
as  there  was  a  house  not  far  from  the  place  where  we  came 
out.     We  went  to  it  to  see   if   we   could   find  any   one  who 
would  show  us  the  way  a  little.     There  was  no  master  in  it, 
but  an  English  woman  with  negroes  and  servants.     We  first 
asked  her  as  to   the  road,  and  then  for  something  to  drink, 
and  also  for  some  one  to  show  us  the  road,  but  she  refused 
the    last,   although  we  were  willing    to    pay  for  it;    she  was 
a  cross  woman.     She  said  she  had  never  been  at  the  village^  and 
her  folks  must  work,  and  we  would  certainly  have  to  go  away 
as  wise  as  we  came.     She  said,  however,  we  must  follow  the 
shore,  as  we  did.     We  went  now  over  the  rocky  point,  which 
we  were  no  sooner  over  than  we  saw  a  pretty  little  sand  bay, 
and  a  small  creek,  and  not  far  from  there,  cattle  and  houses. 
We  also  saw  the  point  from  which  the  little  path  led  from  the 
hill  above,   where  I  was  when  my  comrade    called  me.     We 
would  not  have  had  more  than  three  hundred  steps  to  go  to 
have  been  where  we  now  were.     It  was  very  hot,  and  we  per- 
spired a  great  deal.     We  went  on  to  the  little    creek    to    sit 
down  and  rest   ourselves    there,  and    to    cool    our    feet,  and 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  87 

then  proceeded  to  the  houses  which  constituted  the  Onde 
Dorp.  It  was  now  about  two  o'clock.  There  were  seven 
houses,  but  only  three  in  which  anybody  lived.  The  others 
were  abandoned,  and  their  owners  gone  to  live  on  better  places 
on  the  Island,  because  the  ground  around  this  village  was 
worn  out  and  barren,  and  also  too  limited  for  their  use.  We 
went  into  the  first  house,  which  was  inhabited  by  English, 
and  there  rested  ourselves  and  eat,  and  inquired  further  after 
the  road;  the  woman  was  cross,  and  her  husband  not  much 
better.  We  had  to  pay  here  for  what  we  eat,  which  we  have 
not  done  befora  We  paid  three  guilders  in  seewan,  although 
we  only  drank  water.  We  proceeded  by  a  tolerable  good  road 
to  Nietiwe  Dorp,  but  as  the  road  ran  continually  in  the  woods 
we  got  astray  again  in  them.  It  was  dark,  and  we  were  com- 
pelled to  break  our  way  out  through  the  woods  and  thickets, 
and  we  went  a  great  distance  before  we  succeeded,  when  it  was 
almost  entirely  dark.  We  saw  a  house  at  a  distance  to  which 
we  directed  ourselves  across  the  bushes;  it  was  the  first  house 
of  the  Nieuwe  Dorp.  We  found  there  an  Englishman  who 
could  speak  Dutch,  and  who  received  us  very  cordially  into  his 
house,  where  we  had  as  good  as  he  and  his  wife  had.  She  was  a 
Dutch  woman  from  the  Manhatans,  who  was  glad  to  have  us  in 
her  house. 

"12^A,  Thursday. — Although  we  had  not  slept  well,  we  had 
to  resume  our  journey  with  the  day.  The  man  where  we  slept 
set  us  on  the  road.  We  had  no  more  villages  to  go  to,  bnt  went 
from  one  plantation  to  another,  for  the  most  part  belonging  to 
French*  who  showed  us  every  kindness  because  we  conversed 
with  them  in  French. 

"  About  one- third  of  the  distance  from  the  south  side  to  the 
west  end  is  still  all  woods,  and  is  very  little  visited.  We  had 
to  go  along  the  shore,  finding  sometimes  fine  creeks  well  pro- 
vided with  wild  turkeys,  geese,  snipes  and  wood-hens.  Lying 
rotting  on  the  shore  were  thousands  of  fish  called  marsbaucken, 
which  are  about  the  size  of  a  common  carp.  These  fish  swim 
close  together  in  large  schools,  and  are  pursued  by  other  fish 
so  that  they  are  forced  upon  the  shore  in  order  to  avoid  the 
mouths  of  their  enemies,  and  when  the  water  falls  they  are  left 
to  die,  food  for  the  eagles  and  other  birds  of  prey.  Proceeding 
thus  along,  we  came  to  the  west  point,  where  an  Englishman 
lived  alone,  some  distance  from  the  road.     We  ate  something 


88  HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

here,  and  he  gave  us  the  consolation  that  we  would  have  a  very- 
bad  road  for  two  or  three  hours  ahead,  which  indeed  we  experi- 
enced, for  there  was  neither  path  nor  road.  He  showed  us  as 
well  as  he  could.  There  was  a  large  creek  to  cross  which  ran 
very  far  into  the  land,  and  when  we  got  on  the  other  side  of  it 
we  must,  he  said,  ^o  outward  along  the  shore.  After  we  had 
gone  a  piece  of  the  way  through  the  woods,  we  came  to  a  valley 
with  a  brook  running  through  it,  which  we  took  to  be  the  creek 
or  the  end  of  it.  We  turned  around  it  as  short  as  we  could,  in 
order  to  go  back  again  to  the  shore,  which  we  reached  after 
wandering  a  long  time  over  hill  and  dale,  when  we  saw  the 
creek,  which  we  supposed  we  had  crossed,  now  just  before  us. 
We  followed  the  side  of  it  deep  into  the  woods,  and  when  we 
arrived  at  the  end  of  it  saw  no  path  along  the  other  side  to  get 
outwards  again,  but  the  road  ran  into  the  woods  in  order  to  cut 
off  a  point  of  the  hills  and  land.  We  pursued  this  road  for 
some  time,  but  saw  no  mode  of  getting  out,  and  that  it  led  fur- 
ther and  further  from  the  creek.  We  therefore  left  the  road, 
and  went  across  through  the  bushes,  so  as  to  reach  the  shore  by 
the  nearest  route  according  to  our  calculation.  After  continu- 
ing this  course  about  an  hour,  we  saw  at  a  distance  a  miserably 
constructed  tabernacle  of  pieces  of  wood  covered  with  brush, 
all  open  in  front,  and  where  we  thought  there  were  Indians, 
but  on  coming  up  to  it  we  found  in  it  an  Englishman  sick,  and 
his  wife  and  child  lying  upon  some  bushes  by  a  little  fire.  We 
asked  him  if  he  was  sick  ?  '  I  have  been  sick  over  two  months,' 
he  replied.  It  made  my  heart  sore,  indeed,  for  I  never,  in  all 
my  life,  saw  such  poverty,  and  that,  too,  in  the  middle  of  the 
woods  and  wilderness.  After  we  had  obtained  some  informa- 
tion as  to  the  way,  we  went  on,  and  had  not  gone  far  before  we 
came  to  another  house,  and  thus  from  one  farm  to  another, 
French,  Dutch,  and  a  few  English,  so  that  we  had  not  wandered 
very  far  out  of  the  way.  We  inquired,  at  each  house,  the  way 
to  the  next  one.  Shortly  before  evening  we  arrived  at  the 
plantation  of  a  Frenchman,  whom  they  called  La  Chaudrounier, 
who  was  formerly  a  soldier  under  the  Prince  of  Orange,  and  had 
served  in  Brazil.  He  was  so  delighted,  and  held  on  to  us  so 
hard,  that  we  remained  and  spent  the  night  with  him. 

"13^A,  Friday.— We  pursued  our  journey  this  morningfrom 
plantation  to  plantation,  the  same  as  yesterday,  until  we  came 
to  that  of  Pierre  Gardinier,  who  had  been  in  the  service  of  the 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  89 

Prince  of  Orange,  and  had  known  him  well.  He  had  a  large 
family  of  children  and  grand-children.  He  was  about  seventy 
years  of  age,  and  was  still  as  fresh  and  active  as  a  young  per- 
son. He  was  so  glad  to  see  strangers  who  conversed  with  him 
in  the  French  language  that  he  leaped  with  joy.  After  we  had 
breakfasted  here,  they  told  us  that  we  had  another  large  creek 
to  pass  called  the  Fresh  Kill,  and  then  we  could  perhaps  be  set 
across  the  Kill  Van  Koll  to  the  jjoint  of  Mill  Creek,  where  we 
might  wait  for  a  boat  to  convey  us  to  the  Manhatans.  The  road 
was  long  and  difficult,  and  we  asked  for  a  guide,  but  he  had  no 
one,  in  consequence  of  several  of  his  children  being  sick.  At 
last  he  determined  to  go  himself,  and  accordingly  carried  us 
in  his  canoe  over  to  the  point  of  Mill  Creek  in  New  Jersey,  be- 
hind Kol  [Achter  Kol.]  We  learned  immediately  that  there 
was  a  boat  upon  this  creek  loading  with  brick,  and  would  leave 
that  night  for  the  city.  After  we  had  thanked  and  parted  with 
Pierre  le  Gardinier,  we  determined  to  walk  to  Elizabethtown,  a 
good  half  hour's  distance  inland,  where  the  boat  was.  We  slept 
there  this  night,  and  at  3  o'clock  in  the  morning  set  sail." 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  COLONIAL  PERIOD— 1683  TO  1775. 


Erection  of  Richmond  County. — Arrival  of  Huguenots. — Division  of  Eichmond 
into  Towns. — ^The  Claims  of  Nevr  Jersey. — Patents  and  Land  Grants. — 
Establishment  of  the  Colonial  Government. — Administration  of  Justice. — 
The  Time  of  the  French  War.— Colonial  Description.— Colonial  Customs. — 
Statistics. 

IT  seems  convenient  and  appropriate  in  treating  this  subject 
to  regard  the  colonial  period  proper  as  beginning  with  the 
administration  of  Governor  Dongan,  although  it  had  in  many 
respects  begun  several  years  before.  In  1683  Colonel  Thomas 
Dongan,  having  received  the  appointment  of  governor,  took  the 
position  on  the  27th  of  August.  He  came  with  instructions 
from  the  duke  to  call  a  general  assembly  of  the  people's  repre- 
sentatives. This  he  did,  and  the  first  assembly  of  the  colony  of 
New  York  convened  in  the  city  on  the  17th  of  October,  1683. 
This  assembly  adopted  a  "bill  of  rights,"  repealed  some  of  the 
most  obnoxious  of  the  duke's  laws,  altered  and  amended  others, 
and  passed  such  new  laws  as  they  judged  the  circumstances  of 
the  colony  required.  During  the  session  an  act  was  passed 
abolishing  the  ridings,  and  organizing  in  their  stead  the  counties, 
with  some  alterations  in  the  constitution  of  the  courts. 

The  "  Act  to  divide  this  province  and  dependences  into  Shires 
and  Counties,"  dated  November  1,  1683,  contains  the  following 
in  reference  to  Staten  Island: 

"The  county  of  Richmond  to  conteyne  all  Staten  Island, 
Shutter's  Island,  and  the  islands  of  meadow  on  the  west  side 
thereof." 

The  county'at  this  time  contained  some  two  hundred  families. 
It  was  allowed  two  representatives  in  the  colonial  assembly,  and 
the  next  year,  for  the  first  time,  a  county  tax  was  imposed, 
amounting  to  fifteen  pounds. 

The  colonial  assembly  met  again  in  October,  1684.  Among 
the  acts  passed  at  this  session  was  one  by  which  the  court  of 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  91 

assize  was  abolished.  The  election  of  a  new  assembly  took 
place  in  September,  1685,  and  in  the  following  month  it  was 
organized.  Only  two  or  three  unimportant  acts  of  this  as- 
sembly remain  on  record,  and  it  is  probable  that  whatever  other 
acts  it  may  have  passed,  if  there  were  any,  were  never  enforced. 
On  the  death  of  Charles  II,  the  Duke  of  York  ascended  the 
throne  of  Great  Britain  with  the  title  of  James  II.  He  now 
abolished  the  colonial  assembly  of  New  York,  and  re-estab- 
lished the  governor  as  the  supreme  head  of  the  colony,  subject 
only  to  such  instructions  as  the  king  himself  might  from  time 
to  time  dictate. 

We  now  come  to  a  period  in  the  civil  and  religious  historj'^of 
Staten  Island  of  great  and  even  romantic  interest ;  the  arrival 
of  the  French  Protestants  or  Huguenots.  Years  before,  it  is 
true,  some  had  emigrated  with  the  Dutch  from  Holland,  but 
now  they  landed  on  these  shores  in  considerable  numbers, 
bringing  with  them  useful  arts,  a  knowledge  of  gardening  and 
husbandry,  and  above  all,  their  own  well  known  virtues,  with 
a  pure,  simple,  Bible  faith.  Many  of  the  descendants  from  this 
noble  stock  now  remain  to  honor  the  island  of  their  birth  with 
the  sterling  character  which  they  have  inherited  from  their  an- 
cestors. 

Though  the  Protestants  of  France  had,  under  the  famous 
"Edict  of  Nantes,"  enjoyed  the  free  exercise  of  their  religion 
for  a  time,  yet  after  the  death  of  Henry  the  Great  the  merciless 
fires  of  persecution  were  once  more  kindled — the  rack,  the  gib- 
bet and  the  galley  again  began  their  sanguinary  work  all  over 
the  country,  and  with  increased  fury.  The  "Edict of  Nantes" 
was  formally  revoked,  when  the  Huguenots  had  now  presented 
to  their  choice  three  things  :  to  go  to  mass,  sacrifice  their  lives 
and  their  property,  or  fly  from  their  homes.  Too  true  and  in- 
dependent to  do  otherwise  they  chose  the  latter  expedient,  and 
half  a  million  of  them  left  beautiful  but  bigotted  France  for 
foreign  lands.  Every  Protestant  kingdom  in  Europe  received 
them  with  open  arms,  where  they  soon  became  the  most  valu- 
able citizens,  and  many  imitating  the  example  of  the  Puritans, 
embarked  for  an  asylum  of  safety  to  the  new  world,  and  to 
this  island. 

These  settlers  were  celebrated  for  their  industry  and  frugal- 
ity, and  commenced  the  cultivation  of  the  earth.  Brave  and 
independent,  they  imparted  the  same  excellent  traits  all  around 


92  HISTORY  OF  EIOHMOND  CODNTY. 

them,  and  above  all  things  else  they  cherished  their  religious 
duties  and  pious  customs.  It  is  a  pleasant  fact  in  the  history 
of  Staten  Island,  that  the  ancestors  of  the  present  population, 
whether  from  Holland,  France  or  England,  each  were  careful  to 
maintain  pure  and  evangelical  principles  in  their  families.  Their 
churches  were  established  here  at  an  early  period.  The  follow- 
ing record  pertaining  to  the  Huguenot  church  is  so  much  of  a 
curiosity  that  we  take  the  liberty  to  insert  it  in  full,  as  it  ap- 
pears on  one  of  the  earliest  books  of  record  of  the  county. 

"  This  following  deed  of  Gifte  was  recorded  for  the  french 
Congreygashone  Residing  with  In  the  Countey  of  Richmond 
on  statone  Island  the  22  day  of  may  Annoque  dom  :  1698. 

"  To  all  Christiane  peopell  To  whome  Theas  present  wright- 
ing  shall  Come  John  bevealle  Seanior  of  the  Countey  of  Rich- 
mond and  provence  of  new  yorke  weaver  and  hester  his  wife 
sendeth  Greeting  In  our  Lord  God  Eaver  Lasting  now  know  yee 
that  wheare  as  Townas  Ibbosone  of  the  Countey  of  Richmond 
yeoman  did  by  his  certen  wrighting  or  deed  pole  under  his 
hand  &  sealle  bearing  date  The  seaventh  day  of  feberary  and  in 
the  third  yeare  of  the  Reign  of  our  souvring  Lord  william  the 
third  by  the  Grace  of  God  of  England  Scotland  france  &  Irland 
King  annoque  dom  169f  Grant  bargone  sell  and  convay  unto 
John  belvealle  of  the  Countey  of  Richmond  &  provence  of  new 
yorke  weaver  his  heirs  Exekitors  Admsi°^  And  asignes  A  serten 
trakt  or  parcell  of  Land  sittiate  Lying  and  being  on  the  west 
side  of  statones  Island  neare  the  fresh  killes  begining  by  the 
medow  and  strechig  in  to  the  wood  by  the  Lyne  of  fransis 
oseltone  dyrekt  south  three  hundred  Rood  from  thence  west  six 
degrees  &  northerly  thirtey  six  Rood  thence  dyrekt  north  by 
the  Lyne  of  Abraham  Lacmone  three  hundred  Rood  thence 
East  thirtey  six  Rood  Containing  In  all  sixtey  arcres  as  by  the 
Recited  deed  pole  Relashone  theareunto  being  had  doth  and 
may  more  fully  and  att  Large  Appeare  Now  Know  yee  that  the 
said  John  belvealle  of  Statone  Island  And  provence  of  New 
Yorke  and  hester  his  wife  Testified  by  her  being  A  partey  to 
the  Ensaling  and  delivery  of  thease  i)resents  for  the  Reaell 
Loufe  and  Afeccone  that  they  beare  to  the  ministrey  of  Gods 
word  and  the  savashone  of  yeare  soules  do  firmley  by  theas 
presents  firmley  freeley  &  absolewtly  Give  Grante  Rattifie  & 
Confirme  un  to  the  french  Oongereygashone  or  Church  upon 
Statones  Island  within  the  Countey  of  Richmond  wone  Arcer  of 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  93 

up  land  Itt  being  parte  and  parcel!  of  the  afore  Recited  Trackfc 
or  parcell  of  Land   Containing    sixtey  arcers  sowld  by  the 
said  Townes  Ibbosone  iin   to   the  said  John  belvealle  which 
arcer    of    Land    being    Laid   out    on    the   south    &  by  East 
side  of  the  brige  halfe  an   acer   of    the  fore  Recited  Arcer 
Lying  on  the  south  side  the  highway  and  the  other  halfe  of  the 
fore  Recited  arcer  of  Land  now  Griven  by  the  said  John  belvealle 
and  hester  his  wife  Lying  and  being  on  the  north  side  the  high- 
way opesett  against  the  other  halfe  arcer  To  have  and  to  hold 
the  fore  Recited  trackt  and  parcell  of  upland  containing  won 
arcer  to  the  french  Congreygashone  now  Residing  with  in  the 
Countey  of  Richmond  To  Ereckt  and  build  A  Church  upon  the 
same  for  the  ministrey  of  the  Grospell  and  the  maintainence  of 
Gods  holey  word  and  ordinantsies  and  for  noe  other  yowse  nor 
purpose  unto  The  frensh  Congreygashone  their  heirs  Exiekitors 
Admin''^=  for  Eaver  and  the  said  John  belvealle  and  hester  his 
wife  doth  covinante  promise  and  Grrante  to  &  with  the  overseers 
of  the  frensh  Congreygashone  that  they  the  said  John  belvealle 
and  hester  his  wife  their  heirs  Exekitors  Admin^^s  and  asignes 
shall  and  will  for  Eaver  warend  and  defend  the  fore  said  frensh 
Congreygashone  Their  heirs  and  sucksesors  for  Eaver  in  the 
quiett  and  peacebell  poseshone  of  the  afore  Recited  wone  arcer 
of  Land  aforesaid  against  the  said  John  belvealle  and  hester  his 
wife  or  from  any  other  persone  or  persones  what  soe  eaver  Law- 
fulley  Clayming  aney  Estate  Right  titell  or  interest  of  in  or  to 
the  same.     In  testimoney  of  the  same  wee  the  said  John  Bel- 
vealle and  hester  his  wife  have  heare  unto  sett  their  hands  and 
fixed  their  seales  this  twelfth  day  of  Aprell  and  in  the  tenth 
yeare  of  the  Reighen  of  our  Souvring  Lord  williame  The  third 
by  the  Grace  of  God  of  England  Scotland  f ranee  and  Irian d 
King  defender  of  the  faith  Annoque  dom:  1698. 
signed  saled  and  delivered  The  marke  of 

In  the  presents  of  John  1  B    belvealle    O 

Jacob  Coebett  The  marke  of 

D,  Lucas  hester   q  h  belvealle  O." 

Jeyn  la  Tourkitte 
Joseph  bastidoe 
Samuel  Grasset" 

As  a  meeting  house  was  spoken  of  in  1695  as  already  ex- 
isting, it  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  acre  abov«  granted  was 
the  site  of  the  first  house  of  worship  on  the  island.     The  site 


94  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNT  T. 

of  the  acre  referred,  to  is  upon  the  estate  of  Henry  J.  Seaman, 
Esq.,  about  one  mile  from  the  village  of  Richmond,  and  near 
the  road  to  Rossville  which  runs  along  the  north  side  of  the 
field  in  which  the  interesting  spot  is  situated.  It  was  described 
a  few  years  since  as  being  in  the  third  field  of  the  Seaman  resi 
dence.  The  direction  of  the  road  was  changed  in  1831  so  that 
it  no  longer  serves  to  mark  the  position  of  the  acre  of  upland 
referred  to  in  Belville's  deed.  The  bridge  there  mentioned  was 
removed  by  Mr.  Seaman  in  1849,  but  another  was  placed  by 
him  on  the  same  site,  which  was  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the 
same  field,and  from  which  the  old  road,  after  crossing  the  bridge, 
ran  southeast  diagonally  partly  across  the  field,  and  then  re- 
turned joining  the  present  road  again  near  the  northeast  corner 
of  the  field.  The  church  stood  on  the  half-acre  which  lay  on 
the  south  side  of  the  highway.  Some  vestiges  of  its  founda- 
tion remained  till  the  beginning  of  the  present  century.  It  oc- 
cupied the  northern  slope  of  the  rising  ground  to  the  south  of 
the  old  road,  and  about  two  hundred  feet  in  the  same  direction 
from  the  present  road.  The  dimensions  of  the  church  were 
about  32  by  45  feet,  and  the  building  stood  due  north  and  south. 
A  small  stone  dwelling  house,  probably  built  for  a  parsonage, 
stood  to  the  east  of  it.  South  of  the  church  was  the  repository 
of  the  dead.  These  graves  were  once  marked  by  rough  stones, 
bearing  no  inscriptions,  but  of  which  as  many  as  two  hundred 
could  at  one  time  be  counted.  The  only  inscriptions  that  have 
been  read  upon  stones  found  in  this  ground  are  those  of 
Teunis  Yan  Pelt,  died  1765,  aged  65  years;  Mary,  his  wife,  died 
1762,  aged  59  years;  another  from  which  the  part  bearing  the 
name  was  broken  off,  but  the  date  of  which  was  1784;  and  an- 
other bearing  the  initials  J.  L.  and  date  1784. 

This  interesting  spot  commands  a  prospect  of  a  soft  and  peace- 
ful character.  From  its  gently  swelling  knoll  the  spires  of 
Richmond  are  seen  iipon  the  right,  and  glimpses  of  the  white 
edifices  of  the  quiet  village  may  be  caught  through  the  trees. 
Directly -in  front  tbe  meadow  of  Fresh  kill  spreads  its  level 
surface,  backed  by  the  woods  and  rising  grounds  of  Carl's  neck, 
while  its  meanderings  may  be  traced,  glistening  in  the  sunbeams 
or  indicated  by  the  mast  of  some  tiny  craft,  till  the  mountains 
of  New  Jersey  bounded  the  scene.  Such  is  the  spot  where 
those  noble  exiles,  the  Huguenots  of  Staten  Island,  erected  the 
first  edifice  for  the  free  and  untrammeled  exercise  of  their  wor- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  95 

ship.  Should  pilgrims  be  attracted  to  the  sacred  place  by  this 
notice  of  it — Staten  Islanders  perchance,  who  ca»  frace  their 
families  to  this  illustrious  source — let  them,  as  their  footsteps 
press  the  hallowed  soil,  recall  a  Huguenot  Sabbath  of  a  century 
and  three-quarters  ago.  Let  imagination  picture  that  humble 
house  of  God,  rustic  in  its  appearance  but  sublime  in  all  its  as- 
sociations. Mark  those  groups  of  devout  and  honest  men,  of 
high  souled  women,  the  dark-eyed  sons  and  daughters  of 
France!  List  to  the  foreign  accents  of  the  preacher's  voice, 
and  as  it  dies  away  and  their  solemn  anthem  swells  upon  the 
air,  then  give  them  their  meed  of  praise!  We  grudge  not  the 
Puritans  their  share  of  honor.  Break  relics,  if  you  will  from 
the  rock  of  Plymouth,  but  let  not  the  Huguenots  of  France, 
the  Huguenots  of  Staten  Island,  be  forgotten!  By  their  own 
children,  if  by  no  others,  should  the  great  and  good  be  remem- 
bered and  revered. 

But  we  must  leave  these  musings  and  return  to  the  thread  of 
our  narrative.  In  March,  168S,  Richmond  was  divided  into 
four  towns — Castletown,  Northfield,  Southfield  and  Westfield. 
The  town  of  Middletown  was  not  organized  until  1860.  Before; 
the  legal  division  of  the  county  into  towns,  it  was  divided  into 
three  precincts,  the  N"orth,  South  and  West:  Castleton  was  not 
included  in  any  of  the  precincts,  but  was  designated  "  The 
Manor."  The  limits  of  the  precincts  were  about  the  same  as 
those  of  the  towns  as  established  by  law  on  the  7th  of  March, 
1688.  Castleton  derived  its  name  from  the  Palmer  or  Dongan 
patent,  in  which  the  manor  conveyed  was  called  Cassiltown, 
corrupted  into  the  present  name,  and  the  corruption  legalized 
by  repeated  acts  of  the  legislature;  the  other  towns  were  named 
from  their  position  in  the  county. 

Great  political  changes  were  now  taking  place  in  the  province 
of  New  York.  The  attempt  of  James  II  to  restore  the  Catholic 
church  had  made  him  odious  to  the  British  nation.  In  New 
York  the  citizens  were  mostly  Protestants  and  bitterly  opposed 
the  Roman  Catholic  faith.  Dongan  had  exhibited  the  greatest 
religious  toleration,  which  judicious  policy  displeased  his 
royal  prince,  and  the  wise  and  politic  governor  was  recalled. 
Sir  Edmund  Andros  having  been  appointed  governor  of  all  the 
provinces  of  New  England  received  the  seal  of  the  province  of 
New  York  from  the  retiring  governor  in  July,  1688.     Andros 


96.  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

appointed  a  deputy  governor  over  New  York  in  the  person  of 
Francis  Nicholson. 

James  II  did  not  long  wear  the  ci-own.  He  was  deposed  dur- 
ing the  same  year,  and  deserting  his  own  children,  became  a 
refugee  in  France.  William,  in  compliance  with  the  popular 
wish,  was  proclaimed  king,  and  the  great  Protestant  revolution 
was  effected.  A  rumor  spread  in  the  province  of  New  York 
that  the  friends  of  the  deposed  monarch  intended  to  massacre 
the  disaffected.  A  fierce  popular  excitement  followed.  The 
New  Yorkers,  while  recognizing  generally  the  sovereignty  of 
William  and  Mary,  prince  and  princess  of  Orange,  a  small  party 
remained  who  insisted  that  the  colonial  government  was  not 
overthrown  by  the  revolution.  They  contended  that  it  still 
remained  vested  in  the  lieutenant-governor  and  his  council. 
Nicholson  was  the  deputy  governor,  and  known  to  be  an  ad- 
herent of  the  Catholic  church,  with  many  of  his  friends;  and 
this  fact  increased  the  distrust  of  the  people.  A  mob  paraded 
the  streets  of  New  York.  Five  militia  companies,  the  entire 
force,  surrounded  the  house  of  Jacob  Leisler,  a  merchant  of  the 
city  and  captain  of  the  militia,  and  demanded  that  he  should 
seize  the  fort  at  the  Battery,  which  was  done.  Nicholson,  de- 
prived of  his  authority,  sailed  for  England.  The  distrust  of 
the  people,  however,  was  not  allayed.  A  rumor  spread  that 
an  attack  was  plotted  on  the  church  in  the  fort,  and  that  pos- 
session of  the  government  was  to  be  taken  and  the  standard  of 
King  James  set  up.  These  rumors,  however  extravagant,  ex- 
cited a  general  consternation.  The  people  of  Long  Island  sent 
a  large  body  of  militia  to  New  York  "  to  seize  the  fort  and  to 
keep  away  French  invasion  and  slavery." 

The  apprehensions  of  the  people  on  Staten  Island  culminated 
in  a  panic.  Fear  reigned  supreme  for  a  while;  they  dared  not 
remain  at  night  in  their  own  dwellings,  but  in  the  deepest  re- 
cesses of  the  forest  they  constructed  temporary  shelters,  to  which 
they  resorted  after  dark,  that  they  might  not  be  observed  and 
their  retreats  discovered;  they  preferred  to  encounter  the  perils 
of  the  darkness  and  the  forests  rather  than  trust  themselves  to 
the  tender  mercies  of  their  fellow  men.  Some  took  their  families 
upon  the  water  in  boats,  which  they  anchored  a  short  distance 
from  the  shore,  and  thus  passed  the  nights;  and  various  other 
expedients  were  resorted  to  for  concealment  and  security.  Re^ 
ports  of  various  kinds  were  spread,  which  added  fuel  to   the 


HISTORY  OP  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  97 

flame  and  kept  it  burning  for  some  length  of  time;  among  these 
were,  that  a  number  of  papists  who  had  been  driven  out  of 
Boston  had  been  received  into  the  fort  at  New  York  and  had 
enlisted  as  soldiers;  that  the  papists  on  the  island  had  secretly 
collected  arms,  which  they  kept  concealed  and  ready  for  use  at 
a  moment's  notice;  that  Governor  Dongan's  brigantine  had  been 
armed  and  otherwise  equipped  for  some  desperate  enterprise, 
and  the  refusal  of  the  commander  of  the  vessel  to  permit  it  to 
be  searched  was  not  calculated  to  allay  the  alarm.  He  admitted 
that  the  vessel  had  been  armed,  but  not  for  the  purpose  alleged, 
but,  as  she  was  bound  on  a  voyage  to  Madeira,  she  was  in 
danger  of  being  attacked  by  the  Turks,  and  she  had  been 
armed  for  the  defense  of  her  crew  and  cargo.  However  plausible 
this  reason  might  have  been  it  was  not  generally  credited.  The 
excitement  at  length  subsided,  and  not  a  Protestant  throat  had 
been  cut. 

Tradition  says  that  several  pieces  of  cannon  were  afterward 
found  in  the  cellar  of  the  governor's  mill,  which  it  was  sup- 
posed had  been  concealed  there,  to  be  in  readiness  when  they 
might  be  required.  This  mill  stood  on  the  south  side  of  the 
recently  constructed  public  road  in  West  Brighton,  called  Post 
avenue,  which  is  in  fact  part  of  an  old  road  reopened,  for,  prior 
to  the  construction  of  the  causeway  which  now  connects  West 
New  Brighton  and  Port  Richmond,  the  only  communication 
between  Castleton  and  Northfield,  near  the  shore,  was  round 
the  head  of  the  cove  or  pond  now  known  as  the  mill  pond. 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  French  Protestants  here 
were  most  sensitive  about  their  religious  rights  and  safety.  At 
this  very  time  their  brethren  in  France  were  suffering.  The 
Indian  wars  had  been  renewed  in  Canada,  and  the  French  wanted 
to  cut  a  path  to  the  Atlantic  ocean.  This  had  been  resolved 
upon — including  the  reduction  of  Albany  and  New  York  on  the 
way.  This,  in  the  language  of  the  French  general  would  be  "  the 
only  means  of  firmly  establishing  the  religion  throughout  all 
North  America."  Louis  issued  his  regal  authority  for  the  under- 
taking. All  faithful  Catholics  were  to  remain  unmolested, 
whilst  the  French  refugees— particularly  those  of  the  pretended 
reformed  religion — must  be  sent  back  to  France.  These  cruel 
instructions  were  given,  too,  about  four  years  after  the  memora- 
ble revocation  of  the  "Edict  of  Nantes."     What  wonder  then 

7 


98  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

that  the  Huguenots  should  be  alarmed  when  such  a  direful  fate 
seemed  to  menace  them. 

Jacob  Leisler,  a  prominent  character  of  that  day,  exercising 
both  civil  and  military  authority,  was  intrusted  by  the  magis- 
trates with  the  administration  of  affairs,  after  the  departure 
of  Nicholson,  and  one  of  his  first  acts  was  to  cause  William 
and  Mary  to  be  proclaimed  in  the  counties  of  Richmond, 
Westchester,  Queens,  Kings  and  Ulster,  and  the  city  and 
county  of  Albany,  and  East  Jersey ;  the  order  to  Richmond 
was  dated  December  17th,  1689.  On  the  bOth  of  the  same 
month,  he  issued  an  order  requiring  all  persons  who  held 
commissions,  warrants,  "or  other  instruments  of  power  or  com- 
mand, either  civil  or  military,"  derived  from  either  Dongan  or 
Andros,  forthwith  to  surrender  the  same  to  a  justice  of  the 
peace  of  the  county  wherein  they  resided,  except  the  counties 
of  New  York  and  Richmond,  who  were  to  surrender  at  the  fort 
in  New  York. 

After  the  burning  of  Schenectady,  and  the  massacre  of  its 
inhabitants  by  the  French  and  Indians,  in  February,  1690,  he 
issued  another  order  to  the  military  and  civil  officers  of  several 
counties,  Richmond  county  being  one  of  the  number,  that 
"  fearing  too  great  a  correspondency  hath  been  maintained 
between  y"  s^  flrensch  &  disaffected  Pi^sons  among  us,"  to  secure 
all  persons  reputed  papists,  or  who  are  inimical  to  the  govern- 
ment, or  who  continue  to  hold  any  commissions  from  Dongan 
or  Andros,  and  bring  them  before  him. 

In  1689,  Leisler  commissioned  the  following  civil  and  military 
officers  in  Richmond  county  : 

Ely  Crossen,  high  sheriff.      Jaques  Puillion,  Captain. 

Jacob  Corbett,  clerk.  Cornelis  Corsen,        do 

Obadiah  Holmes,  justice.      Thomas  Morgan,  Lieutenant. 

Jaques  Poullion,       do  John  Theunis  Van  Pelt,  do 

Thomas  Morgan,       do  Seger  Geritsen,  Ensign. 

Jacob  Gerritse,  do  Cornelis  Nevius,    do 

Cornelis  Corsen,  do 
The  following  persons  from  Staten  Island  were  members  of  a 
company  commanded  by  Captain  Jacob  Milborne,  which  was 
sent  to  Albany  to  establish  Leisler' s  authority,  the  government 
of  that  city  having  refused  to  recognize  it,  viz.:  "Jean  Marlett, 
Francis  Mauriss,  Hendrick  Hendricksen,  Jean  faefre,  John  Rob, 
John  doulier  and  Peter  Henkesson." 


HISTORY  OF  RIOHMOISTD  COUNTY.  99 

There  is  no  evidence  that  the  people  of  Staten  Island  took 
any  decided  stand  with  regard  to  Leisler's  administration. 
Generally,  they  submitted  quietly  to  the  authorities  placed  over 
them.  Further  than  commissioning  some  officers  and  issuing 
some  general  orders,  he  does  not  appear  in  connection  with  the 
history  of  the  island.  It  must  be  admitted  that  Leisler  had 
many  friends  on  the  island,  though  they  were  not  very 
demonstrative.  His  appointments  to  office  were  usually  from 
among  its  best  citizens,  which  operated  in  his  favor;  no  decided 
steps  were  taken  in  his  behalf  during  his  imprisonment  and  trial, 
but  after  his  condemnation  petitions  for  his  pardon  were  exten- 
sively signed,  which  had  no  other  effect  than  to  bring  upon  the 
signers  the  displeasure  of  the  government,  who  regarded 
the  act  as  disloyal.  Farther  than  the  imposition  of  fines, 
which  appear  to  have  been  remitted,  and  the  brief  imprison- 
ment of  a  few  individuals,  no  punishment  was  inflicted  on 
the  culprits. 

On  the  19th  of  March,  1691,  Henry  Slaughter,  having  been 
appointed  governor  of  the  colony,  arrived  and  demanded  pos- 
session of  the  fort  and  the  reins  of  government.  Leisler  at  first 
refused  to  give  up  the  post,  but  was  compelled  to  do  so,  and  was 
afterward  tried,  condemned  and  hastily  executed  for  high 
treason.     His  execution  took  place  May  16,  1691. 

On  the  28th  of  April  preceding,  a  letter  was  presented  to 
the  council  in  New  York  from  the  sheriff  of  Richmond  county, 
"  Giving  an  Account  of  severall  Riotts  and  Tumults  on  Staten 
Island,  and  that  they  are  subscribing  of  papers;"  the  sheriff 
was  ordered  to  secure  the  ring-leaders  that  they  might  be  prose- 
cuted. Thomas  Stillwell,  the  sheriff,  was  not  dilatory  in  obey- 
ing the  order,  and  arrested  several  of  the  citizens  of  the  county, 
among  whom  were  John  Theunison,  John  Peterson  and  Gerard 
Vechten,  each  of  whom  he  compelled  to  pay  three  pounds  ; 
others  were  obliged  to  execute  bonds  for  the  payment  of  that 
amount,  and  one  refused  to  do  either,  and  him  he  imprisoned. 
When  information  of  the  sheriff's  proceedings  reached  JSTew 
York,  orders  were  sent  down  to  have  the  bonds  cancelled, 
whereupon  the  three  individuals  who  had  paid  their  money,  de- 
manded that  it  should  be  refunded  ;  the  sheriff,  probably  con- 
scious that  he  had  exceeded  his  powers,  promised  that  it  should 
be  done,  but  delayed  go  long,  that  the  aggrieved  parties  ap- 
pealed to  the  council.     At  the  same  time,  the  same   three  indi- 


100  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

viduals  presented  a  complaint  against  the  assessors,  who  ex- 
empted themselves  and  some  others  from  the  payment  of  the 
tax  for  "negers,"  and  that  poor  people  who  have  no  "negers" 
must  pay  "as  much  accordingly  like  Them  that  Has  many 
negers.  Therefore  your  petitioners  humbly  crave  That  your 
Exiiy  will  be  pleased  To  signify  Them  iff  sa  negers  should  be  Ex- 
cluded ffor  paying  Tax."  What  the  result  of  these  petitions 
v^as,  we  are  not  informed  further  than  that  they  met  with  a 
favorable  reception. 

The  papers  which  were  ' '  subscribed ' '  were  petitions  in  favor 
of  the  two  condemned  men  ;  the  people  of  Westchester  also 
sent  a  petition  for  the  same  purpose,  but  the  council  did  not 
recognize  the  right  of  petition  in  such  cases ;  therefore  some 
were  cited  to  appear  before  that  body,  while  others  were  im- 
prisoned as  promoters  of  "riots  and  disturbances." 

During  Dongan's  administration,  Leisler,  having  imported  a 
cargo  of  wine,  had  refused  to  pay  the  duties  thereon  to  Matthew 
Plowman,  the  collector  of  the  port,  because  he  was  a  papist. 
He  was,  however,  compelled  to  do  so,  and  ever  thereafter  was 
a  bitter  enemy  of  Plowman.  During  his  brief  arbitrary  admin- 
istration, to  gratify  his  spite,  he  charged  Plowman  with  being  a 
defaulter  to  the  government ;  and  learning  that  he  was  the 
owner  of  a  quantity  of  beef  and  pork  stored  at  Elizabethtown, 
he  ordered  Johannes  Burger,  a  sergeant  at  the  fort,  to  proceed 
to  Staten  Island,  and  compel  such  individuals  as  he  might  re- 
quire to  go  with  him  and  assist  in  the  removal  of  the  provisions. 
Burger  obeyed  the  order,  and  the  property  was  brought  to 
Leisler  in  New  York,  who  sent  it  to  Albany  for  the  use  of 
the  soldiers  he  had  sent  to  that  place.  After  Leisler' s  exe- 
cution. Plowman  prosecuted  all  who  were  concerned  in  the 
removal  of  his  property,  to  recover  its  value.  Among  the 
number  were  tlip  following  residents  of  Staten  Islan(l,  viz., 
"  John  Jeronison,  Thomas  Morgan,  Lawrence  Johnson,  John 
Peterson,  Dereck  Crews  (Oruser),  Chauck  (Jaques)  Pollion  and 
John  Bedine,"  These  individuals,  soon  after  the  arrival,  of 
Major  Kichard  Ingoldsby,  as  president  of  the  province  ad- 
dressed an  "  humble  Peticon,"  to  him  and  the  council,  in 
which  they  admit  having  assisted  in  the  removal  of  Plowman's 
property,  but  that  they  did  so  under  compulsion,  believing  that 
they  were  doing  a  service  to  their  Majesties;  that  they  consid- 
«^red  it  unjust  to  compel  them  to  pay  for  the  provisions  when  the 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  101 

I 

whole  country  had  the  benefit  of  them;  they  therefore  pray 
that  they  may  be  relieved  from  the  whole  responsibility,  or  if 
that  may  not  be  done,  that  every  person  engaged  in  the  removal 
be  compelled  "  to  pay  their  equall  proporceons  of  the  same." 
This  petition  was  presented  by  Plowman  himself,  who  thereby 
recognized  the  justice  of  their  cause,  but  what  the  result  of  the 
application  was  does  not  appear. 

We  must  here  suspend,  for  a  little,  the  order  of  our  narra- 
tive, to  notice  a  matter  which  had  its  origin  a  few  years  before, 
and  its  final  settlement  nearly  a  century  and  a  half  after  the 
time  of  which  we  are  writing.  We  refer  to  the  claims  of  New 
Jersey  upon  Staten  Island. 

When  it  was  known  in  England  that  New  Netherland  had 
been  reduced,  and  was  now  actually  in  the  possession  of  the 
English,  Lord  William  Berkley  and  Sir  George  Carteret,  two 
of  the  royal  favorites,  induced  the  Duke  of  York,  probably  in- 
fluenced by  the  king,  to  gi,ve  them  a  patent  for  the  territory 
west  of  the  Hudson  and  the  bay,  and  as  far  south  as  Cape  May; 
this  they  named  Nova  Csesarea,  or  New  Jersey.  With  thirty 
emigrants,  English  and  French,  Capt.  Philip  Cartaret,  a  cousin 
of  Sir  George,  and  governor  of  the  new  territory,  sailed  for 
New  York,  but  by  stress  of  weather  was  driven  into  the  Chesa- 
peake. While  lying  there  he  forwarded  despatches  to  Bollen, 
who  was  commissary  at  the  fort  in  New  York,  and  also  to 
NicoUs.  This  was  the  first  intimation  the  governor  had  received 
of  the  dismemberment  of  the  extensive  territory  over  which  he 
ruled;  he  was  both  astounded  and  chagrined;  he  had  already 
conveyed  several  parcels  of  land  within  the  limits  of  the  new 
grant,  and  regarded  the  whole  as  the  best  part  of  the  duke's 
domain.  He  remonstrated,  bat  his  remonstrances  came  too  late, 
the  duke  evidently  thought  he  had  been  too  precipitate,  but  as 
he  could  not  well  retrace  his  steps,  he  suffered  matters  to  re- 
main as  they  were.  Cartaret  arrived  in  New  York  about  mid- 
summer, 1665,  and  immediately  took  possession  of  his  govern- 
ment. He  chose  Elizabethtown  as  his  capital.  It  is  said  that 
when  he  first  landed  on  the  soil  of  New  Jersey,  he  carried  a  hoe 
upon  his  shoulder,  in  token  of  his  intention  to  devote  his  at- 
tention to  the  promotion  of  agriculture. 

After  the  Duke  of  York  had  conveyed  the  territory  of  New 
Jersey  to  Berkley  and  Cartaret,  a  doubt  arose  whether  Staten 
Island  was  not  included  in  the  grant,  by  the  terms  of   the  char- 


102  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

ter.  Cartaret,  the  governor,  not  the  proprietor,  laid  no  claim 
to  the  island;  on  the  contrary,  he  tacitly  admitted  that  it  did 
not  belong  to  his  jurisdiction,  by  accepting  a  conveyance  for  a 
tract  of  land  on  the  island  from  Nicolls,  the  Duke  of  York's 
agent;  this  he  would  scarcely  have  done,  had  he  considered  his 
brother  the  proprietor.  In  1668  the  island  "vras  adjudged  to 
belong  to  Nevp  York,"  because  one  of  the  outlets  of  the  Hudson 
river  ran  around  the  island;  v^hile  Berkley  and  Cartaret,  by  the 
terms  of  their  patent,  were  bounded  by  the  river  and  bay.  The 
Dutch  always  appear  to  have  regarded  the  inner  bay  or  harbor 
as  a  mere  expansion  of  the  river,  and  the  Narrows  as  its  mouth. 
In  their  documents,  Staten  Island  is  frequently  described  as 
lying  in  the  river.  If  this  view  was  correct,  the  island  evi- 
dently belonged  to  New  Jersey,  because  it  was  embraced  vrith- 
in  its  limits.  The  Duke  of  York  himself  appears  to  have  had 
his  doubts  about  the  matter,  for  it  is  said,  that  vphen  the  ques- 
tion of  jurisdiction  was  first  agitated,  •he  decided  that  all  islands 
lying  in  the  river  or  harbor,  which  could  be  circumnavigated  in 
twenty-four  hours,  should  remain  in  his  jurisdiction,  otherwise 
to  New  Jersey. 

Christopher  Billop,  being  then  in  the  harbor  in  command 
of  a  small  ship  called  the  "Bentley,"  which  it  is  also  said  he 
owned,  undertook  the  task  of  sailing  around  the  island,  and 
accomplished  it  within  twenty-four  hours,  thus  securing  it  to 
the  duke,  who,  in  gratitude  for  the  service  rendered  him,  be- 
stowed upon  Billop  a  tract  of  1163  acres  of  land  in  the  ex- 
treme southern  part  of  the  island,  which  was  called  the 
"  Manor  of  Bentley,"  after  the  ship  which  had  accomplished 
the  task. 

In  1684  the  question  of  the  proprietorship  of  Staten  Island 
was  again  agitated,  and  many  of  the  landowners  became  appre- 
hensive of  the  validity  of  their  title,  and  some  of  them,  among 
whom  was  Billop,  were  desirous  of  selling,  but  as  no  pur- 
chasers could  be  found  for  a  dubious  title,  the  property  re- 
mained in  the  family.  Dongan  was  directed,  if  the  Billop 
estate  was  sold,  to  find  some  purchaser  for  it  in  New  York,  and 
not  to  suffer  it  to  pass  into  the  possession  of  a  resident  of  New 
Jersey. 

There  is  still  preserved  in  the  secretary  of  state's  office  at 
Albany  the  copy  of  a  letter  written  by  Grovernor  Dongan,  whose 
country  residence  was  on  Staten  Island,  to  Sir  John  Werden, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  JOS 

Earl  of  Perth,  and  dated  February  18, 1684^5.  From  this  letter 
the  following  extracts  will  be  of  interest: 

"  The  Island  had  been  in  the  possession  of  his  R'll  Highss 
above  20  years  (except  ye  little  time  ye  Dutch  had  it)  purchased 
by  Gov.  Lovelace  from  ye  Indyans  in  ye  time  of  Sir  George 
Carteret  without  any  pretences '  till  ye  agents  made  claime  to  it ; 
it  is  peopled  with  above  two  hundred  flfamilyes.    ***** 

"  The  Quakers  are  making  continued  pretences  to  Staten  Is- 
land, which  disturbs  the  people,  and  one  reason  given  for  hold- 
ing it  is  that  if  his  Royal  Highness  cannot  retrieve  East  Jersey 
it  will  do  well  to  secure  Hudson's  River  and  take  away  all  claim 
to  Staten  Island." 

The  proprietors  of  'New  Jersey  had  complained  to  Dongan 
against  his  encroachments.  Dongan  himself  does  not  seem  to 
have  been  perfectly  satisfied  with  his  title,  for  when  he  obtained 
his  own  patent  from  the  Duke  of  York  for  a  large  tract  upon 
the  island  he  strengthened  it  by  securing  another  patent  from 
the  East  India  proprietors,  who  had  been  the  previous  owners. 
This  took  place  about  the  time  when  the  province  of  New  York 
was  divided  into  counties. 

New  York  claimed  jurisdiction,  and  exercised  it  over  the  waters 
as  far  as  low  water  mark  on  the  Jersey  shores,  when  the  latter 
province  opposed  this  exercise  of  public  authority.  New  Jersey 
argued  that  the  original  grant  gave  that  province  jurisdiction  to 
the  middle  of  the  Narrows,  and  therefore  she  owned  Staten  Is- 
land. New  York,  on  the  contrary,  pleaded  long  possession,  and 
the  controversy  produced  gi-eat  excitement  between  the  two  par- 
ties. The  agitation  of  the  question  continued  at  intervals  all 
through  the  colonial  period,  sometimes  being  revived  with  great 
bitterness,  and  extended  for  half  a  century  into  the  state  period. 

In  1807  commissioners  were  appointed  from  both  states  to 
settle  the  dispute,  New  Jersey  insisting  that  Staten  Island  was 
within  her  border.  Nothing,  however,  was  accomplished  by 
this  interview,  and  it  terminated  in  angry  discussion  and  bad 
feelings.  For  several  years  a  border  excitement  was  kept  up, 
until  the  deputy  sheriff  of  Richmond  county,  while  serving  a 
process  on  board  of  a  vessel  near  the  Jersey  shore,  was  arrested 
and  imprisoned  for  violating  her  territory,  the  state  authorities, 
however,  avowing  that  this  was  done  only  to  test  the  question 
of  jurisdiction. 

In  1827  new  commissioners  were  selected  to  settle  the  dispute, 


104  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

but  they  separated  as  before,  without  accomplishing  atiything. 
At  length,  in  1833,  the  dispute  between  the  two  states  was 
amicably  arranged  by  concession.  New  York  obtained  the  ac- 
knowledged right  to  Staten  Island,  with  the  exclusive  jurisdic- 
tion over  a  portion  of  the  adjacent  waters,  by  conceding  to  New 
Jersey  a  like  privilege  to  other  portions.  New  York  thus  se- 
cured this  legal  claim  to  most  of  the  Lower  bay,  quite  down  to 
Sandy  Hook ;  and  in  return  New  Jersey  obtained  the  same 
rights  over  the  waters' on  the  west  side  of  the  island,  as  far  as 
Woodbridge  creek,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Rossville.  Thus 
was  settled  in  an  amicable  manner  a  subject  which  once  threat- 
ened a  serious  disturbance  of  the  harmony  between  the  two 
sister  states. 

Under  the  Dutch  and  early  English  governors  a  number  of 
land  grants  were  issued.  But  very  few  of  those  issued 
under  the  former  dynasty  held  under  the  latter.  The  import 
ant  ones  of  that  class  have  already  been  noticed.  Occupants 
of  lands  under  Dutch  patents  were  doubtless  required  to  take 
out  new  patents  or  confirmatory  grants  under  the  English  rule. 
All  these  patents  were  granted  to  individuals,  and  the  most  of 
them  were  for  comparatively  small  parcels  of  land.  These  we 
cannot  notice  in  detail.  There  are  two,  however,  which,  partly 
because  of  their  magnitude  and  partly  because  of  the  historic 
persons  and  associations  connected  with  them  stand  sufficiently 
prominent  to  warrant  a  somewhat  extended  notice.  These  are 
the  Dongan  patent  and  the  Billop  patent. ,  The  time  of  their  issue 
was  about  the  period  of  which  we  are  writing,  but  in  giving  an 
account  of  them  we  shall  be  compelled  to  anticipate  other 
periods  and  disregard  the  orderly  progression  of  our  general 
history. 

To  the  first  of  these  two  patents  then  let  us  turn  our  atten- 
tion. Though  not  the  first  to  receive  a  royal  patent  yet  the  first 
to  be  occupied  by  the  proprietor  for  whom  it  was  named  was 
the  Billop  patent.  Definite  statements  are  wanting  to  fix  the 
time  when  Christopher  Billop  first  received  actual  possession  of 
the  tract  which  for  a  long  time  bore  his  family  name.  At  the  time 
when  the  Duke  of  York  seemed  to  be  wavering  in  opinion  as  to 
whether  Staten  Island  belonged  to  the  jurisdiction  of  New  York 
or  New  Jersey,  and  finally  decided  the  matter  for  himself  by 
declaring  that  all  islands  lying  in  the  river  or  harbor  which 
could  be  circumnavigated  in  twenty-four  hours  should  remain 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  105 

in  the  former,  and  others  should  be  counted  in  the  latter  juris- 
diction. Christopher  Billop,  as  has  before  been  stated,  accom- 
plished the  task  of  sailing  around  the  island  within  twenty-four 
hours,  thus  securing  it  to  the  duke,  who  bestowed  upon  Billop 
a  tract  of  1163  acres  of  land  in  the  extreme  southern  part  of 
the  island.  Here  Billop  built  his  manor  house,  which  has  with- 
stood the  storms  of  more  than  two  centuries,  and  is  said  to  be  in 
good  condition  at  the  present  day.  Another  account  says  that 
Billop  received  the  plantation  as  a  douceur  from  the  Duke  of 
York  for  his  gallantry  in  some  naval  office. 

In  1674  the  Duke  of  York,  by  permission  of  the  king,  organ- 
ized a  company  of  infantry  of  one  hundred  men;  of  this  com- 
pany Christopher  Billop  was  commissioned  second  lieutenant. 
He  had  served  his  king  before  his  arrival  in  America,  but  in 
what  capacity  is  not  known;  his  father,  however,  was  not  well 
spoken  of.  In  1677  Billop,  while  residing  on  his  plantation 
on  Staten  Island,  was  appointed  by  Governor  Andros,  who  had 
succeeded  Lovelace,  commander  and  sub-collector  of  New  York, 
on  Delaware  bay  and  river.  While  occupied  with  the  duties  of 
these  offices,  he  "misconducted"  himself  by  making  "extrava- 
gant speeches  in  public;"  but  of  the  subject  of  these  speeches 
we  are  not  informed;  they  were  probably  of  a  political  character, 
and  must  have  been  peculiarly  offensive,  for  Andros  recalled 
him  the  next  year,  and  deprived  him  of  his  military  commission. 
This  action  of  the  governor  was  approved  by  the  duke,  who 
directed  that  another  should  be  appointed  to  fill  the  vacant 
lieutenancy. 

Billop  now  retired  to  his  plantation  on  Staten  Island,  there  to 
brood  over  the  ingratitude  of  princes,  or  perhaps  over  his  own 
follies  and  indiscretions.  We  hear  nothing  more  of  him  for 
two  years,  when  he  again  appears  as  one  of  a  number  who  pre- 
ferred complaints  or  charges  against  Andros,  to  the  duke,  some 
of  which  must  have  been  of  a  serious  nature,  as  the  duke 
thought  it  necessary  to  send  an  agent  over  to  investigate  the 
matter,  and  on  receiving  his  report,  Andros  was  summoned  to 
to  appear  in  person  in  England  to  render  his  accounts.  This 
was  probably  in  1680  or  1681,  when  Brockholst  succeeded  An- 
dros; in  1682  Dongan  succeeded  Brockholst.  Here  we  lose  all 
farther  historical  trace  of  Christopher  Billop;  tradition  says 
that  in  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth,  or  the  beginning  of 
the  eighteenth  century,  he  sailed  for  England  in  his  ship,  the 


106  HISTORY  OF  EIOHMOND  COUNTY. 

"Bentley,"  and  was  never  heard  of  after:  he  left  no  male  issue, 
but  he  had  at  least  one  daughter.  While  he  remained  on 
the  island,  however,  he  obtained  a  patent  for  his  jjlantation 
from  Governor  Dongan,  which  bore  date  on  or  about  June  6, 
1687. 

There  was  also  a  Joseph  Billop  residing  on  the  island  about 
this  time.  He  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  1702-3  and  a  judge 
of  the  county  in  1711.  In  1704,  April  25th,  he  received  a  con- 
veyance of  a  parcel  of  land  from  the  "  Right  Honble.  Thomas, 
Earle  of  Lymrick,"  the  land  in  question  being  described  by 
boundaries  "  beginning  at  a  Blacke  Oake  by  the  burying  place 
Agst.  Abrah:  Lackman's  House."  There  was  also  a  Middleton 
Billop  living  in  the  city  of  New  York,  who  died  in  October, 
1724.  Whether  these  men  were  near  relatives  of  Christopher 
or  not  we  have  not  discovered. 

The  principal  part  of  the  original  tract  passed  through  the 
hands  of  successive  generations  of  his  descendants  till  the  close 
of  the  revolution.  In  1704  he  sold  a  small  parcel  to  John,  Peter 
and  James  Le  Counte,  sons  of  Peter  Le  Counte  "late  of  said 
island." 

Captain  Christopher  Billop  married  a  Miss  Farmer,  by  whom 
he  had  one  daughter,  Eugenia,  born  in  or  about  the  year  1712. 
Mrs.  Billop  was  probably  a  sister  of  Thomas  Farmer,  who  was 
prominent  on  Staten  Island,  where  he  was  a  judge  of  the  court 
of  sessions  in  1711.  He  removed  hence,  however,  during  or 
soon  after  that  year,  and  afterward  became  a  judge  of  the  su- 
preme court  of  New  Jersey  and  representative  of  Middlesex 
county  in  the  assembly  of  that  state.  The  oldest  son  of  this 
Thomas  Farmer,  his  name  likewise  being  Thomas,  married  his 
cousin,  the  daughter  of  Christopher  Billop,  and  succeeded  to 
the  inheritance  of  the  manor  of  Bentley.  In  order  to  satisfy 
the  ambition  of  the  family  to  perpetuate  its  name  young 
Farmer  adopted  the  name  of  Billop. 

Thomas  Farmer  Billop  and  his  wife  occupied  the  mansion  and 
estate  during  the  latter  years  of  the  first  half  of  the  18th  cen- 
tury. From  them  it  fell  to  the  possesion  of  their  son  Christo- 
pher, while  they  were  "gathered  to  their  fathers."  The  old 
family  cemetery  in  which  their  remains  were  deposited  was 
situated  some  three  hundred  yards  to  the  east  of  the  old  manor 
house,  in  a  cultivated  field  and  beneath  the  shade  of  a  few  large 
trees  which  once  stood  there.     It  contained  but  a  few  graves. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  107 

and  only  the  graves  of  the  two  persons  last  mentioned  were 
honored  by  headstones  containing  inscriptions.  These  inscrip- 
tions were  as  follows: 

"Here  Lyes  ye  Body  of  Evjenea  ye  Wife  of  Thomas  Billopp. 
Aged  23  years  Deed  March  ye  22d  1735." 

"  Here  Lyes  ye  Body  of  Thomas  Billopp  Esqr  Son  of  Thomas 
Farmar  Esqr  Deed  August  ye  2d  1750  In  ye  39th  year  of  his 
Age." 

These  stones  are  now  lying  in  the  barn  yard  near  the  Billop 
house  and  are  more  or  less  broken  to  pieces.  For  more  than  a 
century  they  marked  the  graves  to  which  they  belonged.  The 
spot  is  now  marked  by  a  single  cedar  tree.  Several  years  since 
the  crumbling  bones  were  removed  thence,  by  order  of  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  ground,  and  the  stones  of  the  graves  thus  dese- 
crated, which  themselves,  it  would  seem,  possessed  value  as 
historic  relics  sufHcient  to  warrant  their  careful  preservation, 
were  broken  and  ruthlessly  consigned  to  the  rubbish  pile  as  we 
have  seen. 

Christopher  Billop,  the  only  son  of  the  above  of  whom  we 
have  any  knowledge,  though  he  had  a  sister  Sally  (who  married 
Alexander  Koss  of  New  Jersey,  in  1775),  was  born  about  the 
year  1735,  and  rose  to  a  position  of  great  prominence  in  the 
county.  We  are  informed  that  he  was  twice  married,  but  who 
his  first  wife  was  we  have  been  unable  to  learn.  His  second 
wife  was  Jane  Seaman,  daughter  of  Judge  Benjamin  Seaman, 
of  this  county.  Besides  being  a  gentleman  of  character  and 
property,  he  was  a  member  of  assembly,  and  on  the  eve  of  the 
revolution  commanded  a  corps  of  loyal  militia  which  was 
raised  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York  city,  and  was  during  the 
revolutionary  period  actively  engaged  in  military  duty.  At 
the  outbreak  of  the  war  he  was  a  steadfast  opponent  of  the 
measures  that  led  to  a  rupture  Avith  Great  Britain.  By  the  in- 
tensity of  his  loyalty  to  the  British  crown  he  made  himself 
conspicuously  obnoxious  to  the  whigs  of  Staten  Island  and  New 
Jersey.  He  held  the  commission  of  a  colonel  in  the  British 
army,  and  at  one  time,  in  1782,  had  the  title  of  superintendent  of 
police  of  the  island.  Communication  between  the  island  and 
New  Jersey  had  been  prohibited  by  the  British  authorities,  and 
he  was  very  active  in  enforcing  the  prohibition.  The  patriots 
of  New  Jersey  were  exceedingly  bitter  in  their  hostility  to  him, 
and  on  two  different  occasions  made  him  prisoner.     Amboy  is 


108  HISTOKy  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

in  sight,  and  upon  one  of  these  occasions  he  was  observed  by- 
some  Americans,  who  had  stationed  themselves  with  a  spy 
glass  in  the  church  steeple  of  that  town.  As  soon  as  they  saw 
him  enter  his  abode,  they  ran  to  their  boats,  rapidly  crossed  the 
river,  and  he  was  soon  their  captive.  The  British,  then  in  pos- 
session of  New  York,  had  confined  in  irons  several  Americans 
who  had  been  made  j)risoners ;  and  to  retaliate  for  this  measure 
Colonel  Billop  was  taken  to  Burlington  jail.  We  have  copied 
the  mittimus,  as  a  matter  of  curiosity,  and  as  showing  the 
method  of  doing  such  things  at  that  eventful  period. 

"To  the  keeper  of  the  common  jail  for  the  county  of  Burling- 
ton greeting  :— You  are  hereby  commanded  to  receive  into  your 
custody  the  body  of  Col.  Christopher  Billopp,  prisoner-of-war, 
herewith  delivered  to  you,  and  having  put  irons  on  his  hands 
and  feet,  you  are  to  chain  him  down  to  the  floor  in  a  close  room, 
in  said  jail,  and  there  to  retain  him,  giving  him  bread  and  water 
only  for  his  food,  until  you  receive  further  orders  from  me,  or 
the  commissary  of  prisoners  for  the  state  of  New  Jersey,  for 
the  time  being.  Given  under  my  hand,  at  Elizabeth  town,  this 
6th  day  of  Nov.  1779. 

Elisha  Boudinot, 
Gom.  Pris.  New  Jersey.''^ 

The  commissary  at  the  same  time  regretted  to  Billop  that 
necessity  made  such  treatment  necessary,  "  but  retaliation  is 
directed,  and  it  will  I  most  sincerely  hope,  be  in  your  power  to 
relieve  yourself  from  the  situation  by  writing  to  New  York  to 
procure  the  relaxation  of  the  sufferings  of  John  Leshier,  and 
Capt'n  Nathaniel  Eandal." 

He  was  finally  released  by  order  of  Washington.  During 
the  period  of  the  war  Billop  disposed  of  some  parts  of  his 
estate.  On  the  10th  of  May,  1780,  he  sold  to  Joseph  Totten  a 
tract  of  twenty  acres,  and  another  of  three  and  a  half  acres  in 
the  manor  of  Bentley,  for  £235  currency,  and  on  the  29th  of  the 
same  month  he  sold  to  Benjamin  Drake  a  tract  of  sixty  acres 
from  his  estate,  for  £600  currency.  On  the  first  of  May,  1781, 
he  and  his  wife  Jane,  conveyed  to  Samuel  Ward,  of  Kichtnond 
county,  for  £3,730  current  money  of  the  city  of  New  York,  the 
tract  opposite  Amboy,  known  as  the  manor  of  Bentley,  "Con- 
taining three  hundred  and  Seventy-three  Acres  of  Land  and 
salt  meadow,  be  the  same  in  Quantity  more  or  Less,  being 
Bounded  Easterly  by  Land  of  said  Albert  Rickman  Northerly 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  109 

by  the  river  or  sound  at  Low  water  mark  and  westerly  and 
southerly  by  the  Bay  at  Low  Water  mark."  In  this  convey- 
ance houses,  barns,  ferry-house  and  dock,  out-houses  and 
stables  are  specified  by  name.  From  the  tract  is  reserved  for 
the  heirs  of  Billop  sixty  feet  square  for  a  burial  place,  the  head- 
stone of  his  father  being  the  center  of  such  reservation. 

During  the  revolution  the  home  of  Colonel  Billop  was  fre- 
quented by  men  of  distinction  and  rank  in  the  British  army. 
After  the  war  Billop  with  fifty-four  other  royalists  in  1783  peti- 
tioned Sir  Guy  Carleton  for  extensive  grants  of  land  in  Nova 
Scotia.  Colonel  Billop  soon  after  went  to  New  Brunswick, 
where  for  many  years  he  bore  a  prominent  part  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  the  affairs  of  that  province.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  house  of  assembly,  and  of  the  council,  and  on  the  death  of 
Governor  Smythe  in  1823  he  claimed  the  presidency  of  the 
government,  and  issued  his  proclamation  accordingly,  but  the 
Honorable  Ward  Chipman  was  a  competitor  for  the  same  sta- 
tion, and  was  sworn  into  office. 

Colonel  Billop  died  at  St.  John,  JST.  B  ,  in  1827,  being  then 
over  90  years  of  age.  His  wife,  Jane,  who  was  about  twenty 
years  younger  than  himself,  died  in  that  city  in  1802,  aged  48. 
He  had  a  son,  born  on  Staten  Island  in  1769,  named  John 
Willett,  and  another  son  by  the  name  of  Thomas.  They  settled, 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  had  a  dry  goods  store  on  Broad- 
way in  the  vicinity  of  Trinity  church.  John  never  married, 
but  fell  a  victim  of  yellow  fever  at  the  time  the  city  was 
scourged  by  that  terrible  disease.  Thomas,  who  had  a  family, 
of  whom,  however,  nothing  is  known,  except  that  hia  wife  was 
a  Miss  Moore  of  Newtown,  L.  I.,  survived  the  fever,  failed  in 
business,  joined  the  expedition  of  the  celebrated  Miranda,  in 
which  he  received  the  appointment  as  captain,  and  was  taken 
prisoner  by  the  Spaniards  and  afterward  executed.  Besides 
these  two  sons  Colonel  Billop  had  four  daughters.  Louisa 
.  married  John  Wallace,  Esq.,  surveyor  of  the  customs.  Mary 
married  the  Eev.  Archdeacon  Willis,  of  Nova  Scotia,  and  died 
at  Halifax  in  1884,  at  the  age  of  forty- three.  Jane  became  the 
wife  of  the  Hon.  William  Black  of  St.  John,  and  died  in  1836. 
Ann,  the  youngest  daughter,  was  a  maiden  lady,  and  was  the 
last  of  the  family  of  whom  any  record  appears  of  their  visiting 
the  ancestral  homestead.  She  visited  the  spot  in  1824,  and  took 
some  flowers  of  an  old  trumpet  creeper  vine  that  was  growing 


110  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

on  the  house,  and  some  nuts  and  wild  cherries  from  trees  that 
were  growing  in  the  burial  plot,  and  on  her  return  carried  them 
to  her  father  in  New  Brunswick.  It  is  said  that  on  beholding 
them  the  heart  of  the  old  colonel  melted  with  emotion  and  he 
wept  like  a  child . 

We  have  neglected  to  say  in  a  more  appropriate  place  that 
Colonel  Billop  had  two  daughters  by  his  first  wife,  of  whom 
we  only  know  that  they  married  sons  of  Benjamin  Seaman,  one 
of  whom  was  Benjamin  and  the  other  Henry. 

The  large  estate  once  belonging  to  Colonel  Billop  was  confis- 
cated and  sold  by  Isaac  Stoutenburgh  and  Philip  Van  Cort- 
land, commissioners  of  forfeitures  for  the  southern  district  of 
New  York.  The  sale  made  July  16th,  1784,  was  recorded  in  the 
following  memorandum : 

"Sold  to  Thomas  Mc  Farren  of  the  City  of  New  York,  Mer- 
chant, for  the  sum  of  four  thousand  six  hundred  and  ninety- 
five  pounds  Lawfull  Money  of  the  said  state— All  that  certain 
Tract  or  parcel  of  Land  situate  Lying  and  being  in  the  County 
of  Richmond  and  Manor  of  Bently,  Bounded  Southerly  by  the 
Bay  or  water  called  Princes  Bay,  westerly  by  the  river  that  runs 
between  the  said  Land  and  Amboy  Northerly  partly  by  the  Land 
of  Jacob  Reckhow  and  partly  by  the  road  and  Easterly  partly  by 
the  road  and  partly  by  the  Bay,  Containing  Eight  hundred  and 
'fifty  acres  and  half  an  acre  and  which  said  Tract  is  divided  into 
the  several  following  Farms  and  Lots  of  Land — three  hundred 
and  seventy  three  acres  thereof  in  the  possession  of  Samuel 
Ward — Two  hundred  Acres  in  the  possession  of  Albert  "Ryok- 
man.  Fifty  acres  in  the  possession  of  John  Manner — Fifty  acres 
in  the  possession  of  Edmund  Wood — Fifty  acres  in  the  posses- 
sion of  Andrew  Prior— Twenty  five  Acres  in  the  possession  of 
James  Churchward,  sixtyseven  acres  and  an  half  acre  in  the 
possession  of  Benjamin  Drake— Twenty  three  acres  and  an  half 
acre  in  the  possession  of  Joseph  Totten— Eleven  acres  and  an 
half  acre  in  the  possession  of  Jacob  Reckhow — Together  with 
all  the  Buildings  and  Improvements  thereon  Erected  and  made 
Forfeited  to  and  Vested  in  the  People  of  this  state  by  the  At- 
tainder of  Christopher  Billop  Late  of  the  County  of  Richmond 
Esquire." 

The  historic  house  is  still  standing.  It  occupies  a  beautiful 
site  overlooking  the  river  or  Staten  Island  sound,  with  Amboy 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 


Ill 


in  view  on  the  opposite  shore  and  the  Jersey  landscapes  fading 
in  the  distance. 

The  old  mansion  was  built  of  stone — its  walls  three  feet  thick — 
and  bears  the  marks  of  former  affluence  and  elegance.  Like 
most  buildings  of  the  "  olden  time,"  it  has  its  ghost  and  other 
romantic  stories.  "There,"  said  the  person  who  now  occupies 
the  house,  as  we  entered  one  of 
the  upper  story  front  rooms,  "that 
spot  on  the  floor  we  have  never 
been  able  to  wash  out.  It  is  sup- 
posed to  be  blood,  and  a  murder 
is  said  to  have  been  perpetrated 
here.    This,  too,  is  the  ghost  room. 


THE  OLD  BILLOP  HOUSE,  TOTTENVILLE. 

1  but  I  have  never  been  disturbed  by 
such  visitors,  and  believe  neither  of 
these  stories."  A  person  had  visited 
an  adjoining  apartment  last  winter, 
searching  for  hidden  treasure.  He  had 
been  told  by  some  mesmerist  or  for- 
tune-teller of  New  York  that  money  was  to  be  found  concealed 
in  one  of  the  walls  of  this  room,  and  absolutely  picked  with 
hammer  and  chisel  a  large  opening,but  finally  gave  over  the 
search  as  hopeless.  This  strange  credulity  was  here  exhibited 
in  the  winter  of  1844. 

In  the  cellar  of  the  building  there  is  a  brick  vault  thirty  feet 


112  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

long  and  abont  thirteen  wide,  finely  arched,  and  may  have 
been  used  as  a  place  of  retreat,  or  the  receptacle  for  valuable 
articles  in  cases  of  emergency. 

The  interior  of  the  house  presents  nothing  remarkable  in  ap- 
pearance. The  hall  and  staircase  are  extremely  plain.  In  fact 
there  is  no  decoration  to  be  seen  anywhere.  The  rooms  have 
been  undersized  in  a  manner  approaching  meanness. 

As  Billop  was  a  well  known  "  tory,"  and  a  military  char- 
acter also,  his  house  must  have  witnessed  many  an  interview  of 
such  men  as  Lord  Howe,  General  Kniphausen,  Colonel  Simcoe 
and  other  officers  of  rank  in  the  British  service  who  had  com- 
mand at  various  periods  on  the  island.  Immediately  after  the 
severe  battle  on  Long  Island,  Lord  Howe  sent  a  communica- 
tion to  congress,  then  assembled  in  Philadelphia,  soliciting  that 
a  committee  from  that  body  might  meet  him,  to  confer  on  the 
difficulties  between  the  two  nations.  For  this  purpose,  Ben- 
jamin Franklin,  John  Adams  and  Edward  Rutledge  were  ap- 
pointed. The  interview  took  place  in  this  house,  and  these 
noble,  patriotic,  American  spirits  declined  every  proposition 
for  peace  that  would  not  acknowledge  the  independence  of 
their  beloved  country. 

This  conference  took  place  in  the  room  at  the  northwest  corner 
of  the  house  on  the  main  floor.  This  momentous  interview  was 
regarded  with  extreme  solicitude  by  the  people  of  both  the  old 
world  and  the  new.  With  the  developments  of  time  it  rises  into 
the  grandeur  of  a  great  battle  point  and  monument  of  history. 
The  interview  was  brief.  There  was  no  agreement,  no  reconcili- 
ation. Independence  was  maintained.  The  result  was  limned 
by  the  hand  of  God,  and  is  seen  in  the  progess  of  a  continent 
and  the  achievements  of  a  century  all  over  the  world. 

There  is  a  beautiful  lawn  before  the  house,  extending  quite 
down  to  the  water's  edge.  The  views  from  the  mansion  are  ex- 
tensive, and  rich  in  natural  beauties.  Directly  in  front  the 
eye  rests  on  Amboy  bay,  the  town  iiself  beyond,  and  the  Ra- 
ritan  river,  which  here  expanding  into  the  general  body  of 
waters  the  whole  soon  flows  onward  to  the  mighty  Atlantic. 
Toward  the  south,  at  a  more  remote  distance,  are  seen  the 
mountains  of  Monmouth  and  the  bold  summits  of  Nave  Sink, 
upon  whose  lofty  highlands,  the  beacon-fires  of  1776  blazed  to 
alarm  the  country  upon  the  expected  approach  of   the  enemy. 

What  a  blessing  is  peace  !     How  changed  the  scene  !     Upon 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  113 

these  very  heights  now  glisten  nightly  the  cheering  rays  of  the 
light-house,  welcoming  the  traveller  of  every  nation  to  our  land 
of  freedom  and  happiness  !  Where  once  was  heard  the  deafen- 
ing dram  and  clarion  of  war,  here  now  the  anvil  ringa,  the 
merry  wheel  dances,  and  the  carol  of  the  peaceful  plow-boy  re- 
sounds, while  he  traces  the  enriching  and  silent  furrow  ! 

We  shall  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  Dongan  patent  and 
the  persons  connected  with  it.  This  brought  into  direct  and 
intimate  association  with  the  island  one  of  the  most  prominent 
of  the  colonial  governors,  and  one  whose  acts  have  been  more 
conspicuously  brought  before  a  wide  range  of  interests,  people 
and  times  than  perhaps  any  other. 

At  the  time  of  Dongan' s  arrival,  there  dwelt  in  the  city  of 
New  York  a  gentleman  named  John  Palmer,  by  profession  a. 
lawyer,  who,  at  the  time  of  the  separation  of  Staten  Island  from 
the  Long  Island  towns,  was  appointed  "ranger"  for  Staten 
Island.  He  had  formerly  lived  on  the  island  of  Barbadoes, 
and  had  emigrated  thence  to  New  York.  In  1683  he  lived  on 
Staten  Island,  and  was  appointed  by  Dongan  one  of  the  two 
first  judges  of  the  New  York  court  of  oyer  and  terminer.  He 
was  also  a  member  of  the  council,  and  generally  an  active  and 
prominent  man  in  the  affairs  of  the  province.  To  this  man  Don- 
gan executed  a  patent,  known  in  the  island  history  as  the 
Palmer  or  Dongan  i patent.  The  small  brook  which  forms  a 
part  of  the  boundary  between  the  towns  of  Castleton  and 
Northlield,  and  which  runs  to  the  mill  pond,  is  still  known  by 
the  name  of  "  Palmer's  Run,"  because  it  also  formed  a  part  of 
the  boundary  of  the  land  conveyed  by  the  patent. 

An  attempt  seems  to  have  been  previously  made  by  Dongan 
to  gain  possession  of  this  large  property,  but  for  reasons  which 
will  appear  the  transaction  was  repeated  in  the  manner  above 
stated.  The  first  transaction  of  which  we  find  any  record  is 
dated  January  14, 1684-5,  when  Governor  Dongan  purchased  of 
John  Palmer  of  Staten  Island  and  Sarah  his  wife,  for  the  sum 
of  twelve  hundred  pounds,  "All  that  their  Capitall  Messuage 
or  dwelling  house  with  the  Appurtenances  situate  lyeing  and 
being  on  the  north  side  of  Staten  Island  Aforesaid  within  Con- 
stables hooke  neere  the  Mill  Creeke  late  in  the  Occupacion  and 
possession  of  the  said  John  Palmer,  And  All  that  Certaine  Par- 
cell  or  tract  of  Land  thereunto  belonging  being  upon  the  north 
side  of  Staten  Island  aforesaid  within  Constables  Hooke  lyeing 


114  IIISTOET  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

between  the  two  runues  att  the  mill  creeke  beginning  with  A 
narrow  point  And  Running  up  wider  into  the  Island  Containing 
the  quantity  of  three  hundred  forty  and  two  Acres  with  meadow 
Ground  to  belaid  out  proportionably."  The  conveyance  also 
includes  other  parcels,  the  title  to  which  had  been  obtained  as 
recited  in  their  specifications  in  substance  as  follows  :  Ninety- 
six  acres  to  the  east  of  Mill  creek,  with  the  mill,  which  was 
granted  to  Palmer  by  Governor  Andros  in  1677,  upon  which  had 
also  been  built  by  Palmer  two  windmills  and  a  sawmill ;  eighty 
acres  which  had  been  conveyed  to  Palmer  by  Francis  Barber 
who  had  a  grant  from  Sir  Edmund  Andros  ;  ninety  acres,  with 
eight  acres  of  meadow,  which  had  been  granted  by  Andros  in 
1680  to  Jacob  Cornells,  and  by  him  conveyed  to  Palmer;  another 
like  tract  of  ninety  acres  with  eight  acres  of  meadow, 
granted  to  James  Gyles,  by  Andros,  and  by  Gyles  conveyed  to 
Palmer;  and  a  tract  of  four  thousand  five  hundred  acres  of  land 
lying  in  a  body  in  the  middle  part  of  the  island,  with  an  island 
of  meadow  near  Fresh  kill,  "All  which  Said  Last  mentioned 
tract  or  parcell  of  Land  And  Island  of  meadow  were  Granted 
unto  the  Said  John  Palmer,"  by  Governor  Dongan  by  patent 
dated  May  2,  1684.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  the  premises  purchased 
by  Dongan  had  been  obtained  in  small  parcels,  through  differ- 
ent channels  and  under  grants  of  different  dates.  It  was  desir- 
able that  they  should  be  consolidated,  and  treated  as  a  unit, 
and  that  some  manorial  privileges  should  be  associated  with 
their  proprietorship. 

The  early  provincial  governors  having  shown  some  disposi- 
tion to  appropriate  too  much  land  to  themselves,  they  had  been 
restricted  by  an  order  in  council,  to  evade  which  the  plan  was 
devised  of  granting  a  patent  to  Palmer  for  this  land,  and  then 
having  a  transfer  made  from  Palmer  to  Dongan.  The  patent  to 
Palmer  was  approved  at  a  council  held  March  31,  1687,  at  which 
were  present  Governor  Dongan,  Anthony  Brockholst,  Frederick 
Phillips,  Stephanus  Van  Cortlandt  and  Nicholas  Bayard.  The 
instrument  bears  date  as  above,  and  begins  as  follows : — 

"  Whereas  John  Palmer  of  the  City  of  New  York  Esqr.  as 
well  by  virtue  of  Several  deeds  and  Pattents  to  him  or  them 
under  whome  he  claymes  made  by  the  former  Governors  of  this 
Province  as  by  virtue  of  a  certain  Pattent  or  Confirmation  under 
my  hand,  and  seale  of  the  province,  bearing  date  the  second 
day  of  May,  1684:  stands  Lawfully  and  Rightfully  Seized  of  & 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  115 

in  all  that  Tract  or  parcell  of  Land  Beginning  at  a  cove  on  Kill 
Van  Cull,  on  the  east  bounds  of  the  lands  of  Garret  Cruise 
[Cruser]  and  so  running  in  the  woods  by  the  said  Kill  to  a 
marked  tree,  and  thence  by  a  line  of  marked  trees  according  to 
the  natural  position  of  the  poles,  south  and  by  east  two  degrees 
and  thirty  minutes  southerly  according  to  the  compass  south, 
there  being  eight  degrees  and  forty  five  minutes  variation  ffrom 
the  north  westward,  and  from  thence  by  the  reare  of  the  land  of 
Garret  Cruise  &  Peter  Johnson,  east  &  by  north  two  degrees 
and  thirty  minutes  to  the  line  of  Peter  Johnson's  wood  lott,  & 
by  his  line  south  and  by  east  two  degrees  and  thirty  minutes 
south  sixty-one  chains,  and  thence  by  the  reare  of  the  aforesaid 
lott  &  the  lott  of  John  Vincent  northeast  &  by  east  one  degree 
northerly  to  the  southeast  coraer  of  the  land  of  John  Vincent 
thirty  three  chains  &  a  halfe,  from  thence  by  his  east  line  south 
&  by  west  two  degrees  thirty  miautes  northerly  to  a  white  oak 
tree  marked  with  three  notches,  bearing  northwest  from  the 
ffresh  pond,  from  thence  to  a  young  chestnutt  tree  the  south- 
west corner  of  the  land  of  Phillip  Wells  &  so  by  a  line  of 
marked  trees  east  nine  degrees  &  fifteen  minutes  southerly  by 
south  side  of  a  small  flEresh  meadow  to  the  north  &  to  the  north 
of  the  ffresh  pond  including  the  pond  to  the  land  of  Mr.  An- 
drew Norwood  &  so  by  his  land  as  it  runs  to  the  reare  of  the 
land  of  Mary  Brittaine  &  so  by  the  reare  of  the  Old  Town  lotts 
to  the  land  of  Isaac  Bellew  &  Thomas  Stilwell  &  from  thence 
upon  the  Iron  Hills,  to  the  land  of  William  Stilwell  &  by  his 
land  to  the  land  of  George  Cummins  &  ffrom  his  northeast  cor- 
ner, to  the  southeast  corner  of  the  land  of  Mr.  James  Hubbard 
at  the  head  of  the  ffresh  kills  &  so  round  by  his  land  to  the 
reare  lotts  at  Karles  neck  &  so  by  the  lotts  to  the  highway  left 
by  Jacob  pullion  &  the  great  swamp  to  the  land  of  John  ffitz 
Garrett  including  the  great  swamp,  thence  by  the  soldier's  lotts 
and  the  reare  lotts  of  Cornells  Corsen  &  company  to  the  south- 
west corner  of  theire  ffront  lotts  &  so  by  the  runne  which  is 
theire  bounds  to  the  mill  pond  including  the  mill  pond  to  the 
sound  or  Kill  Van  Cull  &  so  by  the  sound  to  the  cove  where 
ffirst  begun.  Containing  with  all  the  hills,  valleys,  ffresh 
meadows  &  swamps  within  the  above  specified  bounds  five  thou- 
sand one  hundred  acres  be  the  same  more  or  less. Also   a 

great  island  of  salt  meadow  lying  near  the  ffresh  kills  &  over 
against  long  neck  not  yet  appropriated — and  all  the  messuages. 


116  HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

tenements,  fencings,  orchards,  gardens,  pastures,  meadows, 
marshes,  woods,  underwoods,  trees,  timber,  quarries,  rivers, 
brooks,  ponds,  lakes,  streams,  creeks,  harbors,  beaches,  ffishing, 
hawking  and  ffowling,  mines,  minerals  (silver  and  gold  mines 
only  excepted)  mills,  mill  dams,"  etc. 

By  the  patent  it  was  also  constituted  one  lordship  or  manor 
"  to  be  called  the  Lordship  and  manor  of  Cassiltowne."  It  was 
subject  to  an  annual  quit-rent  of  one  lamb  and  eight  bushels  of 
winter  wheat,  to  be  paid  if  demanded  on  the  25th  of  March  in 
each  year. 

On  the  29th  of  September,  1677,  Governor  Andros  executed  a 
patent  to  Garret  Oroosen  (Cruser)  for  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land  on  the  north  side   of  Staten  Island,  which  is 
bounded  on  the  west  by  "a  small  runn  of  water."     It  is  diffi- 
cult, if  not  impossible,  at  this  day  to  trace  the  boundaries  of 
some  of  the  old  patents,  but  we  assume   that  the  "runn  of 
water  "  mentioned  in  the  patent  is  the  stream  issuing  out  of  the 
"boiling  spring"   on  the  Bement  estate,  as  that  spring  was 
formerly  called  the  "Cruser  spring,"  and  in  conveyances  of 
even   recent   date   the  "runn  "is  called  the  "Cruser   Spring 
brook."     The  land  conveyed  was  one  hundred  and  seventeen 
rods  in  breadth,  which  would  reach  nearly  or  quite  to  the  Pel- 
ton  estate.     This  estate  once  belonged  to  one  of  the  Cruser  fam- 
ily, but  probably  it  was  by  a  subsequent  purchase     The  Palmer 
patent  begins  at  a  cove  on  "  Kill  Yan  Cull,"  on  the  east  bounds 
of  the  lands  of  Garret  Cruser  ;  probably  the  word  east  is  a  cler- 
ical error,  and  should  have  been  west,  but  even  on  that  sup- 
position the  boundaries  described  in   the  latter  patent  would 
embrace  Lovelace's  property.     If  we  assume  "the  cove"  to  be 
that  next  west  of  and  adjoining  the  Pelton  estate,  the  bound- 
aries would  embrace  the  properties  both  of  Lovelace  and  Cruser. 
The  natural  outlet  of  the  Cruser  spring  brook  was  at  or  near 
the  place  where  the  surplus  water  from  the  works  of  the  New 
York  Dyeing  and  Printing  Establishment  now  enters  the  kills. 
The  pond  of  this  establishment  is  an  artificial  structure,  made 
nearly  a  century  ago  for  the  use  of  a  mill  which  stood  on  the 
"  Factory  Dock."     The  main  stream  which  supplies  this  pond 
is  also  an  artificial  canal ;  the  natural  outlet  of  the  water  which 
now  supplies   the  pond  was  through  Bodine's  pond  into  the 
kills.     In  Governor  Dongan's  days,  these  waters  supplied  a 
pond  in  the  rear  of  the  reservoir  of  the  gas   company  on  the 


HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  117 

south  side  of  Post  avenue,  for  the  use  of  his  mill,  which  we 
have  elsewhere  alluded  to  as  the  mill  in  which  gans  were  said 
to  have  been  concealed  at  the  time  of  the  papist  panic. 

On  the  16th  day  of  April,  1687,  John  Palmer  and  Sarah,  his 
wife,  conveyed  the  territory  described  above  to  Thomas  Dongan, 
"  for  a  competent  summe  of  lawfull  money,"  after  an  owner- 
ship of  about  a  fortnight. 

It  is  now  quite  impossible  to  trace  the  lines  described  in  the 
patent,  as  the  most  of  the  land-marks  mentioned  therein  have 
disappeared.  If  by  the  terms  "great  swamp"  is  meant  that 
extending  from  Q-raniteville  to  New  Springville,  and  which  is 
so  designated  in  a  variety  of  other  ancient  documents  ;  and  if 
by  "Afresh  kills"  is  meant  the  waters  now  known  by  that 
name,  and  which  are  also  frequently  alluded  to  by  that  name 
in  similar  documents,  it  is  evident  that  the  territory  conveyed 
embraced  not  only  the  greater  part  of  the  present  towns  of 
Castleton  and  Middletown,  but  a  large  proportion  of  North- 
field  also. 

Dunlap  says  that  Grovernor  Dongan,  having  doubts  about 
Staten  Island  belonging  to  New  York,  and  in  order  to  be 
doubly  sure,  procured  a  patent  in  1687  for  the  same  land  from 
the  proprietors  of  East  Jersey. 

In  the  following  year,  1688,  Governor  Dongan  erected  his 
manor  house,  which  remained  until  the  present  decade,  and 
though  externally  modernized  in  some  degree  the  oak  frame, 
hewn  out  of  the  adjacent  forest,  was  the  identical  one  erected 
by  him,  the  date  of  its  erection  having  been  marked  upon  one 
of  the  timbers  with  white  paint.  The  house  alluded  to  stood 
in  the  middle  of  the  square  bounded  by  the  shore  road  on  the 
north.  Cedar  street  on  the  south,  Dongan  street  on  the  east,  and 
Bodine  street  on  the  west,  at  West  New  Brighton.  There  is 
now  a  gradual  descent  of  the  surface  of  the  land  from  the  site 
to  the  shore  road  ;  but,  originally,  the  earth  was  as  high  on  the 
southerly  side  of  the  road  as  it  now  is  at  the  place  where  the 
house  stood,  forming  a  sand  hill  between  the  house  and  the 
road,  and  which  entirely  concealed  the  house  from  view  when 
standing  in  the  road  in  front  of  it.  When  this  sand  bank  was 
removed,  several  skeletons,  evidently  of  Indians,  besides  nu- 
merous other  Indian  relics,  were  unearthed,  indicating  this 
spot  as  having  been  one  of  their  burial  places.  This  time- 
honored  relic  was  at  last  destroyed  by  tire.      A  large  barn, 


118  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Standing  on  the  mill  road  which  was  also  built  during  the  early- 
years  of  the  proprietorship  of  Governor  Dongan,  was  burned 
on  the  18th  of  July,  1862.  Through  this  extensive  domain  a 
road  was  opened  at  an  early  period  toward  the  village  of  Rich- 
mond, and  this  early  road  still  bears  the  name  of  Manor  road. 
A  tide  mill  stood  until  a  recent  date  on  the  causeway  across 
Palmer's  run.  The  old  Dongan  mill  stood  farther  south,  on 
an  old  road  which  ran  around  the  head  of  the  pond,  the  course 
of  which  in  part  has  been  followed  by  the  construction  of  Post 
avenue  in  West  New  Brighton.  After  the  construction  of  the 
causeway  the  old  road,  which  before  had  been  the  only  way  of 
passing  between  the  localities  of  West  New  Brighton  and 
Port  Richmond,  ceased  to  be  used  until  the  opening  of 
Post  avenue.  The  pond  which  is  alluded  to  in  the  Palmer 
patent  received  the  tide,  and  boats  at  high  water  could  reach 
the  door  of  the  old  mill.  This  mill  was  largely  patronized  by 
the  people  of  Bergen  Point  and  its  vicinity,  as  well  as  by  the 
people  of  the  island. 

When  the  present  avenue  was  constructed,  the  foundation 
stones,  and  some  of  the  decayed  oak  timbers  of  the  old  mill, 
were  unearthed,  but  no  cannon.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  last 
century,  a  flouring  mill  was  built  on  the  present  steamboat  wharf 
at  West  New  Brighton,  and  the  most  of  the  water  which  had 
propelled  the  old  mill,  was  diverted  from  its  natural  course  by 
a  canal  which  led  it  into  the  large  pond  at  the  foot  of  the  pres- 
ent Water  street,  which  pond  was  then  constructed  to  hold  the 
water  in  reserve  for  the  use  of  the  new  mill ;  this  was  built  by 
a  McVickar,  though  it  subsequently  passed  into  the  hands  of 
the  Van  Buskirk  family,  and  was  better  known  as  Van  Bus- 
kirk's  mill.  This  mill  was  burned  a  few  years  ago,  and  the 
wharf,  the  pond  and  the  canal  for  more  than  half  a  century 
have  belonged  to  the  New  York  Dyeing  &  Printing  Establish- 
ment. After  the  construction  of  the  causeway,  and  the  divert- 
ing of  the  water,  the  pond  has  gradually  filled  up,  until  now  it 
can  scarcely  be  utilized  for  the  purpose  to  which  it  was  once 
devoted. 

In  a  review  of  the  life  and  acts  of  one  so  intimately  asso- 
ciated with  the  island  as  Col.  Thomas  Dongan  was  it  is  proper 
to  give  some  notice  to  his  antecedents  and  the  stock  whence  he 
came.  We  find  Governor  Dongan  associated  with  the  nobility 
of  England  and  Ireland.     In  a  list  of  the  baronets  of  Ireland, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  119 

with  a  list  of  their  creations,  we  find  the  name  of  Walter  Don- 
gan,  of  Castletown,  in  the  county  of  Kildare,  to  which  is  at- 
tached the  date  1623.  Castletown  park  is  in  the  northeast  corner 
of  the  county  of  Kildare,  about  ten  miles  southwest  of  the  city 
of  Dnblin.  Sir  Walter  Dongan,  who  was  made  baronet  October 
23,  1623,  belonged  to  a  family  who  were  pronounced  "  valiant, 
active  and  faithful."  They  were  in  1646  and  later  on  connected 
with  the  army,  and  in  recognition  of  their  faithfulness  and  de- 
votion to  their  king,  William,  a  brother  was  promoted  to  the 
dignity  of  viscount  of  Claine,  county  of  Kildare,  in  1661.  In 
1685  he  was  made  earl  of  Limerick.  At  the  battle  of  theBoyne 
he  lost  an  only  son,  who  was  killed  by  a  cannon  ball.  The  son 
was  buried  at  Castletown,  the  seat  of  his  father.  Lord  Dongan, 
earl  of  Limerick.  The  estate  of  Lord  Dongan  was  forfeited,  he 
being  attainted  April  16,  1691,  but  was  restored  again  by  act  of 
parliament,  December  15,  1699.  In  "  Burke's  Encyclopedia  of 
Heraldry"  appears  the  following  description  of  the  Dongan 
coat  of  arms : 

"Quarterly  first  and  fourth,  gu.  three  lions  pass,  or,  holding 
in  the  dexter  paw  a  close  helmet  argent  garnished  or  the 
second  ;  second  and  third  azure  six  plates  on  a  chief  or  a  demi 
lion  rampant  gules.  Crest — A  lion  passant  or,  supporting  with 
the  dexter  foot  a  close  helmet  argent  garnished  of  the  first." 

To  this  noble  family  Col.  Thomas  Dongan  belonged,  though 
what  his  relationship  was  to  the  Earl  of  Limerick  we  have  not 
the  means  of  determining.  Some  claim  that  he  was  a  brother 
Colonel  Dongan  having  a  commission  as  governor,  arrived  in 
New  York  August  27,  1683.  His  commission  was  dated  Sep- 
tember 30,  1682.  To  him  the  present  state  is  indebted  for  many 
of  its  existing  records  and  laws.  He  was  a  firm  believer  in  the 
religious  and  political  faith  of  James  II.  except,  perhaps,  that 
Dongan  was  far  more  tolerant,  and  hated  the  French,  under 
whom  he  had  once  served  as  a  military  officer.  Though  a  pro- 
fessed papist,  he  was  a  decided  enemy  to  the  French,  whose 
schemes  of  aggrandizement  on  the  northern  frontier  he  per- 
sistently opposed,  even  against  the  expressed  wishes  of  his 
master,  the  Duke  of  York,  afterward  James  II.  The  people 
of  the  province,  and  especially  of  the  island,  where  he  resided, 
lived  in  constant  dread  of  his  religion.  Later  on  he  was  or- 
dered to  proclaim  James  II  king,  to  assist  at  the  conference 
between  Lord  Effingham  and  the  Five  ]S"ations,  and  in  causing 


120  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

the  king's  arms  to  be  set  up  through  all  their  villages  and  to 
place  arms  in  their  hands. 

Colonel  Dongan  had  the  Indian  affairs  very  much  at  heart, 
and  had  gained  the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  Five  Na- 
tions. He  was  deeply  interested  in  the  intercourse  of  the  French 
and  English  with  them,  and  jealous  of  the  action  of  the  former. 
In  carrying  forward  this  work  in  which  he  was  so  much  in- 
terested, he  was  obliged  to  mortgage  his  property  to  Robert 
Livingston  to  secure  the  payment  of  the  expenses  of  the  ex- 
pedition to  Albany  in  1689.  This  mortgage  is  dated  May  1, 
1689,  the  sum  which  was  secured  by  it  was  £2,172,  6s,  2id, 
which  Livingston  had,  by  Dongan' s  order,  laid  out  for  eight 
month's  provisions  for  the  troops  and  presents  for  the  In- 
dians. The  term  of  the  mortgage  was  five  years.  It  covered 
not  only  the  manor  of  Castletown,  but  other  parcels  which 
Dongan  had  bought  on  the  island.  These  were  one  hundred 
and  eighty  acres  at  Old  Town,  bought  of  Mary  Britton,  another 
parcel  at  Old  Town,  bought  of  Peter  None,  and  another,  on 
the  south  side,  bought  of  James  Largie. 

Besides  these  possessions  on  Staten  Island,  Grovernor  Dongan 
had  a  large  tract  on  the  Hudson  river,  extending  from  Haver- 
straw  to  Murderer's  creek,  a  tract  of  four  hundred  acres  in 
Queens  county  given  him  by  the  people  of  Hempstead  town  for 
renewing  their  patent,  and  another  tract  on  Martha's  Vineyard, 
besides  property  in  the  city  of  New  York.  On  Staten  Island  he 
had  a  "hunting  lodge."  The  city  records  contain  an  account 
of  a  meeting  of  the  council  at  which  Governor  Dongan  was  ab- 
sent "being  engaged  at  his  hunting  lodge  on  Staten  Island, 
killing  bears."  At  the  time  of  the  papist  panic  in  1689  it  was 
suspected  that  Colonel  Dongan  was  in  sympathy  with  the  plot, 
and  his  mill  was  searched,  and  tour  guns  were  found  in  it. 
These  it  is  said  were  secreted  under  some  bags  and  blankets. 
Leisler  issued  orders  for  his  arrest,  but  we  do  not  know  that  it 
was  accomplished. 

After  his  release  from  office  Colonel  Dongan  retired  to  his  pos- 
sessions on  Staten  Island,  where  he  remained  till  the  spring  of 
1691,  if  not  longer.  Later,  but  at  what  time  is  not  known,  he 
retired  to  his  native  country,  Ireland,  where  it  is  said  he  finally 
succeeded  to  the  earldom  of  Limerick.  In  a  conveyance  now 
on  record  in  the  clerk's  office  of  this  county  bearing  date  1715, 
he  is  styled  as  such. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  121 

On  the  9th  of  May,  1715,  Colonel  Thomas  Dongan,  by  the 
conveyance  just  mentioned  (which  is  in  itself  a  curious  and  rare 
specimen  of  legal  skill,  on  account  of  its  complex  limitations 
and  conditions)  "being  willing  to  preserve  and  uphold  and  ad- 
vance the  name  and  family  of  Dongan,  and  having  no  issue  of 
his  own  to  continue  the  same,"  conveyed  to  his  nephews, Thomas, 
John  and  Walter,  and  to  the  male  issue  of  the  survivor  or  sur- 
vivors of  them,  "in  tail  male  for  ever,"  all  his  manor  of  Castle- 
town, together  with  property  situated  elsewhere.  This  act  and 
its  final  results  is  a  demonstration  of  the  scripture  passage  which 
we  quote  from  the  XLIX  Psalm:  "Their  inward  thought  is, 
that  their  houses  shall  continue  for  ever,  and  their  dwelling 
places  to  all  generations  ;  they  call  their  lands  after  their  own 
names.  Nevertheless  man  being  in  honour  abideth  not :  he  is 
like  the  beasts  that  perish." 

Having  thus  disposed  of  his  estate  in  this  country,  he  died, 
as  some  think,  in  London,  in  1715,  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  81 
years.  He  was  buried  in  St.  Fancras'  church-yard,  Middlesex, 
just  north  of  London.  This  old  church-yard  has  long  been 
noted  as  the  burial  place  of  such  Roman  Catholics  as  die  in 
London  and  its  vicinity.  It  is  accounted  a  desirable  resting 
place  for  different  reasons,  one  of  which  is  that  St.  Pancras'  was 
the  last  church  in  England  where  mass  was  held  after  the  Refor- 
mation. The  sepulchre  of  the  late  Grovernor  Dongan  bears  the 
following  inscription  : — 

"The  Right  Honble.  Thomas  Dongan  Earl  of  Lymerick, 
died  December  the  fourteenth.     Aged  Eighty  one  years. 

1715. 
Requiescat  in  pace.     Amen.'''' 

Leaving  the  founder  of  the  name  and  estate  of  Dongan  on 
Staten  Island  we  will  now  follow  as  well  as  we  are  able  the 
descent  of  the  family  and  title  line  of  the  estate.  Of  the 
nephews  we  know  but  little. 

John  probably  had  but  little  or  nothing  to  do  with  Staten 
Island.  Beyond  the  appearance  of  his  name  in  a  list  of  sub- 
scribers toward  finishing  Trinity  church  steeple,  dated  May  1, 
1711,  we  have  found  no  trace  of  him.  He  may  have  been  unmar- 
ried, or  died  without  male  issue  and  therefore  had  no  share  in 
the  estate  on  Staten  Island. 

Thomas  is  but  little  known  in  records  pertaining  to  Staten 
Island.     It  is  said  that  he  sold  his  share  of  the  possessions  of 


122  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

his  uncle.  He  may  have  beeu  a  man  of  high  passions  and 
sumptuous  living,  with  reckless  habits.  He  was  involved  in  a 
duel  with  Dr.  John  Livingston,  September  7,  1713,  in  which 
Livingston  was  killed.  The  trial  of  Dongan  by  the  supreme 
court  took  place  two  days  later,  and  he  was  found  guilty  of 
manslaughter.  Without  knowing  what  his  subsequent  fate  was, 
we  are  obliged  to  leave  him  here.  There  is  slight  ground  for 
the  conjecture  that  he  left  this  country  for  Ireland  and  died 
there  in  1721. 

Walter  has  left  some  evidences  of  being  a  man  of  honor  and 
business  ability.  He  occupied  the  manor  house  and  a  large 
portion  of  the  landed  estate.  His  custom  was  to  lease  his  lands 
to  tenants.  He  was  surrogate  of  the  county  in  1733.  He  mar- 
ried for  his  first  wife,  Ruth,  daughter  of  Richard  Floyd  (2d),  of 
Setauket,  L.  I.,  whose  wife  was  Margaret,  daughter  of  Colonel 
Matthias  Mcoll,  the  secretary  of  the  colony.  Walter  and  Ruth 
Dongan  had  three  children,  Thomas,  Richard  and  Elizabeth. 
Ruth,  who  was  born  August  6,  1699,  died  July  28, 1733.  Walter 
afterward  married  a  Miss  Sarah  Herriman  of  Elizabeth,  N.  J., 
by  whom  he  had  a  son,  Edward  Vaughn  Dongan.  Walter  died 
July  25,  1749,  being  fifty-seven  years  of  age.  His  estate  on  the 
island  descended  mainly  to  his  oldest  son  Thomas,  and  his 
widow  afterward  married  John  Herriman,  of  Elizabeth.  The 
daughter  Elizabeth  was  born  in  1729,  and  died  July  1,  1749, 
aged  19  years  and  7  months.  Her  grandfather,  Richard  Floyd, 
remembers  her  in  his  will,  dated  February  27,  1738,  in  the  fol- 
lowing item:  "  I  give  also  unto  my  Grand  Daughter  Dongan, 
that  is  to  say  the  Daughter  of  my  beloved  Daughter  Ruth 
Dongan  Deceased,  one  hundred  Pounds  Current  lawful  Money 
of  New  York  to  be  paid  on  her  Marriage  Day."  As  she  died 
unmarried,  this  item  was  never  executed. 

Edward  Vaughn  Dongan  was  born  January  3,  1749.  After 
his  father's  death  he  went  with  his  mother  to  live  in  Elizabeth. 
He  was  brought  up  a  lawyer  and  lived  at  New  Brunswick,  N.  J., 
where  he  married  a  daughter  of  Squire  La  Grange,  a  lawyer  of 
that  place.  On  the  outbreak  of  the  revolution  he  made  himself 
obnoxious  on  account  of  his  adhei-ence  to  royalty  and  was 
driven  from  his  home  before  the  British  landed  in  New  York. 
His  father-in-law  and  family  were  in  sympathy  with  him,  and 
their  estate  was  afterward  forfeited.     Edward  Vaughn  Dongan 


HISTOTIY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  123 

was  in  command  of  a  body  of  loyal  troops,  with  the  rank  of 
colonel,  and  was  posted  at  the  Morning  Star  at  the  time  of  Sul- 
livan's raid  on  Staten  Island,  August  22,  1777.  In  this  engage- 
ment he  received  a  wound  from  the  effects  of  which  he  died  in 
the  hospital  in  New  York  city  on  the  first  of  September.  His 
only  child,  which  with  its  mother  had  suffered  great  exposure 
on  the  day  referred  to,  died  on  the  same  day,  and  was  buried 
in  the  same  grave  with  him.  His  widow  afterward  went  with 
her  family  to  reside  at  Farmington,  Hackney,  England. 

Richard  Dongan,  the  second  son  of  Walter,  went  to  sea  when 
a  young  man.  During  the  French  war  he  was  impressed  on 
board  a  British  man-of-war,  and  in  the  service  lost  an  arm. 
He  married  Miss  Cornelia  Shanks  of  Long  Island,  by  whom  he 
had  a  son,  Walter,  who  was  born  January  2,  1763,  and  another 
son  who  died  young.  Richard  died  January  1,  1780,  in  his  61st 
year  ;  and  his  wife  died  April  28,  1814,  in  the  83d  year  of  her 
age.  This  Walter  had  a  distillery,  located  near  a  copious 
spring  on  the  Richmond  turnpike,  near  Four  Corners.  He  also 
possessed  a  large  farm  at  that  place,  whether  by  inheritance  or 
purchase  we  have  not  learned.  He  had  two  sons,  Thomas  and 
Richard,  and  four  daughters,  one  of  whom  married  a  Mr. 
Toombs,  another  married  Peter  La  Forge,  and  the  names  of  the 
other  two  were  Abigail  and  Ruth.  Walter  died  in  February, 
1855. 

We  now  take  up  the  direct  line  in  which  the  manor  house  with 
its  accompanying  estate  was  held  until  it  passed  out  of  the  pos- 
session of  the  family  altogether. 

Thomas  Dongan  was  the  eldest  son  of  Walter,  the  nephew  of 
the  ex-governor.  His  first  wife  was  Rachel,  and  she  died  April 
25,  1748,  at  the  age  of  24  years.  She  had  one  daughter,  who 
died  December  22,  1749,  3  years  of  age.  Both  wife  and  daughter 
are  buried  in  the  old  Moravian  cemetery.  Thomas  afterward 
married  Magdalen,  the  eldest  daughter  of  Rev.  Richard  Charl- 
ton, rector  of  St.  Andrew's  church.  By  her  he  had  a  son,  John 
Charlton  Dongan.  Thomas  Dongan  appears  as  a  vestryman  of 
Trinity  church,  New  York,  from  1748  to  1759.  In  order  to  ad- 
just the  claims  upon  him  to  which  his  young  half  brother  Ed- 
ward V.  was  entitled,  he  on  the  15th  of  April,  1757,  gave  a 
mortgage  to  John  Herriman  and  Sarah  his  wife  (the  step-mother 
of  Thomas,  she  being  the  late  widow  of  his  father)  on  several 
tracts  of  land  lying  in  the  manor  of  Castletown,  adjoining  each 


124  HISTORY  OF  HICHMOND  CODWTY. 

Other,  and  then  being  in  possession  of  tenants,  to  secure  the 
payment  of  £40  a  year  till  Edward  Vaughn  should  reach  his 
majority,  and  the  payment  of  £1,000  when  tliat  time  arrived. 
In  consideration  of  these  payments  Edward  Vaughn  should 
relinquish  all  claim  against  the  said  Thomas  or  the  estate  of 
the  late  Walter  Dongan.  The  aggregate  extent  of  land  covered 
by  this  instrument  was  about  seven  hundred  acres.  The  will 
of  Thomas  Dongan  bears  date  March  8, 1765,  and  it  appointed 
his  wife,  Magdalen,  sole  executrix,  and  by  it  he  bequeathed 
to  his  son  John  Charlton  Dongan,  all  his  estate,  and  in  case  of 
his  death,  while  in  his  minority,  the  estate  was  to  go  to  his 
mother  and  to  her  heirs  forever.  Of  the  time  of  his  death  we 
are  not  informed. 

John  Charlton  Dongan,  son  of  Thomas,  and  grandson  of 
Walter  the  nephew  of  the  governor,  was  educated  for  a  lawyer, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  May  6,  1791.  He  was  a  man  of 
some  prominence  in  his  time.  He  was  a  supervisor  here  in 
1785,  and  was  in  the  state  legislature  several  times,  where  in 
1788-9  he  was  a  prominent  leader  of  the  Schuyler  or  federal 
party  and  served  on  some  important  committees.  As  an 
attorney-at-law  he  had  an  office  at  25  Courtlandt  street,  New 
York,  in  1795.  He  possessed  a  considerable  land  on  State 
street,  New  York,  in  addition  to  the  estate  on  Staten  Island, 
which  then  comprised  about  six  hundred  acres,  all  of  which  he 
inherited  from  his  father.  He  is  said  to  have  been  an  honor- 
able man,  but  being  a  free  liver  and  given  to  drink,  he  fell  into 
careless  habits  and  descended  the  scale  of  respectable  standing 
and  financial  advantage  until  he  reached  the  lowest  extreme. 
His  wife  was  Patience  Moore,  of  Newtown,  L.  I.,  a  sister  of 
Benjamin  Moore  of  that  place.  She,  it  is  said,  was  of  little  ad- 
vantage to  him,  being  herself  also  a  partner  in  his  failings. 
They  had  only  two  children,  Thomas  Charles  Bradish,  who  died 
November  25,  1789,  and  John  Charlton,  Jr.,  who  died  October 
23,  1791,  a  little  over  5  years  of  age.  His  State  street  property 
was  sold  and  its  proceeds  lost  in  speculation.  He  became  in- 
volved and,  about  1795,  sold  the  manor  house  and  the  accom- 
panying estate  to  his  brother-in-law  McVickar,  whose  wife  was 
sister  to  his  wife.  He  then  had  a  general  vendue  and  sold  off 
all  the  stock  and  movables  belonging  to  the  estate,  and  the  sale 
returned  about  $10,000.  He  and  his  wife  agreed  to  put  this  in 
bank  and  live  on  the  proceeds.     She  returned  to  her  own  fam- 


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HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  125 

ily,  the  Moores,  at  Newtown,  and  he,  sinking  still  deeper  in 
intemperance,  accepted  the  position  of  a  sergeant  of  foot  or 
marines  and  went  on  a  voyage  at  sea  on  a  man-of-war.  This 
was  in  1798  or  1799.  He  was  familiarly  known  as  "Jack" 
Dongan.  The  last  of  his  financial  resources  were  finally  ex- 
hausted and,  broken  down  in  health,  he  became  a  public  charge 
for  his  living.  Fortunately  he  had  a  god-mother,  who  lived  in 
Jamaica,  West  Indies,  and  she  learning  his  condition,  sent 
money  to  pay  his  passage,  and  he  went  thither  to  complete  the 
measure  of  his  broken  down  life  under  her  generous  care  and 
patronage. 

The  remnant  of  the  lordship  containing  the  manor  house  was 
sold  by  John  C.  Dongan  to  John  McVickar.  He  occupied  it  as  a 
country  seat  from  1795  to  1802,  when  he  sold  it  to  Alexander 
McComb.  McVickar  constructed  a  canal  two  miles  long  from 
Fresh  pond  to  the  mill,  took  a  hand  in  many  public  enterprises, 
and  helped  Mr.  Vanderbilt  the  elder  to  funds  with  which  to 
procure  a  piragua  and  dock  at  Factoryville.  McComb  sold 
the  place  to  John  Bodine,  the  younger,  and  he  to  his  father. 
By  the  latter  it  was  sold  to  Judge  Edwards  for  Abraham  Varick. 
But  why  continue  to  follow  the  changes.  The  glory  of  the 
manor  has  departed  ;  the  last  lord  of  its  dominion  has  a  long 
lime  slept  in  his  grave,  and  the  venerable  manor  house  has  been 
swept  away  by  the  devouring  flame.  Surely  "man  in  honor 
abideth  not." 


"This  Following  Pattent  for  a  Peece  of  Land  Lyeing  att  Karles 
Neck  att  the  Fresh  kill  on  Staten  Island  Granted  to  Barne  Ty- 
sen  being  Omitted  to  be  Kecorded  when  Granted  is  Now  Entred 
att  the  Request  of  the  said  Barne  Ttsen  this  29th  day  of  No- 
vembr.  1681. 

"  Edmund  Andros  Esqr.  Seigneor  of  Sausmarex  Lievt.  and 
Governor  Generall  under  his  Royii.  Highs.  James  Duke  of 
Yorke  and  Albany  &c.  of  all  his  Terretorys  in  America  Where- 
as by  Virtue  of  my  Warrant  yr.  hath  Benn  Laid  out  for  Barne 
TrsEN  a  Certaine  Peece  of  Land  Lyeing  at  Karles  Neck  at  the 
Fresh  Kill  upon  Staten  Island  being  in  Breadth  by  the  Meadow 
side  florty  and  five  Rods  Ranging  South  East  two  hundred 
Eighty  and  fouer  Rods  Being  Bounded  to  the  Southwest  by  the 
Land  of  Thomas  Morgan  to  the  South  East  by  the  Commons 
and  to  the  North  East  by  the  Land  of  Wolford  ProU  with  tenn 


126  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Acres  of  Salt  Meadow  fronting  to  the  said  Land  and  f ouer  Acres 
of  Fresh  Meadow  upon  the  Hills  in  the  Reare  of  the  Neck  Con- 
teining  in  all  Ninety  fouer  Acres  as  by  the  Returne  of  the  Sur- 
vey undr  the  Hand  of  the  Surveyor:  Doth  and  may  appeare 
Know  Yee  that  by  vertue  of  his  Maties  Letters  Pattents  and 
the  Commission  and  Authority  unto  me  Given  by  his  Royli 
Highs  I  have  Given  and  Granted  and  by  these  Presents  Doe 
hereby  Give  and  Grant  unto  the  said  Barne  Tysen  his  Heires 
and  Assigns  the  afore  recited  Peece  of  Land  and  Premisses  with 
their  and  every  of  their  Appurtenuces.  To  have  and  to  hold 
the  said  Peece  of  Land  and  Premisses  unto  him  the  said  Barne 
Tysen  his  Heires  and  Assignes  unto  the  proper  use  and  Behoofe 
of  the  said  Barne  Tysen  his  Heires  and  Assignes  For  ever  Hee 
making  Improvem*  thereon  according  to  Law  and  Yeelding 
and  Paying  therefore  Yearly  and  every  Yeare  unto  his  Royli 
Highs  use  as  a  Quitt  Rent  one  Bushell  of  Good  Winter 
Wheate  unto  such  Officer  or  Officers  as  shall  be  Empowred  to 
Receive  the  same.  Given  under  my  Hand  and  Sealed  with  the 
Seale  of  the  Province  in  New  Yorke  this  twenty  Ninth  Day  of 
September  in  the  29th  Yeare  of  his  Mat^s  Reigne  Annoq 
Domini  1677. 

The  Meadow  to  be  proporconable  with  the  Rest  of   the  In- 
habitants. 

E.  Andross. 
"  Examined  by  me 

"  Matthias  Nicolls  Seer. 
I  do  hereby  Certify  the  aforegoing  to  be  a   true 
Copy  of   the  Original  Record  Compared  there 
with  By  me. 

"  Lewis  A.  Scott,  Secretary." 


"  Recorded  at  ye  Request  of  Daniell  Lake  &  Compa 
"William  the  third  by  the  Grace  of  God  of  England  Scotland 
ffrance  and  Ireland  King  Defender  of  the  flfaith  &c  To  all  to 
whome  these  p'sents  shall  Come  Sendeth  Greeting.  Whereas 
our  Loveing  Subjects  Daniell  Lake  and  Joseph  Holmes  have  by 
their  Petitions  Presented  unto  our  trusty  and  well  beloved  John 
Nanfan  Esqr  our  Lt  Govern^  &  Commander  in  Cheif  of  our 
Province  of  New  Yorke  and  the  Territories  Depending  thereon 
in  America  &c  Pray  our  Grant  and  Confirmation  of  a  Certain 
Tract  of  Land  on  Staten  Island  in   the  County  of   Richmond 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  127 

Beginning  at  ye  Northwest  Corner  of  the  Lott  of  Land  Laid  out 
for  Peter  Billjean  in  the  Reer  of  his  three  Lotts  Granted  by 
Sr  Edmond  Andros  &  Runs  thence  North  Westerly  by  the  Line 
of  Abraham  Lakerman  &  William  Barker  to  ye  Land  of  Tennis 
Eghberts  and  Vincent  fountain  &  so  runs  alongst  his  Line 
North  Easterly  to  the  South  East  Corner  thereof  thence  to  the 
Northwest  Corner  of  Jacques  Gruyen  &  so  by  the  Reer  of 
of  Bitteans  Lotts  Westerly  to  ye  Place  where  begunn  being 
Bounded  on  the  Northwest  by  Abraham  Lakerman  &  William 
Barker  on  the  North  East  by  Tennis  Eghberts  and  Vincent 
fountain  on  the  South  East  by  the  Lotts  of  Isaac  Billjean  &  on 
the  South  West  by  the  Lotts  of  Peter  Billjean  Conteining  two 
hundred  acres  wch  reasonable  request  wee  being  willing  to 
Grrant  Know  Yee  that  of  our  Speciall  Grace  Certain  Knowledge 
and  meer  motion  wee  have  Given  Granted  Ratifyed  and  Con- 
firmed &  by  these  p'sents  Doe  for  us  our  Heires  and  Successors 
Give  Grant  Ratifye  and  Confirme  unto  our  s<i  Loveing  Subjects 
Daniell  Lake  and  Joseph  Holmes  all  the  aforecited  Tract  of 
Land  within  our  County  of  Richmond  &  within  the  Limitts  & 
Bounds  aforesd  together  with  all  and  Singular  the  Woods  Under- 
woods Trees  Timber  feedings  Pastures  Meadows  Marshes 
Swamps  Ponds  Pools  Water  watercourses  Rivers  Rivoletts  Runs 
Streams  fishing  fowling  hunting  and  hawkeing  Mines  Mineralls 
Silver  and  Gold  Mines  Excepted  and  all  other  Profitts  benefitts 
Privilledges  Liberties  Advantages  Hereditamts  and  appurte- 
nances whatsoever  to  the  afoerecitd  Tract  of  Land  within  the 
Limitts  and  bounds  aforementioned  belonging  or  in  any  wise 
appertaining  to  have  and  to  hold  all  the  afoerecited  Tract  of  Land 
together  wth  all  and  Singular  the  woods  underwoods  Trees 
Timber  feedings  Pastures  Meadows  Marshes  Swamps  Ponds 
Pools  watercourses  Rivers  Rivers  Rivoleits  Runs  Brooks 
Streams  fishing  fowling  hunting  and  hawkeing  Mines  Mineralls 
Silver  and  Gold  Mines  Excepted  &  all  other  Proffitts  Benefitts 
Privilledges  Liberties  Advantages  Hereditaments  and  appurte- 
nances whatsoever  to  the  afores^  Tract  of  Land  within  the 
Limitts  and  Bounds  aforementioned  belonging  or  in  any  wise 
appertaining  unto  to  them  the  said  Daniell  Lake  and  Joseph 
Holmes  their  Heires  and  assignes  to  the  only  Proper  use  benefitt 
and  behoof  of  them  the  said  Daniell  Lake  and  Joseph  Holmes 
their  Heires  and  assignes  forever  to  be  holden  of  us  our  Heires  & 
Successors  in  free  and  Comon  Soccage  as  of   our  Manm"  of  East 


128  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Greenwch  in  our  County  of  Kent  within  our  Realm  of  England 
Yielding  Rendring  &  Paying  therefore  Yearly  and  every  Year 
unto  us  our  Heires  and  Successors  at  our  City  of  New  Yorke 
on  the  feast  Day  of  the  Nativity  of  our  blessed  Saviour  the 
annuall  and  Yearly  Rent  of  twelve  Shillings  Currt  Money  of 
New  Yorke  in  Lieu  and  Stead  of  all  other  Rents  Dues  Dutys 
Services  and  Demands  whatsoever  In  Testimony  whereof  wee 
have  Caused  the  Great  Seale  of  our  said  Province  to  be  here- 
unto aflBxed  Witness  John  Nanfan  Esqr  our  Lieut  Govern^ 
&  Comander  in  Cheif  of  our  Province  of  New  Yorke  &c  at 
our  flfort  in  New  Yorke  the  20th  day  of  Aprill  in  the  fourteenth 
year  of  our  Reign. 

"  John  Nanfan. 
"  By  his  hours  Comand 

M:  Clarkson,  Secry. 

"I  do  hereby  Certify  the  aforegoing  to  be  a  true 

Copy  of  the  Original  Record. 
"  Compared  therewith  By  Me 

"Lewis  A.  Scott,  Secretary." 


Many  other  patents  were  granted  for  lands  on  Staten  Island. 
These  we  have  already  said  were  generally  for  small  parcels. 
From  the  quit-rents  affixed  to  such  grants  the  colonial  governors 
obtained  a  considerable  revenue.  A  patent  was  granted  by 
Governor  Fletcher,  December  20,  1697,  to  Sarah  Scidmorfe  for  a 
tract  of  land  on  the  south  side  of  the  island,  at  Old  Town.  The 
annual  quit-rent  on  this  was  four  shillings.  The  tract  was  soon 
after  in  the  possession  of  Jacob  Berger,  and  by  the  middle  of 
the  century  belonged  to  John  Keteltas  in  whose  family  it 
remained  for  several  generations.  A  patent  was  granted  by 
Queen  Anne,  September  1,  1708,  to  Francis  Vincent  for  several 
parcels  of  land  on  the  island,  in  which  mention  is  made  of  the 
following  adjoining  owners  :  Peter  Lecount,  Albert  Janson,  one 
Pinhorne,  John  Melyore,  John  Breveele,  Francis  Welton,  John 
Bodine,  Benjamin  Cooper,  Mark  Dussassway,  Abraham  Cannon, 
Jacob  Galliott,  John  Cashee  and  Joshua  Carsoon.  In  locating 
these  parcels  the  following  neighboring  points  are  mentioned  : 
Courtlandt,  Fresh  kill  (16  acres  of  salt  meadows  at  the  mouth 
of  it,  "being  almost  round  a  certain  Hammock  of  Upland," 
which  is  included,  the  whole  "bearing  N.  W.  from  the  house  of 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  129 

John  Morgan  "),  Daniel's  neck,  Thomas's  creek,  Charles's  neck, 
and  Abraham  Cannon's  creek. 

The  last  royal  patent  for  lands  on  Staten  Island  was  granted 
by  Queen  Anne,  to  Lancaster  Symes,  on  the  22d  of  October, 
1708.  It  conveyed  all  unappropriated  lands,  meadows,  etc., 
etc.,  on  the  island,  at  an  annual  rent  of  six  shillings  current 
money  of  New  York,  payable  on  Lady-day  of  each  year.  It  is 
recorded  at  Albany  in  book  N"o.  7  of  Patents,  page  371,  and 
quite  recently  recorded  in  this  county. 

The  following  receipts  copied  from  the  originals  will  be  of  in- 
terest to  show  the  manner  in  which  the  business  was  done. 
ISTumerous  receipts  of  the  kind  may  be  found  in  all  parts  of  the 
county. 

"Received  of  Arent  Van  Amer  Two  Bushells  and  a  half  of 
Wheat  in  full  for  One  years  Quitt  Eent  of  two  Lotts  of  Land 
on  Staten  Island,  one  Granted  to  Philip  Bendell  &  the  other  to 
John  Taylor  the  15th  December  1680,  being  to  the  25th  March 
last,  as  Witness  my  hand  this  12th  August  1761. 

Rich"  Nicholls  Dep*y  Recr  Geni." 

"Received  of  Arent  Van  Amer  Five  bushells  of  Wheat  in 
full  for  two  Years  Quitt  Rent  of  the  two  Lotts  of  Land  above 
mentioned  to  the  25th  March  last.  As  Witness  my  hand  the 
10th  June  1763. 

RioHD.  Nicholls  Dep*y  Recr  Gen'." 


"Received  of  Aarnt  Van  Amer  Five  Bushells  of  Wheat  in 
full  for  two  years  Quitt  Rent  of  the  two  Lotts  of  Land  above 
mentioned  to  the  25th  of  March  last.  As  Witness  my  hand 
this  2'd  May  1765. 

RiCHD.  Nicholls  Depty  Recr  Gen'." 

The  above  receipts  are  all  written  in  a  distinct,  but  very 
cramped  hand  on  a  scrap  of  paper  4  by  6  inches.  The  three 
following  are  written  on  the  reverse  side  of  the  same  paper. 

"  Received  of  Arent  Van  Amer  two  bushells  and  a  half  of 
Wheat  in  full  for  one  years  Quit  Rent  of  the  before  mentioned 
Lotts  of  Land  due  25  March  last. 

New  York  14  May  1766        John  Moore  Dep.  ReC".  Gem." 

9 


130  HISTORY  OF  KIOHMOND  COITlSrTY. 

"Received  of  Arent  Van  Amer  Two  Bushells  &  a  half  of 
Wheat  in  full  for  One  Years  Quit  Rent  of  the  before  mentioned 
Lotts  of  land  due  25  March  last. 

Witness  my  hand  13  May  1767 

John  Moore  Dep.  Rec^.  Gen^." 


"Reed  of  Arent  Van  Amen  Two  Bushells  &  half  of  Wheat  in 
full  for  one  Years  Quit  Rent  of  the  above  mentioned  Lotts  due 
25th  March  last.     Witness  my  hand  the  6th  July  1768." 


There  are  three  other  receipts  for  wheat,  bringing  the  pay- 
ment down  to  March  25th,  1775.  The  individual  mentioned  by 
the  names  of  Arent  Van  Amer — Van  Amen — Van  Naum,  was 
Aaron  Van  Name,  the  grandfather  of  Mr.  Michael  Van  Name, 
and  his  brother  Charles  Van  Name,  both  of  Mariner's  Harbor. 


"  Patent  granted  to  John  Taylor  for  a  Tract  of  Land  on  Staten 
Island  dated  15th  Decem^  1680  at  One  &  a  half  Bushel  Wheat 
per  Annum. 

(  From  25  March  1775  ^      ™ 
Aaron  Van  Naum  \      to  25  May  1787  is  12  ;  2 

Deduct  8.— 


4.  2  @  9/      £1.  17.  6 
14  years  commutation — 9/         6.     6.  - 


£8.  3.  6 


Reced  New  York  June  21st  1787  from  Aaron  Van  Naum  per 
the  hands  of  Joshua  Mercereau  Esq.  Public  Securities  which 
with  the  Interest  calculated  thereon  to  the  25th  May  last 
amounts  to  Eight  Pounds  three  shillings  &  Six  Pence  in  full  for 
Arrears  of  Commutation  on  the  above  Patent. 


£8.  3.  6  Peter  S.  Cartenids  State  And'"" 


It  will  be  observed  that  during  the  royal  government  the  quit 
rent  was  payable  in  wheat,  according  to  the  terms  of  the  patent. 
Under  the  federal  government  it  appears  to  have  been  com- 
muted for  money. 

Resuming  the  order  of  our  narrative  we  find  the  commotions 


HISTORY  OF  KIOHMOND  COUNTY.  131 

which  had  disturbed  the  people  here  for  many  years  and  finally 
reached  the  culmination  of  disorder  and  unrest  in  the  usurpa- 
tion of  Leisler,  were  followed  by  an  extended  period  of  com- 
parative tranquility,  during  which  the  colonial  government  was 
established  upon  a  more  equitable  basis  and  was  more  uniform 
in  its  administration.  From  this  time  forward  till  the  disrup- 
tion of  the  colonial  government  in  May,  1775,  the  throne  of 
Great  Britain  held  undisputed  control  over  the  colony  of  New 
York.  The  government,  as  then  constituted  and  afterward 
maintained,  was  composed  of  the  governor  and  council,  ap- 
pointed by  the  throne,  and  the  assembly,  whose  members  were 
elected  by  the  freeholders  of  each  county.  The  council  at  first 
numbered  seven  members,  but  was  afterward  increased  to 
twelve.  The  governor  was  the  chief  executive.  The  legislative 
power  lay  in  the  governor,  council  and  assembly.  All  laws 
were  further  subject  to  the  revision  of  the  king,  to  whom  they 
were  always  to  be  sent  within  three  months  from  the  date  of 
their  passage. 

Governor  Slaughter  appears  to  have  shown  more  regard  for 
the  rights  and  wishes  of  the  people  than  his  predecessors  had 
done,  or  some  of  his  successors  did.  He  succeeded,  as  far  as 
the  nature  of  the  government  would  allow,  in  quieting  the 
commotions  that  had  disturbed  the  peace  of  the  people,  and  in 
restoring  harmony  and  friendly  relations  in  the  colony.  Among 
his  first  acts  was  the  confirmation,  under  the  seal  of  the  prov- 
ince, of  all  grants,  charters  or  patents  that  had  previously 
been  issued.  We  may  say  that  with  his  administration  a  new 
era  commenced.  The  gubernatorial  reins  passed  in  frequent 
succession  from  one  to  another  down  through  the  prosperous 
years  of  the  colony. 

The  governors  and  time  of  their  administrations  were  as 
follows,  those  who  died  in  office  being  marked  by  an  asterisk  (*): 

Henry  Slaughter,*  1691  ;  Richard  Ingoldsby,  1691-92  ;  Ben- 
jamin Fletcher,  1692-98  ;  Richard,  Earl  of  Bellmont,*  1698- 
1701 ;  John  ISTanfan,  1701-02  ;  Lord  Cornbnry,  1702-08  ;  John, 
Lord  Lovelace,*  1708-09;  Richard  Ingoldsby,  1709-10;  Ger- 
ardus  Beekman,  1710;  Robert  Hunter,  1710-19  ;  Peter  Schuyler, 
1719-20;  William  Burnet,*  1720-28  ;  John  Montgomery,*  1728- 
31  ;  Rip  Van  Dam,  1731-32  ;  William  Casby*,  1732-36  ;  George 
Clarke,  1736-43  ;  George  Clinton,  1743-53  ;  Sir  Dan  vers  Os- 
borne,* 1753  ;  James  De  Lancey,  1753-55  ;    Sir  Charles   Hardy, 


132  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

1755-57;  James  De  Lancey,*  1757-60  ;  Cad  wallader  Golden, 
1760-61 ;  Robert  Monkton,  1761;  Cadwallader  Golden,  1761-65; 
Sir  Henry  Moore,*  1765-69  ;  Cadwallader  Colden,  1769-70  ; 
John,  Lord  Dunmore,  1770-71  ;  Willam  Try  on,  1771-77. 

We  now  turn  to  notice  the  courts,  the  officers  connected  with 
them,  and  some  of  their  works,  during  this  period.  The  courts 
were  at  first  held  in  different  places  in  the  county,  wherever 
convenience  indicated.  It  is  not  known  at  what  time  they  were 
first  held  at  Stony  Brook  as  a  regular  place  for  them,  but  we 
find  the  custom  prevailing  during  the  earlj^years  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century.  At  the  same  time  the  jail  seems  to  have  been 
at  "  Cuckoldstown,"  the  early  name  for  Richmond,  where  it 
was  built  in  1710,  as  the  following  order  would  indicate : 

"  Ordered  that  Mr.  Lambart  Garisone  and  Mr.  Wm.  Tillyer. 
See  the  jirison  House  built  at  Cuckols  Towne — y^  Dimensions 
Twelve  foot  in  breadth,  fourteen  foot  Long,  Two  Story  high, 
six  foot  y®  Loer  Room  from  beam  to  plank,  and  the  uper  Story 
Six  foot,  all  to  be  built  with  stone,  and  for  building  of  the  sd. 
prison  the  Said  Undertakers  have  herebj^  power  To  take  the 
Monys  out  of  the  Collectors  hands  for  carying  on  the  sd.  work 
&  the  order  of  y«  sd.  Undertakers  &  Receipts  shall  be  a  Suffi- 
cient discharge  to  y^  sd.  Collectors." 

This  building  proved  inadequate  to  the  purpose  as  is  seen  by 
the  fact  that  at  a  court  of  sessions  held  in  the  court  house  at 
Stony  Brook,  on  the  5th  day  of  March,  in  the  ninth  of  his  Ma- 
jestys'  reign  (1723),  "Benjamin  Bill  Eq^  high  Sheriffe  of  the 
County  of  Richmond  Complains  to  the  Court  of  the  Insuffi- 
ciency of  his  majesty  Goal  for  the  said  County  that  it  is  all  to- 
gether soe  Insufficiency  that  it  is  impossible  to  keep  any  pris- 
oner safe  as  the  Said  Goal  Divers  prisoners  having  lately  Es- 
caped thereout  and  therefore  the  said  sheriffe  protest  against 
the  Inhabitants  of  the  County  of  Richmond  for  Repairing  the 
said  Goal  and  against  all  waits  Escapes  that  may  Ensue  for  the 
Insufficiency  of  the  said  Goal  and  pray  that  his  protest  may  be 
entered  accordingly." 

In  1725,  Nicholas  Larzelier,  then  high  sheriff,  repeated  the 
same  complaint  in  the  same  terms.  Two  years  after  he  repeated 
it  again,  but  what  result  attended  the  complaints  we  are  not  in- 
jormed.  A  new  court  house  and  jail  were  probably  erected  at 
R,iohmond,  whence  the  county  seat  was  removed  and  estab- 


HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  133 

lished.  The  earliest  mention  of  the  court  of  sessions  being  held, 
at  Richmond  is  dated  September  2,  1729. 

Previous  to  the  erection  of  a  court  house  the  courts  were  held 
in  private  houses  or  taverns.  The  following  entry  gives  some 
hints : 

"March 2,  1713 Court  a  Journed  till  to  morow  at  Ten 

of  the  Clock  in  the  forenoon  to  the  ITorth  Side  To  Coll  Grahams 
Court  opened,  and  ajourned  Till  y^  fist  Tuesday  on  7ber  [Sep- 
tember] next. — Grod  Save  the  Queen." 

Col.  Aug.  Graham  was  one  of  the  judges  of  the  common  pleas 
and  sessions. 

Debtors  were  arrested  and  obliged  to  give  bail  or  go  to  prison. 
The  return  of  the  precept  of  arrest  by  the  sheriff  or  constable 
was  "  Cepi  Corpus."  In  almost  every  instance  where  a  prisoner 
was  acquitted  by  the  jury,  he  was  discharged  by  the  court  upon 
payment  of  costs.  The  courts  of  general  sessions  were  fre- 
quently conducted  by  an  overflowing  bench,  as  for  example,  on 
the  22d  of  September,  1761,  there  were  present  the  first,  second 
and  third  judges,  and  nine  justices,  making  in  all  a  bench 
of  twelve.  It  was  a  common  thing  for  a  court  to  be  constituted 
with  eight,  nine  or  ten  judges. 

The  following  abstracts  from  court  records  will  be  read  with 
nterest : 

•'At  a  Court  of  Sessions  held  for  the  county  of  Richmond 
March  3,  1712. 

"Jos.  Arrowsmith,  Lambert  Garrison,  Nathi  Britton,- 
Abm.  Coole  [Cole],  Peter  Rezeau,  Esq^. 

"  March  y^  4th.  Court  opened  and  Grand  Jury  calld.  The 
presentmts  of  the  Grand  Jury  brought  in  ;  the  Court  orders 
prosess  to  be  issued  out  against  those  presented — viz.  Peter 
Bibout  for  beating  Mr  Mony  [Manee]  and  his  wiffe.  Barnt  Mar 
ling,  Andrew  Bowman,  William  Poord  &  The  Taylor  peter 
peryne  &  Vn.  Buttler,  Peter  Catherick  and  Nath^  Brittin  Junr. 
all  for  fighting.  John  Dove  and  John  Bilew  for  carrying  of 
Syder  upon  the  Sabbath  Day.  Abraham  Van  Tyle  for  allowing 
his  negroe  to  Cary  Irone  to  the  Smiths  on  the  Sabbath  day,  and 
Mark  Disosway  for  being  drunk  on  the  Sabbath  day." 


At  a  court  of  sessions  held  March  5th,  1716,  "  it  was  ordered 
by  the  court  that  Nicholas  ^rittin  pay  Twelve  shillings  ffine 
for  his  misbehavior  to  Nath^  Brittin  Esq.  and  also  ordered  that 


134  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY . 

he  beg  Justice  Brittins  pardon  and  promise  to  doe  so  no  more, 
and  also  to  pay  all  the  charges  of  this  action." 

September  3d,  1717,  all  the  retailers  of  strong  liquors  were 
summoned  to  appear  before, the  court  of  general  sessions  to 
show  by  what  authority  they  retailed ;  thereupon  appeared 
"Mauris  Williams,  Jean  Brown,  Anthony  Wright,  Barnt 
Symerson,  Daniel  Lane,  John  Garrea,  David  Bisset,  Cornelius 
Eyman,  Lamb*  Garrittson  Jun.  BenjiBill,  Jacob  Johnson,  Isaac 
Symerson,  Joseph  Bastido  " — thirteen  in  the  whole  county. 

Simon  Van  Name  was  a  jastice  of  the  peace,  and  a  prominent 
man  in  his  day.  We  give  below  copies  of  a  couple  of  legal 
documents  issued  by  him: 

"  Richmond  County 

To  the  Constable  of  the  north  diuision  where  as  Complaind 
is  made  by  Euert  van  name  unto  me  Simon  van  name  one  of  his 
Magistices  Justice  of  the  peace  that  Hennery  day  owith  him 
the  Sum  of  Seuen  Shillings  and  neglect  to  Pay  the  same  this  is 
theair  for  to  require  you  to  somins  the  same  hennery  day  to 
apear  before  me  at  my  dweling  house  on  thursday  next  at  one 
of  the  aclock  in  the  after  noon  which  will  be  the  13  day  of  this 
instient  month  els  Jugment  shall  go  against  him  by  The  fault 
giuen  from  under  my  hand  this  the  tenth  day  of  March  Ano 
domini  1728-9 

SiME   VAN  NAME." 

The  following  venire  has  a  paper  attached  to  it  containing  the 
names  of  twenty  persons,  the  first  twelve  of   whom  are  num- 
bered, and  probably  constituted  the  jury  in  the  cause: 
"  Richmond  to  the  Constable  of 

County  the  North  devision 

Where  as  there  is  an  action  depending  between  Tommas  mor- 
gan plantif  &  Isaac  Garrison  Defended  Both  of  the  County 
Abousd  [above  said]  and  the  Defendant  Desires  a  Jury  upon 
the  sd  Action  These  are  therefore  in  his  Maiestyes  Name  to 
Require  &  Command  you  to  Svmmons  Twelve  Sufficient  Men 
to  Appear  Before  me  on  Wensday  next  at  Twelve  of  the  Clock 
in  the  forenoon  of  the  Sameday  at  my  Dwelling  Hous  to  Serve 
as  Jvrers  upon  the  sd  Action  Depending  Whereof  fail  not 
Given  under  my  hand  Thee  twenty  seventh  day  of  July  Annoq. 
Dom.  1730 

SiME  VAN   NAME." 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  135 

Names  attached;  "  1  Abrajiam  corshon,  2  richard  crips,  3 
John  mengalrol],  4  garet  cruse,  5  philip  merel,  6  honas  deker, 
7  barnt  sweme,  8  ranses  bodine,  9  nicholes  stilwell,  10  nichles 
depue,  11  John  boker,  12  tunas  te  bout,  nickles  bush,  mr 
couanouer,  art  simanson,  Jacob  benet,  lambart  garison,  thomas 
lisk,  alexander  lisk,  ben  goman  ayrs." 

On  the  reverse  of  the  venire  are  the  following  endorsements: 
"  Richmond  County  July  the  29 
the  Jury  finds  for  the  sd  defendant. 

venire , 0.  1.  6 

to  the  constabel 0.  0 

swaring  the   Jury 2.  0 

swaring  y  evdens 1.  6 

swaring  the  Constel 6 

Entring  verdeck 1.  0 


6—6 

The  last  court  of  common  pleas  and  general  sessions  in  this 
county  under  the  colonial  government  was  held  September  26, 
1775.  Following  that  a  period  of  nearly  nine  years  elapsed  be- 
fore another  court  of  the  kind  was  held. 

The  following  names  appear  as  justices  of  the  peace  in  this 
county  at  an  early  period:  Ellis  Duxbury,  1692;  John  Shotwell, 
1692;  Abraham  Lackman,  1693;  Cornells  Corsen,  1689-90; 
Joseph  Billop,  1702-3. 

The  only  case  of  capital  punishment  executed  under  a  decree 
of  the  colonial  courts,  of  which  we  have  learned,  took  place 
about  two  or  three  years  before  the  revolutionary  war.  We 
depend  entirely  upon  tradition  for  the  account  of  it,  which  is  as 
follows  :  A  negro,  named  Anthony  Neal,  was  accused  of  break- 
ing into  and  robbing  the  store  kept  by  Col.  Aaron  Cortelyou. 
The  goods  that  were  taken  from  the  store  did  not  exceed  in 
value  twenty  dollars,  and  they  were  all  found  secreted  in  a 
wheat  feald  near  by.  The  accused  negro,  after  being  imprisoned 
about  two  months,  was  tried  and  convicted  and  hung.  The  ex- 
ecution took  place  just  by  the  school  house  at  Richmond,  the 
negro  protesting  his  innocence  with  his  latest  breath.  It  is  said 
that  on  the  day  following  the  execution  his  wife  confessed  that 
she  had  committed  the  theft  herself. 

A  slight  outline  of  certain  important  events  in  European  his- 
tory now  appears  necessary  as  an  introduction  to  the  memorial 


136  HISTOEr  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

of  an  interesting  incident,  of  wliich  Staten  Island  was  the 
scene  in  the  autumn  of  1761.  Be'tween  the  years  1756  and  1763 
the  seven  years'  war  raged  in  Germany.  In  this  remarkable 
contest  the  great  Frederick  had  to  defend  his  recently  acquired 
Silesia  and  the  new  kingly  dignity  of  his  house  against  the 
combined  powers  of  Prance,  Austria  and  Russia.  This  war 
with  "  the  three  petticoats  "  (Elizabeth,  Maria  Theresa  and  the 
Pompadour),  as  he  facetiously  termed  them,  was  in  fact,  on  his 
part,  a  desperate  struggle  for  existence,  in  which  he  would  per- 
haps have  succumbed  but  for  the  aid  of  England.  In  that 
country  Frederick,  whose  religious  ideas  were  of  the  most  un- 
orthodox liberality,  came  somehow  to  be  regarded  as  "  the 
Protestant  hero,"  and  after  ignominiou sly  defeating  the  French 
he  naturally  became  the  popular  idol. 

This  same  seven  years'  war  covers  in  American  history  a 
space  of  nine  years,  and  is  known  by  the  name  of  the  French 
and  Indian  war,  beginning  in  1754,  with  the  disputes  about  the 
French  and  English  colonial  boundaries  in  the  Mississippi  and 
Ohio  valleys,  and  blending  ultimately  with  the  great  European 
contest.  In  the  spring  of  1755  the  colonies  made  extensive 
preparations  for  an  attack  on  the  French,  but  owing  to  the  ig- 
norance of  their  commanders  in  regard  to  the  tactics  of  Indian 
warfare  the  campaign  was  utterly  unsuccessful.  Crown  Point 
and  Niagara  were  both  assailed,  but  neither  captured.  In  the 
campaign  of  1756  the  English  losses  were  even  greater,  their 
fort  at  Oswego,  with  1,600  men,  being  captured  by  the  French. 
This  was  followed  by  the  still  more  unsuccessful  campaign  of 
1757,  in  which  Fort  William  Henry,  on  Lake  George,  with  its 
garrison  of  3,000  men  was  compelled  to  surrender  to  the 
French. 

In  1758,  William  Pitt  (afterward  Lord  Chatham)  was  placed 
at  the  head  of  the  government  as  prime  minister  of  England. 
A  new  impulse  was  now  given  to  the  energies  of  the  nation, 
and  success  followed.  In  July,  Louisburg,  which  at  the  former 
peace  had  been  restored  to  the  French,  was  recaptured.  Fort 
Frontenac  was  captured  soon  after,  and  the  French  were 
compelled  to  abandon  Fort  du  Quesne.  General  Abercrombie 
attacked  Fort  Ticonderoga,  but  was  obliged  to  retire. 

Encouraged  by  these  successes,  the  colony  of  New  York  re- 
newed her  exertions  with  the  utmost  energy.  In  1759,  during 
the  short  period  of  five  months  she  raised  a  sum  of  $625,000  to  aid 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  137 

in  carrying  on  the  war,  and  levied  a  force  of  2,680  men.  In  that 
levy  the  quota  for  Kichmond  county  was  55  men.  Tioonderoga 
was  captured  by  General  Amherst,  early  in  the  season,  and 
Crown  Point  surrendered  a  few  days  later.  In  July,  General 
Prideaux  invested  Fort  Niagara,  and  though  he  was  killed  in 
the  attack,  Sir  William  Johnson,  his  successor  in  the  command, 
effected  its  reduction.  On  the  13th  of  September,  General 
Wolfe  laid  down  his  own  life  in  the  moment  of  victory,  when 
the  English  banners  floated  over  the  towers  of  Quebec.  In  1760, 
the  French  made  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  recapture  Quebec, 
and  on  the  8th  of  September,  all  the  French  possessions  in 
Canada,  except  the  two  small  islands  of  St.  Pierre  and  Miquelon, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  were  surrendered  to  the  Eng- 
lish. The  provincial  forces  who  had  been  engaged  in  its  reduc- 
tion, now  turned  their  faces  homeward,  while  a  large  body  of 
British  troops  were  established  in  a  camp  on  Staten  Island, 
where  they  remained  for  several  months.  General  Robert 
Moncton  had  command  of  this  army.  During  their  encamp- 
ment here  an  important  ceremony,  the  investment  of  Sir  Jeffery 
Amherst  with  the  "Order  of  the  Bath  "  took  place,  and  to  this 
interesting  event  our  introductory  remarks  under  this  sub- 
ject pointed.  Probably  Staten  Island  was  never  honored  with 
being  the  scene  of  a  more  dignified  or  important  royal  ceremony. 

On  the  28th  of  August,  1761,  General  Amherst,  having  rode 
on  horseback  down  the  west  side  of  the  Hudson  river  from 
Albany,  arrived  in  camp  at  Staten  Island.  The  35th  regiment 
of  British  regulars,  called  Otway's  regiment,  from  its  com- 
mander, had  arrived  in  the  Staten  Island  camp  from  Albany  about 
two  vpeeks  previous.  The  ceremony  of  investing  General  Am- 
herst with  the  knighthood  took  place  October  25,  1761,  in  the 
presence  of  all  the  dignitaries  of  the  province  and  a  large  con- 
course of  spectators,  assembled  at  the  camp  on  Staten  Island. 

The  explanation  will  not  be  out  of  place  here  that  the  mili- 
tary order  of  Knights  of  the  Bath  originated,  as  is  supposed, 
about  the  time  of  Henry  IV,  of  England.  At  the  coronation  of 
that  king,  in  1339,  a  number  of  esquires  were  made  knights  of 
the  bath  because  they  had  watched  and  batbed  meanwhile  during 
the  preceding  night.  From  that  time  it  was  usual  for  the  kings 
of  Great  Britain  to  create  knights  of  this  order  on  great  and 
joyous  occasions,  such  as  their  own  coronation  or  the  birth  or 
marriage  of  princes  or  on   the  eve  or  following  the  successful 


138  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

issue  of  some  great  foreign  expedition.  The  investment  of 
General  Amherst  was  probably  in  honor  of  the  advantageous 
conclusion  of  the  struggle  with  the  French  on  the  Canadian 
frontier.  The  badge  of  the  order  was  of  pure  gold,  a  sceptre  of 
three  united  imperial  crowns,  from  which  grew  the  rose,  the 
thistle  and  the  shamrock,  and  aronnd  which  was  inscribed 
the  ancient  motto,  "  Tria  junota  in  unoy  It  was  hung  by  a 
red  ribbon  from  the  collar  obliquely  over  the  right  shoulder. 
Other  accessories  of  the  insignia  a  massive  gold  collar,  rich  in 
engraved  designs,  and  a  silver  star  resembling  the  badge  and 
with  a  glory  of  rays  proceeding  from  its  center,  to  adorn  the 
left  shoulder.  The  order  was  divided  into  three  ranks,  desig- 
nated in  importance  as  first,  knights  grand  crosses ;  second, 
knights  commanders,  and  third,  knights  companions.  The 
proper  place  for  their  installation  to  be  celebrated  was  in  the 
nave  of  Henry  the  Seventh's  chapel,  Westminster  Abbey, 
which  in  this  instance  was  impracticable.  The  warrant  for 
the  ceremony  here  was  found  in  the  following  letter  from  the 
prime  minister  of  England: 

"  Whitehall,  July  17th,  1761. 
"  Sir, 

"His  Majesty  having  been  graciously  pleased,  as  a  Mark 
of  His  Royal  Approbation,  of  the  many  and  eminent  Services 
of  Major  General  Amherst,  to  nominate  him  to  be  one  of  the 
Knights  Companions  of  the  Most  Honorable  Order  of  the  Bath; 
and  it  being  necessary  that  he  should  be  invested  with  the  En- 
signs of  the  said  Order,  which  are  transmitted  to  him,  by  this 
Opportunity;  I  am  to  signify  to  you  the  King's  Pleasure,  that 
you  should  perform  that  Ceremony;  and  it  being  his  Majesty's 
Intention,  that  the  same  be  done  in  the  Most  Honourable  and 
Distinguished  Manner  that  Circumstances  will  allow  of,  you 
will  concert,  and  adjust  with  General  Amherst  such  Time  and 
Manner  for  Investing  him  with  the  Ensigns  of  the  Order  of 
the  Bath  as  shall  appear  to  you  most  proper  for  shewing  all 
due  Respect  to  the  King's  Order,  and  as  may,  at  the  same 
Time  mark  in  the  most  publick  Manner,  His  Majesty's  just 
sense  of  the  Constant  Zeal,  and  Signal  Abilities,  which  Gen- 
eral Amherst  has  exerted  in  the  Service  of  His  King  and 
Country. 

"I  am  &c. 

"W.  Pitt. 
"Honourable  Robert  Monckton." 


HISTORY  OP  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  139 

In  presence  of  the  concourse  of  people  assembled  at  the  time 
and  place  appointed  for  the  ceremonies  General  Moncton  read 
the  foregoing  letter,  and  then  proceeded  to  place  the  ribbon  over 
General  Amherst's  shoulder,  meanwhile  making  an  apology 
that  circumstances  would  not  admit  of  more  formal  investi- 
ture. To  this  General  Amherst  replied  in  the  following  short 
speech  : 

"  Sir:  I  am  truly  sensible  of  this  distinguishing  mark  of  His 
Majesty's  royal  approbation  of  my  conduct,  and  shall  ever 
esteem  it  as  such.  And  I  must  beg  leave  to  express  to  you  the 
peculiar  satisfaction  I  have,  and  the  pleasure  it  gives  me  to  re- 
ceive this  mark  of  favor  from  your  hands." 

Demonstrations  of  applause  followed  the  ceremony,  and  a 
few  days  later,  when  General  Amherst  went  from  Staten  Island 
to  the  city  his  arrival  there  was  greeted  by  the  firing  of  seven- 
teen guns  from  Fort  George.  He  was  now  spoken  of  as  "his 
Excellency  Sir  JeflEery  Amherst,  K.  B.,  from  the  army  on 
Stalen  Island."  Following  this  ceremony  General  Moncton 
was  installed  governor  of  New  York,  and  the  city  was  illumi- 
nated. 

Governor  Moncton  did  not  remain  in  the  seat  of  state,  but 
appointing  a  deputy,  he  went  with  the  army  on  its  expedition 
to  the  West  Indies.  The  army  encamped  on  Staten  Island  com- 
prised eleven  regiments  who  had  returned  from  the  Canadian 
frontier,  under  Generals  Moncton,  Amherst  and  Otway.  The 
encampment  was  on  the  central  part  of  the  island,  and  they 
remained  here  from  August  till  November.  Here  they  formed 
a  market  and  invited  the  farmers  to  bring  in  stock  and  produce 
to  sell  to  the  army.  When  all  was  ready  the  army  embarked 
on  board  of  a  fleet  of  one  hundred  sail  of  vessels,  which  on 
the  15th  of  November  put  to  sea  with  a  fair  wind. 

Reviewing  the  French  war,  we  find  but  little  in  which  the 
people  of  Staten  Island  were  directly  connected  with  it.  They 
raised  their  proportion  of  money  and  their  quota  of  men  as 
contributions  to  sustain  the  cause.  Of  the  men  we  have  no 
knowledge  farther  than  that  Thomas  Arrowsmith  was  captain 
of  a  company  in  1758  and  '59,  and  Anthony  Waters  was  a 
captain  in  1760. 

One  of  the  most  important  services  was  the  capture  of  the 
French  Fort  Frontenac,  on  the  27th  of  August,  1758.  With 
3,000  men,  mostly  provincials,  Colonel    Bradstreet    traversed 


140  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

the  wilderness  between  Albany  and  Lake  Ontario,  carrying 
with  him  eight  pieces  of  cannon,  and  three  mortars.  Among 
these  troops  was  a  regiment  commanded  by  Colonel  Corse,  of 
Queens  county,  and  in  that  regiment  was  Captain  Thomas  Ar- 
rowsmith's  company  of  Staten  Islanders.  This  regiment  con- 
tributed materially  to  the  success  of  the  expedition.  Corse 
volunteered  to  erect  a  battery  during  the  night  of  the  26th,  and 
effected  his  purpose  under  a  continuous  fire  from  the  fort.  On 
the  morning  of  the  27th,  this  battery  opened  on  the  enemy, 
who  at  once  deserted  the  fort  and  fled.  The  material  captured 
with  the  fort  consisted  of  forty-six  pieces  of  cannon,  sixteen 
mortars,  and  a  very  large  quantity  of  military  stores,  provisions 
and  merchandise. 

In  connection  herewith  the  following  advertisement  which 
appeared  in  April,  1756,  affords  interesting  suggestions  and  ex- 
plains itself,  though  we  do  not  know  the  result: 

SCHEME 

Of  a  Lottery  for  raising  One  Hundred  and  Fifty  Pounds. 
"Whereas  the  Free  holders  and  Inhabitants  of  the  County 
of  Richmond,  are  enabled  by  an  Act  of  the  Governor,  Council 
and  General  Assembly,  of  the  Colony  of  New  York,  to  raise 
by  Way  of  Lottery  a  Sum  not  exceeding  the  sum  of  One  Hun- 
dred and  Fifty  Pounds,  to  purchase  Arms  and  Accoutrements, 
for  the  Use  of  such  Persons,  in  the  said  County,  as  are  unable 
to  provide  themselves  therewith,  in  Cases  of  Necessity.  And 
whereas  the  said  County  of  Richmond  is  a  Frontier  County, 
and  liable,  in  Case  of  an  Attack,  to  be  the  first  invaded,  it  is 
hoped  all  Lovers  of  their  Country  will  generously  encourage 
the  said  Lottery. 
No.  of  Prizes.  Pieces  of  Eight.  Whole  Value. 

1  of  375  is  375 

2  187       and  a  half  are       375 
4  125  500 

10  25  250 

25  12  300 

40  10  400 

60  5  300 


142  Prizes. 
858  Blanks. 


1,000  Tickets  at  2  and  a  Half  Pieces  of  8  is  2,500 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  141 

'■  As  soon  as  the  Lottery  is  finished  Drawing,  the  Prizes  will 
be  published  in  the  New  York  Gazette,  and  the  Money  paid  to 
the  Possessors  of  the  fortunate  Tickets,  fourteen  Days  after  the 
Drawing  of  the  said  Lottery,  Fifteen  per  Cent,  being  first  de- 
ducted out  of  the  Whole  ;  which  several  Deductions  of  Fifteen 
per  Cent,  are  to  be  applied  for  the  Purposes  aforesaid. 

"Proper  Notice  will  be  given  by  the  Persons  appointed  to 
manage  the  said  Lottery,  of  the  precise  Time  of  Drawing  the 
same  ;  which  Persons  are  Mr.  Samuel  Brooms  and  Colonel  Ben- 
jamin Seamans,  who  are  to  give  Bond,  and  be  under  Oath,  for 
the  faithful  Performance  of  the  Trust  reposed  in  them. 

"Tickets  are  to  be  sold  by  the  said  Managers  at  their  respect- 
ive Dwellings,  in  the  said  County,  and  by  the  Promoters 
hereof. ' ' 

Some  description  of  scenes  and  physical  improvements  under 
the  colonial  period  will  be  of  interest,  and  may  perhaps  be  pre- 
sented here  as  fitly  as  elsewhere.  The  laying  out  of  roads  was 
one  of  the  first  forms  of  public  improvement,  some  of  which 
remain  in  their  original  position  to  the  present  day.  As  matter 
of  interest  in  connection  herewith  we  copy  the  following  record. 

"  This  following  Instrument  was  Recorded  for  the  Inhabit- 
ants of  the  west  divishone  by  the  order  of  the  worshipefull 
bench  sitting  in  Coarte  of  seshones  the  week  In  September  1694 
for  the  Regelating  &  Laying  out  all  the  highwayes  with  in  said 
quarter  &  Entred  upon  Record  the  :  9th  day  of  septr  1694. 
Richmond  County  this  first  day  of  September  annoque  dom: 
1694:  By  vertue  of  Awarend  dyreckted  to  the  Constabell  of  the 
west  dyvishone  with  In  the  foresaid  County  to  sommonse  the 
free  holders  of  said  quarter  to  Asemble  &  meete  to  Gather  to 
Ereckte  Apoainte  &  Lay  out  such  hyghwaies  with  in  said  quar- 
ter As  the  Inhabitants  shall  thinke  futt  and  most  Conveainent 
for  the  youse  &  behoofe  of  his  magistie  and  his  subgeckts  &  for 
the  Inhabitants  That  lives  back  in  the  woods  to  transport  them- 
selvfes  &  Goods  to  the  water  sid.  The  freeholders  having  mett 
to  Gather  on  the  day  &  yeare  Above  written  And  ordred  and 
apoainted  &  Laid  out  the  highwayes  as  heare  after  are  spresi- 

fied 

:  1  :  ordered  one  highway  of  six  Rod  to  be  betwene  Anthoney 
deshon  and  lofa  fonoay  Cut  by  Consent  AUtred  and  Laid  out 
betwene  Anthoney  deshon  and  Jerome  deshon  begining  att  the 
Could  spring 


142  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

:  2  :  To  one  highway  betwene  Clays  Lazeleare  &  John  Cor- 
nealisone  of  six  Rood 

:  3 :  To  one  highway  betwene  Williame  Elstones  Land  de- 
ceased &  abraham  Coole  of  six  Rod. 

:  4 :  To  one  highway  betwene  mr  Leflore  &  peter  Jonsea  wide 
of  six  Rod 

:  5 :  To  one  high  way  betwene  Adame  hud  &  mr  Emet  next  to 
adem  hud  of  six  Rod 

:  6  :  To  one  high  way  betwene  fransis  barber  &  the  Copper 
Planes  of  six  Rod 

:  7  :  To  one  high  way  betwene  John  Ray  &  markes  disosway 
of  six  Rods 

:  8 :  To  one  highway  betwene  mr  John  Lecount  &  Capten 
bilope  of  six  Rod 

:  9  :  To  one  highway  from  the  west  side  begining  att  mr  Le- 
counts  frount  &  Runes  Cleare  over  throw  the  wods  by  the  Line 
of  Capten  bilope  to  the  widow  bealies  house 

:  10  :  To  one  highway  betwene  Cornell  dongones  Land  and 
anthoney  Tyse  throw  the  wods  To  the  west  side  betwene  the 
Gfuset  and  Richard  wods  Land  bat  Left  out  of  the  Guset  &  soe 
downe  betwene  Abraham  Cooles  &  the  Land  that  was  william 
Elstones 

:  11  :  To  one  high  way  betwene  mr  Cathentone  &  the  widow 
haule  of  six  Rood 

:  12  :  To  one  high  way  betwene  domeney  tarsmaker  &  John 
bodine  of  six  rood 

:  13  :  To  one  high  way  by  the  water  side  from  John  bodines 
to  Capten  bilopes  Land  of  eight  Rod 

:  14  :  To  one  high  way  by  the  water  side  begining  att  mr  John 
Lecounts  &  soe  to  the  pipe  makers  and  from  thence  throw  the 
woods  to  the  water  side  by  peter  Jonseames  his  house  and  from 
thence  by  the  water  side  to  the  Land  of  John  hendriksone 

:  15  :  To  one  high  way  from  peter  Jonseameses  alongst  the 
water  side  in  the  frount  of  mr  Stimorles  Land  &  adaham  huds 
&  Elishea  parbers  and  soe  alongst  the  water  side  to  the  Coper 
planers 

:16:  To  one  high  way  from  the  koirb  of  John  hendrikesone 
alongst  the  water  side  To  Clais  Laseleare 

This  is  atrew  Record  by  the  order  of  the  Coarte  of  seshones    ' 
"Entred  &  Recorded  by  mee 

"  Jacob  Corbett  :  Cla  :  " 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  143 

In  cumpliance  with  a  similar  order  of  the  court  of  sessions 
March  4,  1700,  relating  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  north  division, 
the  following  roads  were  laid  out  in  that  quarter  and  recorded 
the  17th  day  of  March,  1700  : 

"  1 :  To  one  highway  along  the  front  of  Karels  neck  Six  Rods 
in  breadth  &  so  along  royl  land  where  Oswald  ford  liveth 

:  2  :  To  one  high  way  between  the  Land  of  Christian  Corsson 
&  Segir  gerritse  running  to  Coecles  Town  Six  rodd  in  breadth." 

There  is  a  tradition  that  the  Richmond  road  is  the  oldest  road 
on  the  island,  but  at  what  date  it  was  opened  we  are  not  in- 
formed. Very  probably  it  follows  the  course  of  a  pre-historic 
Indian  trail.  It  is  said  that  it  was  originally  laid  out  eight 
rods  in  width.  The  object  of  this  was  to  prevent  as  much  as 
possible  the  danger  of  Indians  lying  in  ambush  and  attacking 
travellers  unawares,  by  giving  a  chance  for  clear  vision  some 
distance  ahead. 

A  road  from  Betty  Morgan's  house  to  Dongan's  lower  mill 
was  closed  and  another  opened  in  its  stead  April  8,  1758.  The 
latter  ran  from  the  road  that  connected  Karle's  neck  and  Rich- 
mond, beginning  on  that  road  at  a  point  on  John  Betty's  land, 
thence  past  Betty  Morgan's  house,  taking  on  its  way  the  course 
of  the  "gully  running  to  Mr.  Totten's  Bridge,"  and  other  lines 
and  paths  till  it  reached  Colonel  Dongan's  lower  mill. 

A  road  from  Darby  Doyle's  ferry  to  Billop's  ferry,  and 
another  from  the  iN'arrowsor  Simons  on' s  ferry  to  meet  rhe  other 
at  the  school  house  of  Garrison's  were  laid  out  March  14,  1774. 
A  road  from  the  soldiers'  lots  to  John  Bodine's  was  laid  out  at 
the  same  time. 

From  a  publication  in  London,  dated  1760,  we  abstract  the 
following  description  of  Staten  Island  at  that  time  : 

"  Staten  Island  at  its  east  end  has  a  ferry  of  three  miles  to 
the  west  end  of  Long  Island  ;  at  its  west  end  is  a  ferry  of  one 
mile  to  Perth- Amboy  of  East  Jersies  ;  it  is  divided  from  East 
Jersies  by  a  creek  ;  is  in  length  about  twelve  miles,  and  about 
six  miles  broad,  and  makes  one  county,  called  Richmond,  which 
pays  scarce  one  in  one  and  twenty  of  the  provincial  tax  ;  it  is 
all  in  one  parish,  but  several  congregations,  viz.,  an  English, 
Dutch,  and  French  congregation  ;  the  inhabitants  are  mostly 
English  ;  only  one  considerable  village  called  Cuckold's-town." 

Professor  Kalm,  a  French  traveller,  made  the  Journey  from 
Philadeli»hia  to  New  York,  by  way  of  Staten  Island,  on  horse- 


144  HISTORY  OF  IIICHMOND  COUNTY. 

back  ia  1748.     The  party  of  which  he  was  a  member  left  Phila 
delphia  October  27th,  and  came  by  way  of  Bristol,   Trenton, 
Princeton,  New  Brunswick,  Woodbridge,  Elizabethtown  and 
Staten  Island.     From  his  accounts  of  the  places  on  his  route 
we  make  the  following  extract. 

"  At  night  we  took  up  our  lodgings  iit  Elizabethtown  Point,  an 
inn  about  two  English  miles  distant  from  the  town,  and  the 
last  house  on  this  road  belonging  to  New  Jersey.  The  man  who 
had  taken  the  lease  of  it,  together  with  that  of  the  ferry  near 
it,  told  us  that  he  paid  a  hundred  and  ten  pounds  of  Pennsyl- 
vania currency  to  the  owner. 

"  October  the  30th.  We  were  ready  to  proceed  on  our  jour- 
ney at  sun  rising.  Near  the  inn  where  we  had  passed  the  night, 
we  were  to  cross  a  river,  and  we  were  brought  over,  together 
with  our  horses,  in  a  wretched,  half  rotten  ferry.  This  river 
came  a  considerable  way  out  of  the  country,  and  small  vessels 
could  easily  sail  u^)  it.  This  was  a  great  advantage  to  the  in- 
habitants of  the  neighboring  country,  giving  them  an  oppor- 
tunity of  sending  their  goods  to  New  York  with  great  ease ;  and 
they  even  made  use  of  it  for  trading  to  the  West  Indies.  The 
country  was  low  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  consisted  of 
meadows.  But  there  was  no  other  hay  to  be  got,  than  such  as 
commonly  grows  in  swampy  grounds ;  for  as  the  tide  comes  up 
in  this  river,  these  low  plains  were  sometimes  overflowed  when 
the  water  was  high.  The  people  hereabouts  are  said  to  be 
troubled  in  summer  with  immense  swarms  of  gnats  or  musque. 
toes,  which  sting  them  and  their  cattle.  This  was  ascribed  to 
the  low  swampy  meadows,  on  which  these  insects  deposite  their 
eggs,  which  are  afterwards  hatched  by  the  heat. 

"  As  soon  as  we  had  got  over  the  river,  we  were  upon  Staten 
Island,  which  is  quite  surrounded  with  salt  water.  This  is  the 
beginning  of  the  province  of  New  YorTc.  Most  of  the  people 
settled  here  were  DutcJimen,  or  such  as  came  hither  whilst  the 
Dutch  were  yet  in  possession  of  this  place.  But  at  present 
they  were  scattered  among, the  English  and  oth^v  European 
inhabitants,  and  spoke  English  for  the  greatest  part.  The 
prospect  of  the  country  here  is  extremely  pleasing,  as  it  is  not 
so  much  intercepted  by  woods,  but  offers  more  cultivated  fields 
to  view.  Hills  and  vallies  still  continued,  as  usual  to  change 
alternately. 
"  The  farms  were  near  each  other.     Most  of  the  houses  were 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  145 

wooden;  however,  some  were  built  of  stone.  Near  every  farm- 
house was  an  orchard  with  apple  trees  ;  the  fruit  was  already 
for  the  greatest  part  gathered.  Here,  and  on  the  whole  jour- 
ney before,  I  observed  a  press  for  cyder  at  every  farm-house, 
made  in  different  manners,  by  which  the  people  had  already 
pressed  the  juice  out  of  the  apples,  or  were  just  busied  with 
that  work.  Some  people  made  use  of  a  wheel  made  of  thick 
oak  planks,  which  turned  upon  a  wooden  axis  by  means  of  a 
horse  drawing  it,  much  in  the  same  manner  as  the  people  do 
with  woad  ;  except  that  here  the  wheel  runs  upon  planks. 
Cherry  trees  stood  along  the  enclosures  round  corn-fields. 

"  The  cornfields  were  excellently  situated,  and  either  sown 
with  wheat  or  rye.  They  had  no  ditches  on  their  sides,  but  (as 
is  usual  in  England)  only  furrows;  drawn  at  greater  or  less  dis- 
tances from  each  other. 

"In  one  place  we  observed  a  water  mill,  so  situated  that 
when  the  tide  flowed  the  water  ran  into  a  pond  :  but  when  it 
ebbed  the  floodgate  was  drawn  up,  and  the  mill  driven  by  the 
water  flowing  out  of  the  pond. 

"  About  eight  of  the  clock  in  the  morning  we  arrived  at  the 
place  where  we  were  to  cross  the  water,  in  order  to  come  to  the 
town  of  New  York.  We  left  our  horses  here  and  went  on 
board  the  yacht  :  we  were  to  go  eight  English  miles  by  sea  ; 
however  we  landed  about  eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning  at  New 
York.  We  saw  a  kirnd  of  wild  ducks  in  immense  quantities 
upon  the  water  :  the  people  called  them  Blue  Mils,  and  they 
seemed  to  be  the  same  with  onr  Pintail  ducks,  or  Linnaeus'' s 
Anasacuta  :  but  they  were  very  shy." 

Without  any  especial  attempt  at  order  in  arrangement  or 
date  we  shall  now  review  such  of  the  customs  and  habits  of  the 
people  of  this  period  as  the  sources  of  our  information  afford 
us  a  glimpse  of. 

In  colonial  times  the  people  used  wooden  trenches  and  pew- 
ter platters  and  other  dishes  at  their  meals,  the  poorer  classes 
using  the  former  and  the  more  wealthy  using  the  latter.  They 
were  very  fond  of  pewter  mugs  and  porringers,  which  were  a 
kind  of  round  bowl  with  a  handle  prettily  carved,  and  was 
used  more  particularly  for  drinking  chocolate,  that  beverage 
being  then  more  common  than  tea  or  coffee.  Chocolate  was  the 
common  drink  for  supper.  Coffee  and  tea  were  little  used, 
though  it  is  said  coffee  was  introduced  here  about  1650.    When 

10 


146  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

tea  was  first  introduced  here  there  seems  to  have  been  some  un- 
certainty as  to  what  was  its  most  appropriate  use,  An  amus- 
ing story  is  told  of  one  Mr.  Crocheron,  who,  having  heard  of 
the  new  herb  called  tea,  bought  a  pound  of  it  and  took  it 
home.  When  he  wished  to  boil  a  ham  bethought  the  aromatic 
qualities  of  the  tea  would  improve  it,  so  he  strewed  his  pqund 
of  tea  over  the  ham  and  boiled  them  all  up  together.  To  have 
her  pewter  ware  scoured  clean  and  bright,  and  well  arranged  for 
display  on  the  shelves  of  her  kitchen  was  the  pride  of  the  in- 
dustrious housewife.  Feather  beds  were  in  common  use,  sum- 
mer and  winter. 

The  general  breakfast  of  rich  and  poor  was  suppaun  and 
milk.  Toast  and  cider  was  a  very  common  article  of  diet,  the 
bread  being  toasted  and  put  into  the  cider,  and  sometimes  the 
cider  was  substituted  by  chocolate.  They  often  had  four  meals 
a  day.  After  the  breakfast  described  above  came  dinner  in  the 
middle  of  the  day,  at  which  a  favorite  dish  was  "samp-por- 
ridge," a  kind  of  soup  made  with  meat,  potatoes,  turnips  and 
the  like.  Between  daylight  and  dark  they  took  a  light  lunch, 
with,  perhaps,  a  cup  of  tea,  then  had  supper  about  nine  o'clock. 
This  consisted  of  suppaun  and  milk,  or  bread  and  milk,  or 
toast  and  cider  again.  Thus  it  will  be  noticed  that  though 
they  had  frequent  meals  their  bill  of  fare  was  a  very  plain  one 
and  was  not  remarkable  for  its  variety. 

To  ride  on  horseback  was  a  much  more  common  method  of 
travelling  than  it  is  now.  It  was  indeed  then  the  most  com- 
mon one  in  use.  A  man  took  his  wife  and  a  young  man  took 
his  girl,  on  the  same  horse  with  himself,  the  lady  riding  behind 
her  cavalier.  Sometimes  a  pillion  was  used,  but  they  generally 
rode  bare-back.  Vehicles  were  very  rare,  and  consisted  almost 
entirely  of  farm  wagons  and  carts,  which  were  used  for  pur- 
poses of  pleasure  as  well  as  business.  Carpets  on  the  floors 
were  then  almost  unknown,  but  the  tidy  housewife  of  those 
times  kept  the  floors  of  her  living  rooms  well  scrubbed,  bright 
and  clean,  and  then  sprinkled  white  sand  over  them,  distributing 
it  in  frescoes  over  the  floor  by  artistic  flourishes  of  the  broom. 

Shortly  before  the  revolution,  tradition  asserts  that  the  people 
were  unusually  superstitious.  A  number  of  stories  of  witches 
and  strange  apparitions  are  handed  down.  One  tells  of  a  child 
that  was  seen  at  night  all  clothed  in  red  on  a  certain  rock  at 
Springville  which  lay  across  the  road  from  the  school  house, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  147 

but  has  since  been  blasted.  Another  tells  us  of  a  mysterious 
black  dog  as  large  as  a  horse  that  used  to  frequent  a  spot  called 
"  the  signs,"  and  at  night  would  appear  beside  horseback  riders 
and  trot  along  with  them.  One  negro  who  was  riding  with  a 
broad-axe  in  his  hand,  had  the  boldness  to  strike  a  terrific  blow, 
but  the  dog  vanished  from  beneath  it  and  the  axe  fell  to  the 
ground.  Another  tells  of  a  negro  slave  who  ran  away  and  a 
well  disposed  witch  brought  him  back  and  jilaced  him  in  his 
bed  at  night.  But  he  was  so  much  exhausted  from  the 
rough  handling  of  the  witch  that  he  could  not  get  out  of  bed 
for  three  or  four  days.  There  were  also  the  "  Haunted  Woods," 
on  the  road  to  Old  Town,  and  the  "Haunted  Bridge,"  on  the 
road  to  Amboy,  each  of  which  had  its  tale  of  supernatural 
mystery.  Had  the  sage  of  "Suanyside"  pitched  his  tent  for 
awhile  on  Staten  Island  he  might  have  embalmed  some  of  them 
in  the  charms  of  classic  literature,  where  perchance  they  would 
have  been  rivals  for  "  Sleepy  Hollow"  or  "  Rip  Van  Winkle." 

In  the  time  of  which  we  are  speaking  flax  was  raised  here, 
and  linen  manufactured  from  it  in  the  families  of  the  farmers. 
"Flax  bees"  were  social  merry-making  occasions  on  which 
labor  was  combined  with  entertainment.  The  flax  having  been 
properly  rotted  was  "  crackled,"  "hatcheled"  and  otherwise 
prepared  for  the  more  tedious  work  of  spinning  and  weaving. 
After  the  work  of  the  evening  was  done  girls  and  boys  would  join 
in  a  dance  for  a  considerable  part  of  the  balance  of  the  night. 
And  who  shall  say  that  the  sturdy  youths  and  ruddy  faced 
girls  of  that  day,  in  their  plain  home-spun  clothing,  after  an 
evening's  vigorous  toil  and  surrounded  by  the  rustic  appurten- 
ances of  the  homes  in  which  they  were  assembled,  did  not  en- 
joy the  sweets  of  social  intercourse  just  as  fully  as  the  beaux 
and  belles  of  to-day  with  all  the  dainty  luxuries  of  modern 
dress  and  surroundings. 

Nearly  all  the  farmers  had  slaves  in  those  days.  These  were 
uniformly  well  treated.  It  was  customary  for  them  to  live,  eat 
and  sleep  in  the  kitchens.  After  their  household  duties  for  the 
day  were  accomplished  the  black  women  were  commonly  en- 
gaged in  spinning  linen  or  twine.  The  men  also  would  spin  with 
an  instrument  called  a  "  haspel "  the  yarn  for  ropes,  to  be  taken 
to  the  rope-walks  to  be  made  up. 

A  list  of  the  names  of  slaves,  male  and  female,  above  four- 
teen years  of  age  owned  in  the  north  division  of   Staten  Island 


148 


HISTOEY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 


in  1755,  is  still  preserved.     We  give  the  list,  vfith  the  names  of 
their  owners,  as  it  appears, 

"  A  List  of  The  Names  Male  and  Female  belonging  to 


Males. 

Females. 

Thomas  Dongan 

1st  Thomas  Tice 

1st  Philis 

2d   Ceaser 

2    Peg 

3d   Jack 

3     Hanna 

4th  Jack  Mollato 

5th  Joe 

6  th  Robbin 

7th  Parris 

Jacob  Corssen  Ceneor 

1:  Japhory 

1:  Mary 

2:  Sam 

2:  Nanne 

3:  Jupeter  - 

Jacob  Corssen  Juner 

1   Rose 
2:  Nans 

John  Vegte 

1:  Tom 

1:  Bette 

2:  Primes 

Gerardus  Beekman 

2:  Jean 

1  Bristo 

1  June 

In  the  Care  of  G.  Beekman  and 

Belonging  to  John  Beekman  in  New  York. 

1:  One  Negro  Na. 

Sam 

2:  One  Negro  Na. 

Jo 

3:  One  Negro  Na. 

Warwick 

Antony  Watters 

1:  One  Negro  Na, 

Sam 

1:  One  W  Leana 

2:  One  Negro  Na, 

Will 

Henry  Cruse 

2:  One  W  Phillis 

1  One  negroNa  Charles 

1:  One  WNa  lade 

Cornelius  Cruse 
Simon  Simonson 

1:  One  Negro  Na  Napten 

Johanis  de  Groet 

1:  One  negro  Na  Jack 


2:  One  W  na  Dina 
3:  One  W  na  Sary 
1:  One  W  na  Dina 


1:  One  W.  Na  Susanna 


HISTOEY  OP  KIOHMOND  COUNTY. 

Joseph  Rolf 


149 


1:  One  negro  Na,  sam 

Cristeiaen  Corssen 
1.  One  Negro  N'a,  Jack 
2:  One  Negro  Na  Nenes 

Josuah  Merseral 
1:  One  Negro  Na  Flip 

John  Deceer 
1:  One  Negro  named  Jem 

Grarret  Orussen 

Garrit  Post 

John  Roll  Junr 

Barent  marteling 

Richard  merrill 


1:  One  W,  Na  Jude 
1:  One  W,  Na  Sary 


1 :  one  Negro  Na  Bos. 
1  one,  Na  Jack 
1.  one  Na.  forlen 

1.  one  Na  Sam 
one  na  Bink 

1  Negor  N  harry 

2  Dto      N  John 

1  Negro  Tom 

1  Negro  Na  Quam 

1  Negro  Na  Jack 

2  Dto  Na  Tom 

1  Negro  Na  Ben 
1  Negro  Na  kos 
1  Negro  Na  Kinck 

1  Negro  Na  Tom 

2  Dto  Na  Cornelias 

3  Dto  Na  harry 


Otto  Yan  tuyl 

Bastian  Ellis 
John  Veltmon 
Abraham  Prall 

Charles  Mecleen 

Margret  Simonson 

Joseph  Lake 

John    Roll 


1:  One  W,  Na  Darkis 

1 :  One  W,  Na  Jane 
1:  One  W,  Na  mat 
1:  One  W,  Na  bet 

1.  One  W,  Na  flore 

1:  One  W  Na  Sary 


One  W  Na  Title 
One  W  Na  Sary 

1  W  Na  Jane 

2  W,  Na  Jude 


1  Wench  Na  Hage 

2  Dto  Na  Jane 

3  Dto  Na  Bet 


1  Wench  Na  fioar 
1  Wench  Na  Peg 
1  Wench  Na  Sary 


150 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 


1  Negro  Na  Lue 
1  Negro  Na  Tom 
1  Negro  Na  Sambo 

1  Negro  Na  harry 
1  Negro  Na  frank 
1  Negro  Na  Harry 


Elenor  haughwout 

Abraham  Crocheron 

Barnit  De  Pue 

John  Crocheron 

David  Cannon 
Aron  Prall 

Chary  ty  Merrill 

Joseph  Begel 


1  Wench  Na  Bet 


1  Wench  Na  Mary 
1  Wench  febe 


1  Wench  Na  Bet 


1  Wench  Na  Philis 
Cornelias  Korsan        Wench  Na  Susanna 
"  A  list  of  the  Negroes  of  my  division  in  the 
North  Compeny  of  Staten  Island. 

"  Jacob  Corssen  Jur  " 

While  we  are  speaking  of  slavery  the  following  copy  of  an 
advertisement  dated  July  5,  1756,  will  throw  some  light  on  the 
customs  of  the  time  in  regard  to  the  subject: 

"  Eun  away  the  2d  Instant  July,  from  John  Becker,  of 
Staten  Island,  a  negro  Man,  being  a  short  chubby  Fellow,  with 
extraordinary  bushy  Hair,  is  bare  foot,  and  has  a  Soldier's 
red  Great  Coat  on.  Also  run  away  from  the  Widow  ^^MouqIlz.^ 
wout,  of  the  said  Island,  a  negro  Wench,  of  middle  Size,  is  with 
Child,  and  speaks  broken  English,  and  has  a  Bundle  of  Clothes 
with  her.  It  is  supposed  they  went  together.  Whoever  takes 
up  the  said  negro  Man  and  Wench,  and  secures  them  so  that 
they  be  had  again,  shall  have  Forty  Shillings  Reward,  and 
Charges  paid  by  the  Owners,  John  Decker  and  Widow  Haugh- 
wout.'''' 

As  the  life  of  a  slave  was  doomed  to  be  one  of  labor,  intellect- 
ual cultivation  was  deemed  unnecessary  ;  some  few,  however, 
were  taught  sufficiently  to  enable' them  to  read  the  Bible,  and' 
as  they  were  admitted  to  be  responsible  hereafter  for  the  deeds 
done  in  this  life,  religious  instructions  in  pious  families  were 
not  neglected.  It  was  not  unusual  to  see  master  and  slave 
working  together  in  the  fields  apparently  on  terms  of  perfect 
equality,  but  there  were  lines  drawn,  beyond  which  neither 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  151 

males  nor  females  dared  to  trespass.  In  the  kitchen,  especially 
in  the  long  winter  evenings,  the  whites  and  blacks  indiscrimin- 
ately surrounded  the  same  huge  fire,  ate  apples  from  the  same 
dish,  poured  cider  from  the  same  pitcher,  and  cracked  nuts  and 
jokes  with  perfect  freedom. 

The  dwellings  of  the  early  settlers  were  unavoidably  rude 
and  more  or  less  uncomfortable  and  inconvenient.  As  the  so- 
ciety ripened  into  the  Colonial  period,  however,  some  improve- 
ment was  made.  At  first  necessity  compelled  them  to  erect 
their  houses  without  regard  to  anything  but  that.  Log  cabins 
were  built  by  almost  every  family,  and  when  properly  con- 
structed, were  comfortable  and  durable.  They  were  one  story 
high,  with  wooden  chimnies  and  thatched  roofs.  In  process  of 
time,  as  their  means  increased,  many  of  them  erected  spacious, 
and  in  some  instances  costly  houses  of  stone,  some  of  which 
may  still  be  seen  in  various  parts  of  the  island,  but  they  were 
almost  without  exception  in  the  Dutch  style  of  architecture — 
long,  low  and  massive.  The  kitchen,  which  was  usually  a  sep- 
arate structure,  but  connected  with  the  main  house,  was  fur- 
nished with  a  spacious  tire-place — in  some  instances  occupying 
one  entire  end  of  the  apartment.  It  is  said  that  some  of  these 
kitchens  were  furnished  with  doors,  in  front  and  in  rear,  large 
enough  to  allow  a  horse  and  sleigh  loaded  with  wood,  to  be 
driven  in  at  one  door  (the  wood  to  be  unloaded  into  the  fire- 
place) and  driven  out  at  the  opposite,  but  we  will  not  pledge 
our  historical  veracity  for  the  truth  of  the  assertion.  Usually 
a  "  back-log,"  of  green  wood,  too  large  to  be  managed  without 
the  aid  of  bars  and  levers,  was  rolled  into  the  house  and  placed 
against  the  back  wall  of  the  fire-place,  then  smaller  materials 
were  built  up  in  front  of  it  and  ignited,  and  soon  a  bright  and 
glowing  fire  was  kindled,  giving  heat,  and  at  night,  light  enough 
for  ordinary  purposes. 

The  materials  for  these  houses  were  abundant  on  almost  every 
man's  farm  ;  stones  were  either  quarried  or  found  on  the  sur- 
face ;  timber  grew  in  his  own  woods,  where  it  was  felled  and 
dressed  ;  shingles  were  ciit  and  split  in  the  same  place,  and  the 
boai'ds  and  planks  were  sawed  at  some  neighboring  mill.  Of 
these  saw-mills  there  were  several  on  the  island  ;  the  ruins  of 
one  or  two  of  them  are  still  to  be  seen.  The  nails  were  made 
by  the  hands  of  the  neighboring  blacksmith.  Lime  of  the  best 
quality  was  made  by  burning  the  shells,  which  were  found  in 


152  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COTJNTy. 

many  places  near  tlie  shores  in  large  quantities,  deposited  there 
by  the  aborigines.  It  required  much  labor,  and  occupied  much 
time  to  build  a  house  of  this  description,  but  it  was  built  to  be 
occupied  by  generations.  In  the  construction  of  houses  of  the 
better  class,  the  chimneys  were  made  of  bricks  imported  from 
Holland,  frequently  as  ballast,  but  when  it  was  discovered  that 
an  article  quite  as  good  could  be  manufactured  from  American 
earth,  importation  ceased.  Ovens  were  usually  built  outside  of 
the  house,  and  roofed  over  to  protect  them  from  the  weather. 
The  barns  were  low  in  the  eaves,  but  very  capacious,  and  some 
farmers  had  several  of  them,  according  to  the  size  of  their 
farms. 

One  of  the  most  important  of  a  farmer's  out-of-door  arrange- 
ments was  his  hog-pen  ;  the  number  of  swine  which  he  fattened 
annually  was  jjroportioned  to  the  number  of  the  members  of 
his  family.  Beside  swine,  every  farmer  fattened  a  "beef,"  and 
when  the  season  for  slaughtering  came  round,  which  was  in  the 
fall,  after  the  weather  had  become  cold,  there  was  a  busy  time 
both  without  and  within  doors  ;  what  with  the  cutting  up  and 
"corning"  of  the  meat,  the  labor  of  making  sausages,  head- 
cheese, roUitjes,  and  many  other  articles,  even  the  names  of 
which  are  now  forgotten,  both  the  males  and  females  of  the 
family  were  occupied  for  a  fortnight  or  more.  After  the  work 
of  "killing  time"  was  over,  the  long  fall  and  winter  evenings 
were  devoted  to  the  manufacture  of  candles,  "moulds"  and 
"dips."  Every  farm  had  its  smoke-house,  in  which  hams, 
shoulders,  pieces  of  beef,  and  various  other  articles  of  diet,  were 
hung  to  be  cured  with  smoke.  With  his  corned  and  smoked 
meats,  his  poultry,  mutton  and  veal,  the  farmer's  family  was 
not  without  animal  food  the  year  round.  Game  of  various 
kinds  abounded  in  the  forests  for  a  long  time,  ,and  was  usually 
hunted  by  the  younger  members  of  the  family. 

With  few  exceptions,  the  people  were  agriculturists,  and 
their  method  of  cultivation  did  not  differ  materially  from  that 
of  the  present  day.  Their  implements  of  husbandry  were 
usually  brought  from  the  old  country,  and,  compared  with 
those  of  the  present  day,  were  clumsy  and  ponderous.  Prior 
to  the  introduction  of  harrows,  which  is  of  comparatively  recent 
date,  branches  of  trees  were  used  in  their  stead. 

Every  house  was  furnished  with  two  spinning  wheels:  a  large 
one,  for  the  manufacture  of  woolen  thread,  and  a  small  one  for 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  153 

linen.  A  thorough,  practical  knowledge  of  the  use  of  these 
instruments  was  deemed  an  indispensable  part  of  a  young 
lady's  education;  let  her  other  accomplishments  be  what  they 
might,  without  these  she  was  not  qualified  to  assume  the  care 
of  a  family.  After  the  thread  had  been  spun  it  was  dyed; 
sumach,  the  bark  of  the  black  oak,  chestnut,  and  other  trees 
furnishing  the  materials  for  that  purpose.  Large  families  had 
looms  of  their  own,  with  which  the  cloth  for  family  use  was 
woven,  though  there  were  professional  weavers,  whose  skill  was 
in  demand  when  bed-spreads  and  other  articles  with  fancy  pat- 
terns were  required  to  be  made.  Girls,  at  a  very  early  age, 
were  inducted  into  the  mysteries  of  knitting,  and  were  the  re- 
cipients of  many  a  boxed  ear  for  "  dropping  stitches."  Provi- 
dent families  were  well  supplied  with  woolen  and  linen  gar- 
ments, and  quantities  of  cloth  of  both  materials  laid  aside  to  be 
manufactured  into  household  articles  when  they  might  be  re- 
quired. The  prudent  housewife  made  it  her  care  to  provide  an 
ample  supply  of  clothing,  not  only  for  the  living,  but  she  had 
also  laid  aside  grave  clothes  for  the  members  of  the  household 
to  be  ready  at  hand  when  they  might  be  required. 

There  were  itinerant  tailors,  who  went  from  house  to  house, 
spending  several  days  at  each,  making  overcoats  and  such 
other  garments  as  the  women  of  the  family  could  not  make;  and 
itinerant  shoemakers,  who,  once  each  year,  went  on  their  circuit, 
making  and  repairing  boots  and  shoes. 

People  sometimes  lived  at  great  distances  from  each  other, 
yet  social  intercourse  was  not  neglected.  On  Sundays  they  met 
at  church,  and,  both  before  and  after  service,  family  and  neigh- 
borhood news  was  communicated  and  discussed.  On  court 
days  the  men  from  all  parts  of  the  county  met  at  the  county 
seat,  where  they  talked  over  their  agricultural  experiences,  and 
other  matters  of  interest.  But  the  most  cheerful  of  all  social 
assemblages,  especially  for  young  people,  took  place  in  the 
winter  when  the  sleighing  was  good;  then  it  was  that  those  who- 
were  yet  unmarried  sought  each  other's  society,  and  met  at 
Richmond  to  indulge  in  the  merry  dance  until  the  waning 
hours  admonished  them  to  return  to  their  homes.  The  attrac- 
tions of  these  meetings  have  proved  too  powerful  to  be  entirely 
abandoned,  and  they  are  still  continued  by  the  same  class  in 
society. 

The  early  Dutch   settlers  on   Staten  Island,  though  not  a 


154  HISTOET  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

literary,  were  a  pious  people  ;  the  greater  part  of  them  were 
able  to  read  and  write,  as  the  Dutch  family  Bibles,  and  the 
beautiful  chirography  in  many  of  them  testify.  The  Walden- 
sian  and  Huguenot  elements  which  amalgamated  with  them, 
served  to  intensify  their  religious  sentiments;  indeed,  it  could 
not  well  be  otherwise,  for  it  was  to  enjoy  the  peaceful  exercise 
of  their  religion  that  these  latter  had  forsaken  the  homes  of 
their  childhood  and  the  graves  of  their  fathers,  and  cheerfully 
submitted  to  the  inconveniences  and  sufferings  of  a  life  in  the 
wilderness;  religious  duties  had  a  claim  paramount  to  all  others, 
and  long  before  they  were  able  to  erect  churches  for  themselves, 
their  dwellings  were  thrown  open  for  the  accommodation  of 
their  neighbors,  when  the  ministers  from  the  city  periodic 
cally  visited  them.  The  language  of  Holland  was,  of  course, 
the  first  in  use.  The  Huguenots  brought  their  French  with  them, 
but  as  the  several  nationalities  mingled  and  intermarried,  it 
gradually  died  out,  and  the  Dutch  became  the  prevailing  tongue 
until  after  the  conquest,  when  in  its  tarn  it  succumbed  to  the 
language  of  the  conquerors.  The  Dutch,  however,  continued 
to  be  used  in  social  intercourse  and  the  services  of  the  sanctuary 
for  a  long  time  after  the  conquest,  and  less  than  half  a  century 
ago  its  uncouth  accents  were  still  heard  in  some  dwellings. 

The  Dutch  were  never  addicted  to  the  observance  of  holidays; 
Custydt,  or  Christmas,  and  Nieuw  Jaar,  or  New  Year,  were 
about  the  only  ones  of  a  religions  character  in  which  they  in- 
dulged ;  Paas,  or  Easter  was  surrendered  to  the  children,  and 
Pingster  or  Whitsunday  to  the  negroes.  Children  have  not 
yet  resigned  their  claim  to  their  especial  holiday  in  Dutch  com- 
munities. Religious  services  were  regularly  held  on  Christmas, 
and  on  the  first  day  of  the  New  Year,  on  which  occasion  the 
newly  elected  church  officers  were  formally  inducted  into  their 
respective  offices,  and  this  ceremony  was  called  "  being  married 
to  the  church." 

The  following  extract  from  the  records  shows  the  process 
of  accomplishing  marriage  to  satisfy  the  requirements  of  the 
law  in  early  times  : 

"  Thes  Are  to  giue  notes  to  whome  It  may  concarn  that 
Richard  Fathfall  (?)  and  Elisabeth  Larans  [Lawrence]  hath  bin 
Publeshed  A  Cording  to  Law 

by  Danill  Stillwell 
on  this  15th  day  of  Oversear 

Jenewery  1682 


HISTORY  OP  BICHMOND  COUNTY.  155 

"  The  A  Boue  [above]  Mentioned  Parsons  Ar  Mared  [married] 
By  Me  on  the  25th  day  of  Jenewery  1682 

EiOHARD  Stillwell  Justes 
"By  order  oiJADiAH  Htjlmes  Clarck." 

It  was  a  common  practice  for  farmers  to  allow  their  stock  to 
run  at  large  in  the  woods  and  wild  pastures.  To  provide  against 
loss  of  stock  and  to  avoid  disputes  in  regard  to  the  ownership 
of  animals  thus  running  at  large  two  institutions  of  the 
period  were  brought  into  requisition.  These  were  "pounds" 
and  "  ear-marks."  The  first  record  that  we  find  of  the  former 
is  the  following  decree  of  the  Court  of  Sessions  : 

September  6, 1720,  "Ordered  that  a  good  suffictpublick  pound 
be  erected  and  made  at  or  near  the  burying  place  by  the  Dutch 
Church  in  the  North  precinct ;  and  Ordered  Likewise  that  there 
be  another  pound  erected  in  some  convenient  place  at  Smoaking 
point  in  the  West  precinct.  Whoever  will  be  at  the  charge  of 
making  sd.  pounds  shall  have  all  profitt,  accruing  by  pound- 
age." 

We  do  not  know  who  built  the  pounds,  or  when  they  were 
built,  or  how  long  they  were  maintained. 

Ear-marks  were  various  slits  and  cuts  in  the  ears  of 
cattle  and  sheep,  and,  perhaps,  some  other  animals  that  were  to 
be  turned  loose,  by  which  they  could  be  identified.  A  descrip- 
tion of  the  peculiar  mark  of  each  stock-owner  was  registered 
upon  the  books  of  the  town,  and  the  entry  was  generally  ac- 
companied by  a  rude  illustration  of  the  mark.  The  following 
entry  is  an  illustration  of  the  registration  ■. 
"  March  30th  Annoq  Domini  1774 

"  Gilbert  Tottons  ear  mark  for  his  cattle  &  sheep  &c  is  a  slit 
in  the  end  of  both  ears  viz.  from  the  tip  end  down  towards  the 
head  &  a  half  moon  on  the  upper  part  of  the  right  ear. 

Entered  the  day  and  year  above  written  by 

"  Paul  Mioheau  Clk." 

The  following  figures,  showing  the  population  of  the  island  at 

different  times  during  the  Colonial  period,  are  arranged  from 
tables  in  the  documentary  history  of  the  province. 

Years.                                     Men.             Women.    Children.       Blacks.  Total. 

1698 328              208          118            73  727 

1703 505 

1712 1279 


156 


HISTOEY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 


White  Males.     White  Females. 

1723 640  611  255  1506 

1731 686  827  304  1817 

1737 777  763  349  1889 

1746 856  835  382  2073 

1749 887  858  409  2154 

1756 862  805  465  2132 

1771 1150  1103  594  2847 

In  1693  the  following  persons  were  civil  officers  of  Richmond 
County  : 

Ellis  Duxbury,  Esq.,  judge  of  the  common  Pleas.  Abraham 
Cannor  (Cannon),  Abraham  Lakeman  (Lockman),  Dennis  The- 
nnisse  and  John  Shadwell,  justices  ;  John  Stilwell,  Esq.,  sheriff. 
The  militia  of  the  county  consisted  of  two  companies  of  foot, 
104  men  in  all,  under  the  command  of  Capfr.  Andrew  Cannon. 

The  following  are  the  names  of  civil  and  military  officers  of 
the  county  of  Richmond  for  the  year  1739  : 
Judges  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas.  Jacob  Corsen,  Colonel. 
John  Le  Conte,  Judge.  Christiene  Corsen,  Lt.  Col. 

Christian  Corsen,  2d  Judge.    Thomas  Billopp,  Major. 
Gozen  Adrianz,  3d  Judge.  North  Division. 

Nicolas  Britton,  Justice.         John  Veghte,  Captain. 
Richard  Stilwell,     do.  Frederick  Berge,  Lieutenant. 

Joseph  Bedell,  do.  J^^cob  Corsen,  Jun.,  Ensign 

Inhn  Vpfrhte  do  South  Division. 

TT     J     '-D    1     J  '  Cornelius  Stoothoff,  Captain. 

Rem  Vander  Beek,  do.  j^^^^  Berge,  Lieutenant. 

John  Latourette,      do.  Aris  Rvertse  (Ryerss),  Ensign. 

Thomas  Billop,  do.  west  Division. 

Cornelius  Corsen,     do.  Nathaniel  Britton,  Captain. 

Joshna  Mersereau,    do.  Marthias  Johnson,  Lieutenant. 

Abraham  Cole,  do.  Abraham  Maney  (Manee),  Ensign. 

Barent  Martling,      do.  -a  ^     -o      ■    r-^  ™°^^    r.     ^  ■ 

-.-r-  T,  1      T        1         C11     -a  Peter  Perrm  (Perine),  Captain. 

Nicholas  Larzelere,  Sheriff,  (.^^ret  Crosse,  Lieutenant. 

John  Hillyer,  Coroner.  Wynant  Wynants,  Cornet. 

Daniel  Corsen,  Clerk.  Danul  Wynants,  Qr.  Master. 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE  REVOLUTIONARY  PERIOD— 1775  to  1783. 


Events  Prior  to  the  Declaration  of  Independence. — The  Coming  of  Howe. — In- 
cursions and  Skirmishes. — The  Close  of  the  War  and  the  Evacuation  of  New 
York  and  Staten  Island. — Incidents  of  the  Revolutionary  Period. 


DURIIS'G  the  period  of  the  revolution  Staten  Island  was 
the  theater  of  many  important  events.  Located  as  it 
is  so  convenient  to  the  metropolis,  it  became  a  favorite  spot  for 
the  encampments  of  the  British  army,  and  v?as  made  the  seat 
of  much  activity.  Owing  to  this  wealth  of  historic  associations 
we  shall  be  pardoned  for  devoting  liberal  space  to  the  notice  of 
this  period.  The  island  was  not  in  a  condition  to  defend  itself 
against  the  incursions  of  any  foe  who  might  approach  it  with  re- 
spectable force.  As  an  example  of  the  poverty  of  its  martial 
strength  shortly  before  the  war  we  submit  the  following  extract 
from  the  records  : 

"  January  6.  1770  then  the  Supervisars  Examined  into  the  ac- 
count of  the  arms  that  was  bought  for  the  county  and  Benjamin 
Semans  Esq  Brought  in  the  account  of  What  quantity  Was  in 
his  hands,  thair  Was  in  his  hands  £36 — Delivered  to  Captain 
Wright  12  guns  and  12  hangers  and  guns  With  Bagnits  to  Mr. 
Broons  and  one  Gun  With  a  bagnit  to  Cornoral  Dongan." 

While  the  war  clouds  were  gathering  and  the  preliminary 
steps  were  being  taken  in  other  parts  there  seems  to  have  been 
but  little  stir  here  in  the  direction  of  sustaining  the  cause  of 
independence.  The  people  were  not  unanimous  in  their  senti- 
ments, but  were  probably  held  in  check  by  nearly  an  equal  di- 
vision between  the  cause  of  the  colonists  and  the  cause  of  the 
king. 

The  geographical  situation  of  the  island  gave  a  direction  to 
the  political  sentiments  of  the  people.  Commanding  the  ap- 
proach to  the  metropolis  and  the  province,  whatever  nation 
possessed  it,  took  advantage  of  its  natural  facilities  in  a  mili- 


158  HISTORY  OT  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

tary  point  of  view.  The  Dutch  had  a  battery  on  the  heights 
of  the  Narrows  at  one  time  ;  the  English  enlarged  the  military 
works  at  the  same  important  point,  and  the  United  States  have 
not  failed  to  improve  its  advantages.  Whoever,  then,  possessed 
this  important  point,  before  the  revolution,  to  a  certain  extent 
might  be  said  to  possess,  or  at  least  to  control  the  island  and  the 
metropolis.  Whilst  the  English  held  the  government  of  the 
province,  the  people  naturally  imbibed  English  sentiments ; 
freedom  of  opinion  on  political  subjects,  so  far  as  the  nature 
and  character  of  the  government  was  concerned,  was  not  toler- 
ated. It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  then,  that  a  people  who  for 
more  than  a  century  had  been  taught  to  believe  that  it  was  little 
short  of  treason  to  doubt  the  divine  origin  of  monarchy,  and 
especially  of  the  English  monarchy,  should  be  conscientiously 
opposed  to  a  change  which  was  calculated  to  overturn  all  their 
most  cherished  institutions.  More  than  half  of  the  population 
on  the  island,  at  the  dawn  of  the  revolution,  were  either  of 
'English  birth  or  descent,  and  few,  perhaps  none,  entertained 
the  idea  that  the  rebellion  could  by  any  possibility  succeed, 
and  even  among  the  wliigs  themselves  there  were  probably 
thousands  who  hoped  against  hope. 

Nearly  all  the  descendants  of  the  early  Dutch  settlers  were 
whigs  or  patriots,  and  those  of  French  descent  were  divided 
between  them  and  the  English.  Many  of  the  French  having 
settled  here  before  the  conquest  of  the  province  by  the  English, 
had  intermarried  with  the  Dutch,  who  were  then  the  dominant 
class,  and  had  imbibed  Dutch  opinions,  manners  and  customs, 
and  had  even  fallen  into  the  use  of  the  Dutch  language.  In 
some  of  the  families  bearing  French  names  and  of  French  de- 
scent, at  the  present  day,  are  to  be  found  family  records,  such 
as  they  are,  written  in  the  Dutch  language.  There  was,  how- 
ever, another  and  more  marked  difference  between  the  people 
of  the  several  nationalities  than  mere  political  sentiments  and 
opinions  ;  the  Dutch  were  imbued  with  a  deep  religious  feel- 
ing ;  they  were  not  generally  as  well  educated  as  the  English, 
but  they  could  read  and  write,  and  keep  their  own  accounts  ; 
the  English  had  their  religion,  too,  but  they  were  more  formal 
and  less  earnest  and  devoted  than  their  neighbors  ;  the  French 
in  this,  as  in  other  respects,  accommodated  their  religion  to 
that  of  the  class  with  which  they  had  amalgamated.  The  whig 
cause  throughout  the  country  was  calculated  to  foster  religious 


HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  159 

euthusiasni,  for,  being  conscious  of  their  own  weakness  as  com- 
pared with  the  mighty  power  and  resources  of  Great  Britain, 
they  naturally  looked  to  a  higher  power  than  that  of  man  to 
sustain  them  in  what  they  conscientiously  believed  to  be  the 
cause  of  right. 

In  February,  1775,  this  county  was  represented  in  the  colonial 
assemblyby  Christopher  Billop  and  Benjamin  Seaman.  When, 
on  the  23d  of  the  month,  a  motion  was  before  the  house  "  that 
the  sense  of  this  House  be  taken,  on  the  Necessity  of  appoint- 
ing Delegates  for  this  Colony,  to  meet  the  Delegates  for  the 
other  Colonies  on  this  Continent,  in  General  Congress,  on  the 
10th  Day  of  May  next,"  these  representatives  of  Richmond 
voted  in  the  negative. 

That  bad  blood  was  being  stirred  up  here  and  in  the  immedi- 
ate vicinity  thus  early,  is  shown  by  the  following  affray  which 
took  place  in  Elizabethtown  about  the  time  of  which  we  have 
just  spoken. 

On  the  8tli  of  February,  about  noon,  a  Staten  Island  man  was 
approaching  the  shore  at  Elizabethtown,  when  a  party  of  men 
seized  his  boat,  which  was  loaded  with  oysters,  and  forcibly 
dragged  it  up  into  the  street  and  then  distributed  the  oysters 
among  themselves  with  an  unceremonious  and  peremptory  hand. 
The  cause  appears  to  have  been  that  the  owner  of  the  boat  was 
supposed  to  be  one  of  a  party  of  men  from  "  that  ever  loyal 
Island,"  as  a  tory  paper  describes  Staten  Island,  who  had  as- 
sisted in  violating  the  order  of  congress  prohibiting  the  impor- 
tation of  goods  after  the  first  of  February  of  that  year.  The 
man  was  James  Johnson,  of  Richmond  county,  and  he  applied 
to  a  justice  of  the  peace,  who  advised  him  to  remain  quiet  for 
a  few  hours  until  the  riotous  collection  of  people  who  were  then 
in  the  street  had  become  more  cool,  which  he  did,  and  the  re- 
sult of  this  caution  was  the  aversion  of  any  further  violence. 
Though  this  affair  was  of  but  small  magnitude  yet  it  served  as 
an  occasion  for  ^'■RitingtovH s  Gazette,''''  the  leading  loyal  paper  of 
the  time  in  New  York,  to  set  forth  an  exaggerated  account  of 
the  disorderly  and  lawless  character  of  the  whigs. 

The  people  of  the  island  assembled  on  the  11th  of  April  fol- 
lowing, to  take  action  in  regard  to  sending  delegates  to  the 
provincial  congress  which  was  to  convene  in  New  York  soon 
after.  The  report  says  that  the  result  was  almost  unanimously 
against  sending  delegates.     The   whigs    must  have  improved 


160  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

some  later  opportunity  for  gaining  a  representation,  for  when 
the  congress  convened,  on  the  y2d  of  May  following,  we  find 
Richmond  county  was  represented  by  Paul  Micheau,  John 
Journey,  Col.  Aaron  Cortelyou,  Richard  Conner  and  Major 
Richard  Lawrence. 

The  strong  tory  sentiment  on  the  island  made  association  with 
the  people  here  undesirable  to  the  people  of  New  Jersey  at 
Elizabethtown.  The  committee  at  the  latter  place  had  refused 
to  allow  commerce  between  the  two  places  to  be  carried  on. 
We  have  seen  the  result  of  a  disregard  of  that  restriction,  in 
the  riot  of  the  preceding  February.  The  committee  seem  to 
have  relented,  however,  for  on  July  17th  they  passed  the  fol- 
lowing order,  Jonathan  Hampton,  a  prominent  "rebel"  being 
then  chairman. 

"  The  Chairman  of  this  Committee  having  received  a  letter 
from  Mr.  Richard  Lawrence,  a  Delegate  of  Richmond  county 
for  the  Provincial  Congress  of  the  colony  of  New  York,  in- 
forming that  the  inhabitants  of  said  county  had,  in  general, 
signed  the  Association  recommended  by  the  Committee  of  New 
York.  This  Committee  are  therefore  of  opinion  that  the  in- 
habitants of  said  county  be  restored  to  their  commercial  privi- 
leges with  the  inhabitants  of  this  town." 

September  1,  1775,  David  Burger,  of  New  York,  sent  a  letter 
to  the  congress  complaining  that  sundry  persons  in  Richmond 
county  had  supplied  a  transport  with  live  stock,  and  the  matter 
was  referred  to  the  members  of  that  county  to  make  inquiry  on 
the  subject. 

On  the  1st  of  December,  1775,  Paul  Micheau,  one  of  the  depu- 
ties from  Richmond  county  in  the  first  provincial  congress,  ad- 
dressed a  letter  to  the  secretary  of  the  congress,  in  which  he 
says  that  he  had  requested  the  county  committee  to  convene 
the  people  to  elect  new  deputies  ;  that  a  meeting  of  the  com- 
mittee had  been  called,  and  that  only  a  minority  appeared, 
who  for  that  reason  declined  to  act,  and  requests  congress  to 
write  to  them  and  learn  their  reasons  for  not  convening  the 
people,  and  concludes  by  hoping  the  congress  may  be  able  to 
keep  tranquility  and  good  order  in  the  province,  and  make 
peace  with  the  mother  country.  He  then  gave  the  names  of 
the  committee  as  follows:  Capt.  John  Kittletas,  Capt.  Christian 
Jacobson,  Capt.  Cornelius  Dussosway,  Henry  Perine,  David 
Latourette,  Esq.,  Peter  Mersereau,  John  Poillon,  Moses  Depuy, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  161 

Lambert  Merrill,  John  Tysen,  Joseph  Christopher,  George  Bar- 
rus  and  David  Corsen. 

To  this  communication  congress  replied  the  next  day  in  a  let- 
ter addressed  to  "John  Poillon,  John  Tysen  and  Lambert  Mer- 
ril,  of  the  committee  for  Richmond  County,"  urging  them  to 
elect  deputies  to  represent  them  without  delay,  and  they  added 
emphatically,  "rest  assured,  gentlemen,  that  the  neighboring 
colonies  will  not  remain  inactive  spectators  if  you  show  a  dis- 
position to  depart  from  the  Continental  Union."  They  con- 
cluded their  letter  in  these  words:  "We  beg,  gentlemen,  you 
will  consider  this  matter  with  that  seriousness  which  the  peace, 
good  order  and  liberties  of  your  county  require." 

To  this  the  committee  made  the  following  reply: 

"Richmond  County,  Dec'r  15th,  1775. 
Mr.  President: 

Sir: — Your  favour  of  2d  Decern' r.  we  hereby  acknowledge 
came  safe  to  our  hand,  and  with  the  majority  of  our  committee 
considered  the  contents.  We,  agreeable  to  your  request,  have 
caused  by  advertisement  the  freeholders  and  inhabitants  in  our 
county  to  be  convened  on  this  day,  in  order  that  their  sense 
might  be  taken  whether  they  will  choose  deputies  to  represent 
them  in  a  provincial  congress  or  not.  Accordingly,  a  number 
of  the  said  freeholders  and  inhabitants  did  appear  ;  a  regular 
poll  was  opened,  and  continued  till  6  o'clock;  at  the  conclusion 
of  which  it  appeared  that  a  majority  was,  for  the  present,  for 
sending  no  deputies.  Our  former  conduct  in  sending  of  depu- 
ties to  represent  us  in  Provincial  Congress,  was  elevated  with 
encouraging  hopes  of  having,  ere  this,  obtained  the  so  much 
desired  point  in  our  view,  namely,  a  reconciliation  with  Great 
Britain.  But,  with  anxiety  we  express  it,  that  the  hopes  of 
obtaining  so  desirable  an  event,  is  now  almost  vanished  out  of 
our  sight ;  and,  instead  of  which,  we  behold  with  horror,  every 
appearance  of  destruction,  that  a  war  with  Great  Britain  will 
bring  upon  us.  Under  these  apprehensions,  and  in  our  particu- 
lar situation,  we  hope  you  will  view  us,  and  when  candidly  con- 
sidered, we  truat  will  furnish  you  with  sufficient  reason,  for  the 
present,  to  forbear  with  us. 

"We  wish  and  pray  that  if  yet  any  hope  of  reconciliation  is 
11 


162  HISTORY  OF  BICHMOND  COUNTY. 

left,  that  measures  might  be  adopted,  if  possible,  to  obtain  that 
desirable  end,  in  wishing  of  which  we  conclude  ourselves, 
Your  most  obt. 

And  most  humble  serv'ts, 
John  Tyson, 
Christian  Jacobson, 
Daniel  Coesen, 
Petee  Meeseeeau, 
Joseph  Chkistophee, 
Lambeet  Mereill, 
John  Poillon. 
To  Nath'l  Woodhull, 

Prest.  of  Provl.  Congress,  New  York. 
"  P.  S. — Should  the  congress  think  it  necessary  for  further  in- 
formation of  the  state  of  our  county,  they  will  please  to  order 
two  of  our  committee  to  appear  before  them  for  that  purpose." 
On  the  21st,  congress  passed  several  resolutions,  censuring 
Richmond  county  for  its  delinquency,  and  resolved  that  if 
within  fifteen  days  a  list  of  the  names  of  those  who  oppose  a 
representation  in  congress  be  not  sent  to  that  body,  the  whole 
county  shall  be  considered  delinquent,  and  entirely  put  out  of 
the  protection  of  congress,  and  that  intercourse  with  them  shall 
be  interdicted,  and  that  the  names  of  delinquents  shall  be  pub- 
lished in  all  the  newspapers  of  the  colony. 

During  the  recess  of  the  congress,  the  committee  of  safety 
was  in  session.  On  the  12th  of  January,  1776,  Richard  Law- 
rence and  Christian  Jacobson  appeared  before  the  committee 
and  represented  that  the  majority  of  the  people  of  Richmond 
county  were  not  averse,  but  friendly  to  the  measures  of  con- 
gress ;  Lawrence  was  a  member  of  the  committee  for  Richmond 
county. 

On  the  23d  of  the  same  month  the  following  letter  was  re- 
ceived by  the  committee  of  safety  from  the  Richmond  county 
committee. 

"Richmond  County,  Jan'y  19,  1776. 
'■'■Gentlemen — Whereas  the  committee  for  this  county  have 
caused  by  advertisement  the  freeholders  to  be  convened  on  this 
day,  in  order  to  elect  two  members  to  represent  this  county  in 
Provincial  Congress ;  accordingly  a  poll  was  opened  for  that 
purpose,  without  any  opposition,  at  the  close  of  which  it- ap- 
peared by  a  majority,  that  Messrs  Adrian  Banker  and  Richard 


HISTORY  OF  BICHMOND  COUNTY.  163 

Lawrence  was  duly  elected  to  represent  this  county  in  Provin- 
cial Congress  until  the  second  Tuesday  in  May  next,  which  we 
hope  will  be  agreeable  to  the  rest  of  that  body. 
We  are,  gentlemen, 

Your  mo.  obt.  and  most  humble  servts. 

Christiais"  Jacobson", 
Lambert  Merrill, 
John  Tyson, 
Peter  Mersebeaxt, 
George  Barnes, 
Moses  Dupuy, 
David  Latoubette, 
Daniel  Corsen, 
Henry  Perine, 
Joseph  Christopher. 

"  To  the  Committee  of  Safety  on  recess 
of  the  Provincial  Congress  in  New  York.'' 

The  reputation  of  Richmond  county  for  its  want  of  sympathy 
in  the  cause  of  the  colonies  seems  to  have  gained  more  than  a 
local  hearing.  It  reached  the  ears  of  the  continental  congress, 
and  that  body  made  it  the  subject  of  action,  as  shown  by  the 
following  extract  from  the  minutes  : 

"In  Congress,  Feb' y  8th,  1776. 

"  The  inhabitants  of  Richmond  county,  in  the  Colony  of  New 
York,  having  refused  to  send  Deputies  to  represent  them  in 
Provincial  Convention,  and  otherwise  manifested  their  enmity 
and  opposition  to  the  system  and  measures  adopted  for  pre- 
serving the  liberties  of  America  ;  and  as  a  just  punishment  for 
their  inimical  conduct,  the  inhabitants  of  that  Colony  having 
been  prohibited  by  the  Convention  from  all  intercourse  and 
dealings  with  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  county  ;  and  this 
Congress  being  informed  by  the  Committee  of  Safety  of  that 
Colony,  that  the  freeholders  of  the  said  county  did  afterwards, 
without  any  opposition,  elect  Deputies  to  represent  them  in 
Provincial  Convention  ;  but  as  the  proceedings  against  them 
had  been  submitted  to  the  consideration  of  Congress,  it  was  ap- 
prehended Deputies  would  not  be  received  until  the  sense  of 
Congress  should  be  communicated. 

'•'■Resolved,  That  it  be  referred  to  the  said  Provincial  Conven- 
tion to  take  such  measures  respecting  the  admission  of  the 
Deputies,  and  revoking  the  interdict  on  the  inhabitants  of  the 


164  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

said  county,  as  they  shall  judge  most  expedient,  provided  that 
the  said  Deputies  and  major  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  said 
county  shall  subscribe  the  association  entered  into  by  that 
Colony. 

"  Extract  from  the  minutes. 

Chas.  Thompson,  Sec'y." 

It  was  then  ordered  by  the  provincial  congress  that  the  reso- 
lution of  the  continental  congress  be  transmitted  to  the  deputies 
lately  elected  by  the  people  of  Richmond  county. 

The  congress  being  apprehensive  that  Greneral  Clinton  would 
attempt  to  land  upon  Staten  Island  for  the  purpose  of  making 
depredations  and  carrying  off  live  stock,  had  requested  the  pro- 
vincial congress  of  New  Jersey  to  send  Colonel  Herd,  with  his 
regiment,  to  the  island  to  prevent  it,  and  lest  he  might  not  get 
there  in  time,  a  like  request  was  made  to  the  committee  of 
Elizabeth  town.  This  measure  excited  the  apprehensions  of 
the  people  of  Staten  Island,  who  were  suspicious  of  the  errand 
of  Colonel  Herd  and  his  regiment.  Accordingly,  on  the  19th  of 
February,  the  two  deputies,  Adrian  Banckerand  Richard  Law- 
rence, hastened  to  inform  the  congress  that  they  had  subscribed 
to  the  association  entered  into  by  the  colony,  and  that  seven 
eighths  of  the  people  had  done  so  likewise  "long  since,"  and 
that  the  coming  of  Colonel  Herd,  "with  a  large  body  of  men,  to 
call  the  people  to  account  for  their  inimical  conduct,"  just  then 
when  many  of  the  people  were  coming  into  the  measures,  and 
the  cause  gaining  ground  daily,  would  have  an  injurious  effect, 
and  they  suggest  that  the  stopping  of  the  New  Jersey  forces 
would  quiet  the  minds  of  the  people.  On  the  same  day  con- 
gress replied  and  assured  the  deputies  that  Colonel  Herd's  er- 
rand to  the  island  did  not  in  any  manner  relate  to  the  people  of 
the  county,  except  to  protect  their  property,  and  that  a  counter 
request  had  been  forwarded  to  New  Jersey.  The  two  deputies 
were  requested  to  attend  the  congress  and  to  bring  with  them 
the  proof  that  the  majority  of  the  people  had  subscribed  to  the 
association,  to  enable  them  to  take  their  seats. 

The  committee  of  Elizabethtown  had  caused  the  apprehension 
and  imprisonment  at  that  place,  of  Isaac  Decker,  Abraham  Har- 
ris and  Minne  Burger,  and  had  held  Richard  Conner,  Esq., 
under  bonds  to  appear  before  them,  upon  charges  not  specified. 
The  congress  of  New  York  entered  into  a  correspondence  with 
I  he  committee  of  that  place,  and  requested  them  to  send  the 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  165 

delinquents  to  the  county  where  they  belonged,  to  be  tried  by 
the  county  committee.  The  committee  of  Richmond  were  also 
informed  of  the  action  of  the  congress,  and  were  instructed  to 
try  the  delinquents  and  mete  out  to  them  impartial  justice,  and 
report  to  congress.  On  the  23d  of  February,  Mr.  Adrian 
Bancker's  name  appears  among  those  of  the  members  of  the 
congress.  On  the  28th  of  February,  Decker  and  Biirger  were 
returned  to  their  own  county,  and  the  charges  against  them 
and  Richard  Conner  were  also  transmitted  to  the  committee  of 
Richmond.     Nothing  is  said  of  Harris. 

The  committee  of  Elizabethtown,  at  the  time  of  surrendering 
them,  disclaimed  all  knowledge  of  their  offenses,  but  intimated 
that  they  had  been  arrested  by  Colonel  Herd,  at  the  instance 
of  either  the  New  York  or  the  continental  congress. 

The  proposed  expedition  of  Colonel  Herd  to  Staten  Island  to 
protect  the  live  stock  there,  originated  with  General  Lee.  Hav- 
ing communicated  his  apprehensions  to  the  committee  of  safety, 
that  body,  on  the  10th  of  February,  1776,  addressed  a  letter  to 
the  provincial  congi-ess  of  New  Jersey,  in  which  they  say  :  "The 
entrance  of  Genl.  Clinton  into  our  port  on  pretence  of  merely 
paying  a  visit  to  Govr.  Tryon,  though  he  has  been  followed  by 
a  transport  with  troops,  which  we  have  good  reason  to  believe 
are  only  a  part  of  600  that  embarked  with  him  at  Boston,  rend- 
ers it  highly  probable  that  some  lodgement  of  troops  was  in- 
tended to  be  made  in  or  near  this  city  ; "  and  as  no  troops  from 
New  York  could  be  spared  from  its  defense,  and  as  Colonel 
Herd's  regiment  was  so  near  Staten  Island,  General  Lee  deemed 
it  ijroper  that  he  should  be  sent  over  for  its  protection.  The 
next  day  the  committee  addressed  another  letter  to  the  same 
convention,  informing  them  that  the  "Mercury,"  ship  of  war, 
with  two  transports  under  her  convoy,  had  left  the  port,  and 
anchored  near  Staten  Island,  and  expressed  their  fears  that  the 
Colonel  would  arrive  too  late.  In  reply,  the  New  Jersey  con- 
gress informed  the  committee  on  the  12th  that  Colonel  Herd, 
with  seven  hundred  men,  had  been  ordered  to  march  immedi- 
ately to  Staten  Island.  On  the  17th,  congress  expressed  their 
thanks  to  Colonel  Herd  for  his  alacrity  in  their  service,  but  as 
the  danger  had  now  passed  (probably  by  the  departure  of  the 
ships)  his  services  would  not  be  required. 

On  the  8th  of  March,  Hendric  Garrison,  of  Richmond  county, 
forwarded  a  complaint  to  the  congress,  that  while  he  was  attend- 


166  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

ing  as  a  witness  before  the  committee  of  said  county,  and  while 
under  examination,  the  said  committee  permitted  the  defend- 
ants, Cornelius  Martino,  Richard  Conner  and  John  Burbank,  to 
insult  and  abuse  him,  and  he  asked  the  protection  of  congress, 
as  he  considered  his  person  and  property  unsafe.  Lord  Stirling, 
as  commander  of  the  continental  troops  in  New  York,  issued  a 
warrant  to  apprehend  John  James  Boyd,  of  Richmond  county, 
and  to  have  him  brought  before  the  congress.  Captain  John 
Warner,  to  whom  the  warrant  was  delivered  for  execution,  laid 
it  before  that  body  on  the  14th  of  March,  when  it  was  consid- 
ered and  decided  that  the  said  Boyd  was  so  unimportant  and  in- 
significant a  person  as  not  to  deserve  the  trouble  and  expense  of 
apprehending  him.  Boyd  resented  this  depreciation  of  his  im- 
portance, and  on  the  21st  sent  a  note  to  the  committee  of  safety 
claiming  to  be  "a  steady  and  warm  friend  to  his  country,"  and 
pronounced  any  accusation  against  him  unfounded. 

On  the  1st  of  April,  1776,  Christian  Jacobson,  as  the  chairman 
of  the  county  committee,  reported  the  organization  of  four 
companies  of  militia  in  the  county,  the  officers  of  which  were 
ordered  to  be  duly  commissioned.  On  the  3d  of  April  Mr.  Law- 
rence, a  member  from  Richmond,  reported  that  the  county  was 
already  furnished  with  fourteen  good  flats  or  scows,  which  were 
sufficient  for  the  removal  of  the  stock  from  the  island,  and  that 
the  building  of  two  more,  as  previously  ordered,  would  be  a  use- 
less expense.  These  scows,  or  flats,  were  held  in  readiness  to  re- 
move the  cattle  to  New  Jersey,  if  the  English  ships  of  war  on 
the  coast  should  attempt  to  seize  them,  as  they  had  done  in 
several  other  places. 

On  the  12th  of  April,  Lord  Stirling  informed  the  committee 
of  safety  that  he  had  General  Putnam's  orders  to  march  with  a 
brigade  of  troops  for  Staten  Island,  and  that  he  would  be  under 
the  necessity  of  quartering  the  soldiers  in  the  farm-houses  for 
the  present ;  he  requests  the  people  to  be  notified  of  the  fact, 
so  that  they  might  prepare  quarters  most  convenient  to  them- 
selves, and  to  be  assured  that  he  would  make  the  residence  of 
the  troops  as  little  burdensome  as  possible.  The  committee  of 
Richmond  were  requested  to  prepare  empty  farm-houses,  barns, 
etc.,  for  the  reception  of  the  soldiers,  and  to  use  their  "  influence 
with  the  inhabitants  to  consider  the  soldiers  as  their  country- 
men and  fellow  citizens  employed  in  the  defence  of  the  liberties 
of  their  country  in  general,  and  of  the  inhabitants  of  Richmond 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  167 

county  in  particular,  and,  endeavour  to  accommodate  them  ac- 
cordingly." 

The  question  has  been  raised  as  to  whether  or  not  General 
Washington  was  ever  on  Staten  Island  in  person.  To  this 
question  Mr.  Clute,  the  historian  of  Staten  Island,  has  sug- 
gested the  following  considerations  : 

"  The  only  evidence  of  the  fact  which  is  attainable  at  this  day 
is  contained  in  the  extract  from  his  carefully  kept  accounts  with 
the  government  of  the  United  States,  which  we  here  present. 
"  1776. 

Api-  25th,  To  the  Exps  of  myself  and  party  recc*« 

the  sev'  landing  places  on  Staten  Island £16  10  0." 

"  It  may  be  said  that  the  reconnoitering,  which  is  almost  un- 
intelligibly abbreviated  in  the  original  account,  might  have  been 
done  on  the  water,  and  quite  as  efficiently  as  on  the  land.  The 
following  objections,  however,  exist  to  this  view  of  the  subject : 

"  First. — The  object  uf  Washington  was  to  erect  fortifications 
and  other  defences  on  the  most  eligible  sites,  as  the  British.did 
when  they  took  possession  on  the  following  July  ;  and  some 
parts  of  the  shores — perhaps  the  most  important — could  not  be 
examined  with  such  an  object  in  view,  from  any  position  at- 
tainable on  the  water. 

"  Second. — The  Commander-in-Chief  expresses  himself  in  the 
above  extracts,  in  terms  similar  to  those  used  in  other  parts  of 
his  accounts  for  similar  services  in  places  not  accessible  by 
water,  and 

"  Third. — There  were  two  or  three  British  vessels  of-war  lying 
near  the  Island,  on  one  of  which  Governor  Tryon  had  taken  up 
his  quarters,  and  from  which  he  kept  up  an  intercourse  with 
royalists  on  the  Island,  and  a  reconnoitering  of  the  shores  by 
water  would  nut  have  been  permitted,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
danger  of  capture." 

Whether  he  came  here  and  travelled  over  the  land  himself  or 
not,  certain  it  was  that  General  Washington  had  his  attention 
drawn  to  this  spot,  and  regarded  Staten  Island  with  more  than 
ordinary  concern.  There  were  two  points  of  importance  which 
called  for  his  attention  ;  the  sentiments  of  the  people,  and  the 
peculiar  geographical  position  of  the  island.  The  action  of 
congress  having  somewhat  modified  the  former,  it  was  to  the 
latter  that  he  gave  most  of  his  care. 

Lying  between  the  ocean  and  the  metropolis,  and  on  the  high- 


168  HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

way  from  the  one  to  the  other,  StateQ  Island,  early  in  the  war, 
was  regarded  as  an  important  location  in  a  military  point  of 
view.  Its  importance  was  enhanced  by  the  fact  that  it  was 
situated  in  a  bay  more  than  half  surrounded  by  the  main  land 
of  New  Jersey,  and  commanded  not  only  a  great  part  of  Long 
Island  but  New  York  city,  and  a  large  extent  of  country  em- 
bracing nearly  all  the  northern  part  of  New  Jersey;  the  posses- 
sion of  it  therefore  became  a  matter  of  importance  to  both 
belligerents.  Washington  was  as  prompt  to  perceive  the 
natural  advantages  of  Staten  Island  in  a  military  point  of  view 
as  were  the  British.  Within  a  week  after  his  personal  visit  to 
the  city,  he  established  a  look-out  at  the  Narrows,  which,  when 
the  British  made  their  appearance,  sent  a  message  by  express 
that  forty  of  the  enemy's  vessels  were  in  sight.  This  informa- 
tion was  at  once  forwarded  to  the  several  posts  on  the  Hudsoji, 
with  instructions  to  prepare  to  give  them  a  warm  reception  if 
they  should  attempt  to  ascend  the  river.  But  the  ships,  upon 
their  arrival,  anchored  off  Staten  Island,  and  landed  their 
troops,  and  the  hillsides  were  soon  covered  with  their  white 
tents.  Military  works  were  at  once  erected  upon  every  avail- 
able point,  thus  intimating  their  intention  of  taking  a  perma- 
nent possession. 

The  opinion  which  Washington  had  formed  of  the  people  of 
Staten  Island,  as  well  as  of  their  immediate  neighbors  at  Am- 
boy,  may  be  learned  from  the  following  extract  from  one  of  his 
letters:  "  The  known  disaffection  of  the  people  of  Amboy,  and 
the  treachery  of  those  of  Staten  Island,  who,  after  the  fairest 
professions,  have  shown  themselves  our  inveterate  enemies, 
have  induced  me  to  give  directions  that  all  jjersons  of  known 
enmity  and  doubtful  character  should  be  removed  from  these 
places." 

On  the  2d  of  May,  Mr.  Garrison  (Hendric),  chairman  of  the 
county  committee,  was  present  at  the  meeting  of  the  committee 
of  safety,  and  inquired  whether  the  people  would  be  paid  for 
fire-wood  furnished  to  the  troops  in  Eichmond  county,  and  for 
their  labor  in  preparing  the  guard  house,  at  the  requestof  Lord 
Stirling,  and  was  referred  to  Colonel  Mifllin.  Hence,  we  infer 
that  some  of  Lord  Stirling's  troops  had  taken  up  their  quarters 
on  the  island. 

On  the  6th  of  May,  General  Washington  wrote  to  the  com- 
mittee of  safety,  informing  them  that  Peter  Poillon,  of  Rich- 


HISTOKY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  169 

mond  county,  had  been  arrested  for  supplying  the  king's  ships 
with  provisions.  On  the  8th,  Poillon  was  brought  before  the 
committee  and  examined.  He  did  not  deny  the  charge,  but 
pleaded  in  extenuation  that  the  regulations  for  preventing  in- 
tercourse with  the  king's  ships  had  not  been  published  in  Rich- 
mond county  until  the  2d  or  3d  of  that  month,  and  that  there- 
fore he  was  ignorant  of  them;  he  stated  farther,  that  he  left 
home  with  a  considerable  sum  of  money  to  discharge  a  debt 
in  Kings  county,  together  with  some  articles  of  provision  for 
New  York  market  of  the  value  of  about  three  pounds;  that 
while  passing  the  ship  of  war  "Asia,"  at  as  great  a  distance  as 
he  safely  could,  he  was  iired  at  and  could  not  escape;  he  proved 
further,  by  reputable  witnesses,  that  he  was  a  respectable  man, 
and  had  always  been  esteemed  a  friend  to  the  liberties  of  his 
country.  He  was  discharged  with  a  caution  hereafter  to  keep 
at  a  safe  distance  from  the  king's  ship,  and  to  warn  his  fellow 
citizens  of  Richmond  county  to  do  the  same. 

May  18th  1776,  a  certificate  signed  by  Christian  Jacobson, 
chairman  of  the  Richmond  county  committee,  dated  April  22d, 
1776,  was  presented  to  the  provincial  congress,  and  attested  by 
Israel  D.  Bedell,  clerk,  and  directed  to  Paul  Micheau,  Richard 
Conner,  Aaron  Cortelyou  and  John  Journey,  was  read  and  filed, 
whereby  it  appeared  that  these  gentlemen  had  been  elected  to 
represent  Richmond  county  in  that  body,  with  power  to  any 
two  of  them  to  meet  to  constitute  a  quorum,  the  second 
Tuesday  of  May,  1777. 

On  the  5th  of  June,  1776,  congress  issued  an  order  for  the 
arrest  of  a  number  of  persons  in  several  counties  who  were  in- 
imical to  the  cause  of  America;  those  from'  Richmond  county 
were  Isaac  Decker,  Abm.  Harris,  Ephm.  Taylor  and  Minne 
Burger.  They  also  ordered  that  several  persons  who  held  office 
under  the  king  should  be  summoned  to  appear 'before  the  con- 
gress, and  among  them  are  found  the  names  of  Benjamin  Sea- 
man and  Christopher  Billop,  of  Richmond. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  "Journal  of  the  Congress"  to  show 
that  these  orders  and  resolutions  were  ever  carried  into  effect. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  year  1776  the  popular  feeling  in 
the  colonies  had  become  so  much  aroused  that  the  officers  of  the 
king  were  obliged  in  many  cases  to  use  considerable  caution  in 
order  to  save  their  own  persons  from  violence.  William  Tryon, 
the  last  of  the  royal  governors,  had  indeed  retired  from  the  city 


170  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

of  New  York,  and  taken  his  position  on  board  the  ship 
"  Halifax,"  daring  the  previous  autumn,  and  there  he  wrote  to 
Mayor  Whitehead  Hicks,  of  New  York,  October  19,  as  follows: 

"  Sir, 

"  Finding  your  letter  of  yesterday  insufficient  for  the  secur- 
ity I  requested  from  the  Corporation  and  Citizens,  and  objec- 
tionable for  the  mode  in  which  you  obtained  the  sense  of  the 
inhabitants,  my  duty  directed  me  for  the  present  instant  to  re- 
move on  board  this  ship;  where  I  shall  be  ready  to  do  such 
business  of  the  country,  as  the  situation  of  the  times  will  per- 
mit. The  citizens,  as  well  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  province, 
may  be  assured  of  my  inclination  to  embrace  every  means  in 
my  power  to  restore  the  peace,  good  order,  and  authority  of  gov- 
ernment. 

"  I  am.  Sir, 

'•  Your  most  obedient  servant, 

William  Tryon." 

In  January,  1776,  General  Clinton  having  been  sent  by  Howe 
on  an  expedition  along  the  Atlantic  coast,  while  on   his  way 
from  Boston  to  Virginia,  came  to  anchor  at  Sandy  Hook  and 
had  an  interview  with  Tryon  and  other  friends  of  the  king  who 
had  been  obliged  to  take  shelter  in  vessels,  after  which  they 
went  on  their  way  southward.     Howe,  with  his  army,  about 
12,000  strong,  evacuated  Boston  March  17th,  and  falling  back  to 
Halifax  awaited  with  the  fleet  the  arrival  of  his  bro^her  with 
reinforcements  from   England.    Becoming  impatient  of  delay 
he  made  ready  and  sailed  from  that  place  for  the  expected  seat 
of  war  at  New  York  on  the  12th  of  June,  and  arrived  off  Sandy 
Hook  on  the  25th.     Here  he  waited  for  the  arrival  of   the  fleet, 
which  came  up  on  the  29th.     Admiral  Lord  Howe,  with  part  of 
the  reinforcements  from  England,  arrived  at  Halifax  soon  after 
his  brother's  departure,  but  without  dropping  anchor  he  fol- 
lowed and  joined  him  here.     The  British  general,  on  his  ap- 
proach, found  every  part  of  New  York  island,  and  the   most 
exposed  parts  of  Long  Island  fortified  and  well  defended  by  ar- 
tillery.    Finding  Staten  Island  had  not  been  so  well  fortified  for 
protection  the  fleet  anchored  near  here  and  it  was  determin  ed 
to  make  use  of  this  spot  for  a  rendezvous  while  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  other  forces  and  the  completion  of  arrangements    for 
penetrating  into  the  country  and  maturing  any  other  plans   for 
action. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  171 

On  the  3d  of  July  the  fleet  moved  up  to  the  Narrows,  and 
the  grenadiers  and  light  infantry  were  landed  under  cover  of 
the  frigates  and  sloops  of  war.  Greneral  Howe  declared  this  was 
done  "  to  the  great  joy  of  a  most  loyal  people,  long  suffering 
on  that  account  under  the  oppression  of  the  rebels  stationed 
among  them,  who  precipitately  tied  on  the  approach  of  the 
shipping."  The  remainder  of  the  army  were  landed  in  the 
course  of  the  day,  and  the  whole  were  distributed  in  canton- 
ments, where  they  found  the  best  refreshments.  The  headquar- 
ters were  at  Richmond.  The  landing  of  the  troops  was  made 
in  a  very  orderly  manner,  under  the  direction  of  Captains  Ray- 
nor,  of  the  ship  "Chatham,"  and  Curtis,  of  the  ship  "Sene- 
gal," and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  Greneral  Howe.  As  the 
Americans  were  strongly  posted  and  in  great  force,  both  on  Long 
Island  and  at  New  York,  having  upwards  of  a  hundred  cannon 
for  defending  the  city,  Howe  resolved  to  defer  his  scheme  of 
ascending  the  North  river,  and  to  remain  in  his  present  position 
until  he  should  be  joined  by  Clinton  and  the  expected  reinforce- 
ments from  England.  The  latter  arrived  at  Staten  Island  on  the 
12th  of  July,  and  Lord  Howe  assumed  the  command  of  the 
fleet  on  the  American  station  The  fleet  numbered  one  hundred 
and  thirteen  sail  and  they  lay  in  a  line  extending  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Kill  von  Kull  to  Simonson's  ferry  at  the  Narrows. 
As  they  were  coming  in,  the  "Asia,"  which  brought  up  the  rear 
of  the  fleet,  was  fired  at  from  a  small  battery  on  Long  Island 
commanding  the  Narrows.  The  fire  was  returned  bj'^  about  forty 
24Tpounders,  one  of  which  lodged  in  the  wall  of  a  private  house 
there.  Another  shot  struck  the  house  of  Mr.  Denys6  Denyse 
afterward  of  Staten  Island,  wounding  a  negro  servant  in  the 
foot  and  narrowly  missing  the  kitchen,  where  a  number  of 
the  family  were  at  work.  A  second  shot  struck  the  barn  on  the 
same  place,  and  a  third  destroyed  much  of  the  garden  fence 
opposite  the  front  door  of  the  mansion  house.  This  is  said  to 
have  been  the  first  blood  shed  in  this  quarter  in  the  war. 

The  following  items  from  the  '■'■Pennsylvania  Journal^''  of 
July  10,  1776,  are  of  interest  in  this  connection. 

"As  soon  as  the  troops  landed  they  paraded  the  North  Shore, 
and  on  Wednesday  morning  made  their  appearance  near  Eliza- 
beth-Town Point ;  but  the  country  being  soon  alarmed,  they 
retreated,  took  up  the  floor  of  the  draw-bridge  in  the  salt 
meadows,  and  immediately  threw  up  some  works. 


172  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

"Their  near  approach  to  Elizabeth-Town  Point  greatly- 
alarmed  the  inhabitants  of  Essex  county,  and  particularly  the 
people  of  Elizabeth- Town  and  Newark,  but  they  are  now  in  a 
condition  to  receive  them  whenever  they  may  think  proper  to 
approach. 

"Two  young  men  from  Elizabeth-Town  crossed  the  river  in  a 
canoe  last  Thursday,  and  tired  upon  the  Regulars  ;  but  a  num- 
ber of  them  rushing  out  of  the  woods,  they  were  obliged  to 
retreat  and  cross  the  river  again. 

"A  sloop  of  twelve  six  pounders,  belonging  to  the  fleet  from 
Halifax,  laying  in  the  Kills,  near  Mr.  Decker's  ferry,  was  almost 
torn  to  pieces  last  Wednesday  morning,  by  a  party  under  the 
command  of  General  Herd,  from  the  opposite  shore,  with  two 
18-pounders.  The  crew  soon  abandoned  the  sloop,  and  we  sup- 
pose she  is  rendered  entirely  unfit  for  any  further  service. 

"  We  hear  two  men  of  war  now  lay  near  Amboy,  in  order  'tis 
supposed,  to  stop  all  navigation  that  way." 

Lord  Howe  and  General  Howe,  having  thus  established  their 
troops  and  naval  forces  upon  and  around  Staten  Island,  issued 
a  proclamation  on  the  14th  of  July,  inviting  all  persons  to  return 
to  their  allegiance  to  the  king.  Their  combined  forces  were 
estimated  at  about  24,000  men,  though  only  a  part  of  them  were 
encamped  on  the  island.  The  number  of  the  latter  has  been 
variously  estimated  at  from  nine  to  fifteen  thousand  men. 

Let  us  now  turn  aside  from  the  field  of  active  movements  to 
notice  the  deliberations  of  the  parliamentary  head  of  govern- 
ment. On  the  9th  of  July  the  provincial  congress  convened  at 
the  court  house  in  White  Plains,  Westchester  county  ;  the 
British  then  having  taken  possession  of  Staten  Island,  there 
were  no  deputies  from  Richmond  county  in  attendance.  At 
this  meeting  the  declaration  of  independence  was  received  and 
read  ;  it  was  also  reported  that  the  British  had  taken  posses- 
sion of  Staten  Island  without  opposition,  and  detachments  had 
advanced  toward  Bergen  Point  and  Elizabethtown.  The  declar- 
ation having  been  read,  it  was  unanimously  adopted,  and  the 
congress  passed  a  resolution  to  support  the  same,  "  at  the  risk 
of  our  lives  and  fortunes.''  It  was  thus  ordered  to  be  published. 
It  was  then  "  Resolved  and  Ordered,  that  the  style  or  title  of 
this  house  be  changed  from  that  of  the  '  Provincial  Congress 
of  the  Colony  of  New  York,'  to  that  of  'The  Convention  of  the 
Representatives  of  the  State  of  New  York.'  " 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  173 

The  convention  recognized  the  impracticablity  of  electing 
senators  and  members  of  assembly  in  the  southern  district  of 
the  state,  Westchester  excepted,  and  as  it  was  reasonable  and 
right  that  the  people  of  that  district  should  be  entitled  to  rep- 
resentation in  legislation,  they  proceeded  to  appoint  these  of- 
ficers ;  and  for  the  county  of  Richmond,  Joshua  Mersereau  and 
Abm.  Jones  were  appointed  ;  the  latter  was  subsequently  de- 
nied his  seat,  on  account  of  his  sympathy  for  the  enemy. 

After  this  the  county  does  not  appear  to  have  been  repre- 
sented in  the  legislature  of  the  colony  or  state  for  a  long  time. 
There  were  representatives  who  were  entitled  to  their  seats,  but 
they  were  not  permitted  to  leave  the  island.  Communication 
with  the  main  land,  or  with  New  York,  or  Long  Island,  was 
jjrohibited,  except  by  permission,  and  consequently  in  th«  suc- 
ceeding sessions  of  the  legislature  the  name  of  a  representative 
from  Richmond  does  not  appear. 

The  first  object  to  engage  the  attention  of  General  Howe  was 
the  conciliation  of  the  American  loyalists,  and,  to  this  end,  he 
had  numerous  interviews  with  Governor  Tryon  and  other 
prominent  individuals  in  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  all  of 
whom  led  him  to  believe  that  large  numbers  of  the  people 
were  anxious  to  flock  to  his  standard  the  moment  it  was  un- 
furled. Delancey,  of  New  York,  and  Skinner,  of  Perth  Am- 
boy,  were  made  brigadier-generals,  and  Billop,  of  Staten 
Island,  colonel,  of  the  native  loyalists  or  tories.  Proclama- 
tions were  issued  promising  protection  to  the  people  so  long 
as  they  remained  peaceably  at  home  and  manifested  no  sym- 
pathy for  the  rebels  or  their  cause.  Misled  by  the  specious 
promises  which  Howe  had  promulgated,  hundreds  of  the  whig 
inhabitants  of  Staten  Island  remained  peaceably  at  home  to 
reap  the  fruits  of  their  credulity  in  having  soldiers  quartered 
upon  them — in  enduring,  submissively,  the  insults  and  out- 
rages committed  upon  themselves  and  families,  their  houses 
and  barns  openly  and  defiantly  plundered,  their  cattle  driven 
away  or  wantonly  killed,  their  churches  burned,  and,  not  in- 
frequently, some  of  their  own  number  barbarously,  and  with- 
out provocation,  murdered. 

There  were  some,  however,  who  had  no  faith  in  the  protesta- 
tions of  the  British  commander,  and  also  had  too  much  man- 
hood to  conceal  their  sentiments;  to  these  the  political  atmos- 
phere of  the  island  was  decidedly  unhealthy,  and  they  had  to 


174  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

escape  for  their  lives.  Among  them  was  Colonel  Jacob  Merse- 
reau.  He  was  the  son  of  Joshua  Mersereau  and  Maria  Corsen. 
He  was  baptized  May  24th,  1730,  and  died  in  September,  1804, 
in  the  75th  year  of  his  age.  He  resided  in  the  old  stone  house 
in  Northfield,  not  far  from  Graniteville,  since  occupied  by  his 
son,  Hon.  Peter  Mersereau.  Soon  after  the  beginning  of  the 
war  he  became  apprehensive  for  his  personal  safety  and  fled  to 
New  Jersey.  During  his  protracted  residence  there,  he  made 
occasional  stealthy  visits  to  his  family  by  night,  and  on  one  of 
these  occasions  had  a  very  narrow  escape  from  capture.  Hav- 
ing crossed  the  sound,  and  concealed  his  boat,  he  took  his 
course  for  home  across  fields,  avoiding  the  public  roads  as 
much  as  possible.  While  crossing  a  road  he  was  met  by  a 
young  man  by  whom  he  was  recognized  at  once.  There  was  no 
British  post  just  then  nearer  than  Richmond,  and  thither  the 
young  tory  hastened  to  inform  the  commanding  officer  of  his 
discovery.  Preparations  were  made  immediately  to  effect  the 
arrest  of  the  colonel,  but  it  was  near  daylight  in  the  morning 
before  the  party  set  out.  The  family  had  arisen  early,  but  they 
did  not  discover  the  soldiers  until  they  were  within  a  few  rods 
of  the  house.  The  alarm  was  immediately  given,  which,  being 
perceived  by  the  approaching  party,  a  rush  was  made,  and  as 
they  reached  the  door  the  colonel  sprang  out  of  the  upper 
northwest  window  of  the  house  upon  a  shed  beneath  it,  and 
thence  to  the  ground.  He  was  discovered  before  he  had  gone 
far,  and  at  once  pursued.  Crouching  on  "  all-fours  "  behind  a 
hedge  to  keep  himself  out  of  sight,  he  reached  a  swamp  in  the 
middle  of  which  he  found  a  place  of  concealment.  The  swamp 
was  discovered,  and  it  was  at  once  concluded  that  he  was  there 
concealed,  but  as  the  pursuers  were  ignorant  of  its  intricacies, 
they  could  proceed  no  further.  Dogs  were  then  put  on  the 
track,  which  they  followed  to  the  edge  of  the  swamp,  where 
they  chanced  to  scent  a  rabbit,  and  away  they  went  in  pursuit 
of  the  new  game.  Here  the  pursuit  terminated,  and  the  colonel, 
after  remaining  concealed  the  whole  day,  escaped  during  the 
following  night  to  New  Jersey.  For  a  week  thereafter  a  close 
watch  was  kept  on  the  house  by  day  and  by  night. 

When  the  British  took  possession  of  Staten  Island,  they  im- 
mediately threw  up  strong  intrenchments.     Simcoe  says  : 

"In  the  distribution  of  quarters  for  the  remaining  winter, 
Richmond  was  allotted  to  the  Queen's  Rangers.     This  post  was 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  175 

in  the  center  of  the  island,  and  consisted  ot  three  bad  redoubts, 
so  contracted,  at  various  times  and  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  be 
of  little  mutual  assistance  ;  the  spaces  between  these  redoubts 
had  been  occupied  by  the  huts  of  the  troops,  wretchedly  made 
of  mud  ; "  these  Lieut.  Col.  Simcoe  had  thrown  down,  and  his 
purpose  was  to  build  ranges  of  log  houses,  which  might  join 
the  redoubts,  and  being  loop-holed,  might  become  a  very  de- 
fensible curtain.  Other  fortifications  were  erected  in  other  parts 
of  the  island — one  at  New  Brighton,  on  the  height  now  known 
as  Fori  Hill,  which  commanded  the  entrance  to  the  Kills ; 
another  was  built  at  the  Narrows,  near  the  site  of  the  present 
national  fortifications,  and  in  several  other  places.  Many  rem- 
nants of  British  occupancy  have  been  found  in  and  around 
these  old  fortifications,  such  as  'cannon  balls,  bullets,  gun 
locks,  etc. 

Skirmishing  between  the  forces  on  Staten  Island  and  the 
Americans  on  the  Jersey  shore  was  of  frequent  occurrence.  A 
considerable  cannonading  took  place  between  the  forces  at 
Perth  Amboy  and  batteries  of  the  British  on  the  Staten  Island 
shore  on  the  25th  of  July.  This  was  occasioned  by  the  firing 
of  the  former  upon  four  or  five  shallops  as  they  were  coming 
down  the  sound.     The  account  continues  : 

"  Captain  Moulder,  with  his  two  field  pieces,  was  ordered  to 
the  shore  (Perth  Amboy),  but  being  encamped  at  some  distrnce, 
before  he  could  come  up  the  shallops  had  all  nearly  past,  how- 
ever, he  began  a  well  directed  fire,  and  though  the  y  had  got  to 
a  considerable  distance,  hulled  one  of  them. 

"  When  the  vessels  were  past,  the  firing  ceased  on  both  sides. 
We  had  the  misfortune  of  loosing  one  of  the  Second  battalion, 
and  having  another  wounded.  *  *  *  *  There  was  a  horse 
killed  which  was  standing  in  a  waggon  near  the  General's  door. 
The  enemy  appear  to  have  some  very  heavy  field  pieces.  They 
sent  some  12-pounders  among  us.  It  is  surprising  they  did  not 
do  more  execution,  as  there  were  so  many  of  our  people  on  the 
bank  opposite  to  them  without  the  least  covering. 

"  The  enemy  appear  to  be  very  strong,  and  are  constantly  re- 
inforcing, as  our  troops  come  in.  They  are  throwing  up  breast- 
works along  the  shore  to  prevent  our  landing." 

Major  Turner  Staubenzee  was  commander  of  the  Second  bat- 
talion of  light  infantry  on  the  island.  He  employed  a  stout 
negro,  who  happened  to  fall  into  his  hands,  to  carry  a  note  to 


176  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

another  officer.  The  negro  on  his  way  decided  to  change  his 
course  and,  turning  aside,  escaped  beyond  the  lines,  and  fled  to 
the  city,  where  he  delivered  the  note  to  the  Americans.  It  ran 
as  follows . 

"i)ear  Stanton: 
"The  bearer  I  have  sent  you,  thinking  him  a  strong  able  fel- 
low, and  fit  to  cut  throats  ;  so  if  you  approve  him,  keep  him  in 

your  corps. 

"  Yours,  &c. 

"  T.  Staubenzee." 

By  the  end  of  July  the  American  posts  opposite  the  island 
were  well  secured.  Above  five  thousand  troops  were  distributed 
at  the  different  stations  from  Newark  bay  down  the  sound  to 
South  Amboy,  while  the  headquarters  were  at  Amboy  city,  the 
strongest  point  of  the  line.  The  strength  of  the  British  was 
unknown  to  them,  but  believed  to  be  about  ten  thousand.  The 
latter  had  sentinels  all  along  the  shore  of  the  island  on  the 
north  and  west  sides,  and  the  houses  and  barns  of  the  inhabi- 
tants were  occupied  by  the  troops.  It  was  also  supposed  that 
a  considerable  encampment  was  established  behind  the  low 
bluff  at  Tottenville,  and  one  accoimt  of  the  engagement  on  the 
25th  says  that  "in  less  than  half  an  hour  after  our  fire  on  the 
shallops  began,  a  large  body  were  seen  coming  over  that  hill." 
The  British  evidently  were  ignorant  of  the  numbers  of  the 
Americans  on  the  opposite  shore,  and  regarded  it  as  necessary 
to  fortify  against  an  expected  attack  from  the  forces  which  in 
reality  were  not  more  than  one  third  the  strength  of  their  own. 
They  had  concealed  guns — six,  eight  and  twelve  pounders — 
planted  along  the  shore  in  different  places. 

The  waters  of  the  lower  bay  presented  a  scene  of  considerable 
activity  at  that  time,  from  the  frequent  going  out  and  returning 
of  men-of-war  and  transports  belonging  to  the  fleet  which  occu- 
j)ied  the  inner  bay.  Additional  numbers  of  vessels  joined  the 
fleet  at  different  times,  and  transports  were  bringing  provisions 
and  supplies. 

The  capture  of  the  city  of  New  York  was  the  immediately  de- 
sirable thing  to  General  Howe,  and  an  attack  upon  some  other 
point,  by  which  a  flank  movement  could  be  effected,  and  the 
city  approached  by  more  accessible  means  than  a  direct  attack, 
was  expected.  Long  Island  and  the  Jersey  shore  both  stood  in 
suspense,  ready  to  take  alarm  at  the  first  movements  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  177 

British  in  either  direction.  About  tlie  8th  of  August  deserters 
from  the  fleet  carried  the  news  to  the  Americans  that  Howe  was 
taking  his  field  j^ieces  on  board  and  preparing  for  an  attack  by- 
land  and  water  simultaneously  upon  Long  Island  and  the  city. 
On  the  other  side  the  people  of  Elizabethtown  were  about  the 
same  time  aroused  by  an  alarm  that  the  regulars  were  about  to 
make  an  immediate  attack  upon  that  point.  Every  man  capa- 
ble of  bearing  arms  was  summoned  to  defend  it.  As  three  or 
four  young  men  were  going  out  from  one  family,  an  elderly 
lady,  their  mother  or  grandmother,  after  assisting  them  to 
arm,  said  to  them  :  "My  children,  you  are  going  out  in  a  just 
cause — to  fight  for  the  rights  and  liberties  of  your  country; 
you  have  my  blessing  and  prayers,  that  God  will  protect  and 
assist  you,  but  if  you  fall,  His  will  be  done.  Let  me  beg  of 
you,  my  children,  that  if  you  fall,  it  may  be  like  men,  and  that 
your  wounds  may  not  be  in  your  back  parts."  These  alarms, 
however,  appear  to  have  been  without  important  results  until 
the  latter  part  of  the  month. 

In  the  meantime  the  forces  of  Howe  were  strengthened  by 
the  arrival  at  Staten  Island  of  the  fleet  which  returned  from 
South  Carolina  under  Clinton  and  Cornwallis  in  the  early  part 
of  the  month,  and  the  first  and  second  divisions  of  foreign 
troops  which  arrived  in  the  Lower  bay  on  the  12th.  The  fleet 
which  brought  the  latter  numbered  about  one  hundred  and  ten 
sail  of  vessels,  on  board  of  which  were  eight  thousand  Hessians 
and  Waldeckers  and  a  few  English  guards.  These  were  sent 
into  camp  on  Staten  Island.  Estimates  of  the  numbers  on 
Staten  Island  at  this  time  make  them  to  be  about  twenty-two 
thousand  men.  The  naval  forces  were  accommodated  on  board 
the  ships  "  Asia  "  and  "  Eagle,"  each  carrying  sixty-four  guns, 
and  the  "  Roebuck  "  and  ''  Phoenix,"  of  forty-four  guns  each, 
about  twenty  frigates  and  sloops  of  war  and  above  three  hund- 
red sail  of  transports,  store  ships  and  prizes. 

The  state  of  affairs  on  the  eve  of  the  decisive  battle  of  Long 
Island  is  told  more  effectively  in  the  following  extract  than  we 
could  otherwise  tell  it.  The  extract  is  from  a  letter  written  at 
New  York,  August  22,  1776  : 

"This  night  we  have  reason  to  expect  the  grand  attack  from 
our  barbarous  enemies,  the  reasons  why,  follow.  The  night  be- 
fore last,  a  lad  went  over  to  Staten  Island,  supped  there  with  a 
friend  and  got  safe  back  again  undiscovered,  soon  after  he  went 

12 


178  HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

to  General  Washington  and  upon  good  authority  reported, — 
That  the  English  army  amounting  to  fifteen  or  twenty  thousand, 
had  embarked,  and  were  in  readiness  for  an  engagement — That 
seven  ships  of  the  line,  and  a  number  of  other  vessels  of  war 
were  to  surround  this  city  and  cover  their  landing, — That  the 
Hessians  being  15,000  were  to  remain  on  the  island  and  attack 
Perth-Amboy,  Elizabeth-town  point,  and  Bergen,  while  the 
main  body  were  doing  their  best  here  ;  that  the  Highlanders 
expected  America  was  already  conquered,  and  that  they  were 
only  to  come  over  and  settle  on  our  lands,  for  which  reason 
they  had  brought  their  churns,  ploughs,  &c.  being  deceived, 
they  had  refused  fighting,  upon  which  account  G-eneral  Howe 
had  shot  one,  hung  five  or  six,  and  flogged  many. 

"  Last  evening  in  a  violent  thunder-storm,  Mr. (a  very 

intelligent  person)  ventured  over,  he  brings  much  the  same  ac- 
count as  the  above  lad,  with  this  addition, — That  all  the  horses 
on  the  island,  were  by  Howe's  orders  killed,  barrelled  up  and 
put  on  board  ;  the  wretches  thinking  that  they  could  get  no 
landing  here  and  of  consequence  be  soon  out  of  provision. 
That  the  tories  were  used  cruelly,  and  with  the  Highlanders 
were  compelled  to  go  on  board  the  ships  to  fight  in  the  charac- 
ter of  common  soldiers  against  us.  The  British  army  are  pro- 
digiously incensed  against  the  tories,  and  curse  them  as  the  in- 
struments of  the  war  now  raging.     Mr.  further  informs, 

that  last  night  the  fleet  was  to  come  up,  but  the  thunder  storm 
prevented,  The  truth  of  this  appears,  from  the  circumstance 
of  about  three  thousand  red  coats  landing  at  ten  o'clock  this 
morning  on  Long  Island,  where  by  this  time  it  is  supposed  our 
people  are  hard  at  it.  There  is  an  abundance  of  smoak  to-day 
on  Long  Island,  our  folks  having  set  fire  to  stacks  of  hay,  &c., 
to  prevent  the  enemy's  being  benefited  in  case  they  get  any  ad- 
vantage against  us.  All  the  troops  in  the  city  are  in  high 
spirits  and  have  been  under  arms  most  of  the  day,  as  the  fleet 
have  been  in  motion,  and  are  now,  as  is  generally  thought,  only 
waiting  for  a  change  of  tide.— Forty-eight  hours  or  less,  I  be- 
lieve, will  determine  it  as  to  New  York,  one  way  or  the  other." 

The  state  of  the  British  army  on  Staten  Island  at  this  time  is 
shown  by  the  following  list,  from  an  English  authority  : 

Commander  in  Chief ,  Qennval  the  Honourable  Sir"  William 
Howe,  K.  B. ;  Second  in  Command,   Lieutenant-General  Henry 


SlSTOKY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTT.  179 

Clinton ;  Third  in  Command^  Right  Honorable  Lieutenant-Gen- 
eral  Earl  Percy. 

1st  Brigade. — Major-General  Pigot ;  4th  Regiment,  Major 
James  Ogilvie  ;  15th  Regiment,  Lieu  tenant- Colonel  Bird  ;  27th 
Regiment,  Lieutenant-Colonel  J.  Maxwell ;  45th  Regiment,  Ma- 
jor Saxton. 

2d  Brigade. — Brigadier- General  Agnew  ;  5th  Regiment,  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Wolcot ;  28th  Regiment,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Rob.  Prescot ;  35th  Regiment,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Robert  Carr; 
49th  Regiment,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Sir  Henry  Calder,  Bart. 

^d  Brigade. — Major-General  Jones  ;  lOoh  Regiment,  Major 
Vatass  ;  37th  Regiment,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Robert  Abercrom- 
by  ;  38th  Regiment,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Wm.  Butler  ;  52d 
Regiment,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Mungo  Campbell. 

Ath  Brigade. — Major-General  James  Grant  ;  17th  Regiment, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Manhood  ;  40th  Regiment,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  James  Grant;  46th  Regiment,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Enoch 
Markham  ;  55th  Regiment,  Captain  Luke. 

5th  Brigade. — Brigadier-General  Smith  ;  28d  Regiment,  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel J.  Campbell ;  43d  Regiment,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
George  Clerke  ;  14th  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Alured 
Clarke  ;  63d  Regiment,  Major  Francis  Sill. 

Qth  Brigade. — Brigadier-General  Gou.  Robertson  ;  23d  Regi- 
ment, Lieutenant-Colonel  Benj.  Bernard  ;  44th  Regiment,  Ma- 
jor Feury  Hope  ;  57th  Regiment,  Lieutenant  John  Campbell ; 
64th  Regiment,  Major  Hugh  McLeroch. 

1th  Brigade. — Brigadier-General  Wm.  Erskine,  quarter-mas- 
ter general  ;  17th  Light  Dragoons,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Birch  ; 
71st  Highlanders,  1st  Battalion,  Major  John  Macdowell ;  2d 
Battalion,  Major  Norman  Lamont. 

Brigade  of  Guards. — Major-General  Matthew  ;  Light  In- 
fantry Brigade,  Brigadier- General  Honorable  Alexander  Leslie; 
1st  Battalion  Light  Infantry,  Major  Thomas  Musgrave  ;  2d  Bat- 
talion Light  Infantry,  Major  Straubenzie  ;  3d  Battalion  Light 
Infantry,  Major  Honorable  John  Maitland  ;  4th  Battalion  Light 
Infantry,  Major  John  Johnson. 

Reserve. — Right  Honorable  Lieutenant-General  Earl  of  Corn- 
wallis ;  Brigadier-General  the  Honorable  John  Vaughan  ;  33d 
Regiment,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Webster  ;  42d  Regiment  (Royal 
Higliland),  Lieutenant-Colonel  Thomas  Stirling;  1st  Battalion 
Grenadiers,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Honorable  Henry   Moiickton  ; 


180  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

2d  Battalion  Grenadiers,  Lieutenant-Colonel  William  Meadows; 
3d  Battalion  Grenadiers,  Major  Thomas  Marsli  ;  4th  Highland 
Grenadiers,  Major  Charles  Stnart  ;  Royal  Artillery  and  En- 
gineers, Brigadier-General  Cleveland. 

General  Howe  having  signified  to  the  admiral  that  it  was  his 
intention  to  make  a  descent  in  Gravesend  bay  on  Long  Island, 
on  the  morning  of  the  22d  the  necessary  dispositions  of  the 
fleet  were  made,  and  seventy-five  flat  boats,  M^ith  eleven  bat- 
teaux  and  two  galleys  (built  for  this  service)  were  prepared 
for  landing  the  troops.  Howe  delegated  the  direction  and 
superintendence  of  the  embarkation  of  the  army  from  Staten 
Island  entirely  to  Commodore  Hotham,  by  whom  it  was  con- 
ducted with  the  greatest  dispatch  and  good  conduct.  In  the 
afternoon  of  the  21st  the  troops  who  were  to  compose  the  second 
and  third  debarkations  were  put  on  board  transports  which  had 
been  sent  up  from  the  Hook  to  Staten  Island  for  that  purpose. 
Early  in  the  morning  of  the  22d  the  "  Phoenix,"  "  Rose,"  and 
"  Greyhound,"  frigates,  commanded  by  Captains  Parker,  Wal- 
lace and  Dickson,  together  with  the  "  Thunder  "  and  "Carcass," 
bombs,  under  the  direction  of  Colonel  James,  were  placed  in 
Gravesend  bay,  to  cover  the  landing  of  the  army. 

As  soon  as  the  covering  ships  had  taken  their  respective  sta- 
tions, the  first  embarkation  of  the  troops  from  Staten  Island 
commenced.  These,  consisting  of  the  light  infantry  and  the  re- 
serve, both  forming  a  body  of  four  thousand  men,  and  under 
the  command  of  General  Clinton,  made  good  their  landing  with- 
out opposition.  The  transports  with  the  brigades  which  com- 
posed the  second  debarkation,  consisting  of  about  five  thousand 
men,  moved  at  a  little  distance  after  the  flat-boats,  galleys  and 
batteaux,  and  by  eight  o'clock  were  ranged  on  the  outside  of 
the  covering  ships.  The  transports,  with  the  remainder  of  the 
troops,  followed  in  close  succession,  and  before  noon  fifteen 
thousand  men  and  forty  pieces  of  cannon  were  landed  on  Long 
Island. 

On  the  25th  Howe  ordered  General  de  Heister  with  two  brig- 
ades of  Hessians  from  Staten  Island  to  join  the  army  ;  leaving 
one  brigade  of  his  troops,  a  detachment  of  the  Fourteenth  regi- 
ment of  foot  from  Virginia,  and  some  convalescents  and  recruits, 
under  the  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Dalrymple  to  take 
care  of  Staten  Island.  The  landing  of  the  troops  on  Long  Is- 
land was  effected  without  opposition.     There  is  no  need  of  re- 


HISTORY  OF  PilCHMOND  COUNTY.  181 

capitulating  the  story  of  the  battle  and  its  unfortunate  result — 
they  are  well  known  ;  the  British  succeeded  in  gaining  posses- 
sion of  New  York,  which  was  their  main  object.  To  keep  pos- 
session after  having  obtained  it,  required  a  strong  force,  and, 
in  consequence,  the  greater  part  of  the  British  forces  on  the  is- 
land were  withdrawn  ;  enough,  however,  were  left  to  defend  it 
against  any  force  the  Americans  might  be  able  to  bring  against 
it.  The  result  of  the  battle,  on  the  whole,  was  beneficial  to  the 
people  of  Staten  Island,  as  it  left  fewer  soldiers  there  to  depre- 
date upon  them,  and  rob  them  of  their  substance. 

Howe,  who  was  undoubtedly  sincere  in  his  oft-expressed 
desire  for  peace,  sent  General  Sullivan,  who  had  been  taken 
prisoner  at  the  battle,  with  a  verbal  message  to  congress, 
requesting  that  body  to  appoint  some  of  its  members  in  a 
private  capacity,  to  meet  him  for  the  purpose  of  adopting  such 
measures  as  might  be  agreed  upon  for  the  restoration  of 
peace  in  the  country,  intimating  that  he  was  clothed  with 
sufficient  power  for  that  purpose.  By  the  same  messenger  con- 
gress returned  answer  that  they  could  not  send  any  of  their 
number,  except  in  their  official  capacities  as  members  of 
their  body,  and  a  committee  of  that  character  they  would  send 
for  the  purpose  expressed  in  the  message.  Accordingly,  on  the 
6th  of  September,  Benjamin  Franklin,  of  Pennsylvania,  John 
Adams,  of  Massachusetts,  and  Edward  Rutledge,  of  South 
Carolina,  were  appointed  as  such  committee.  On  the  14th  they 
met  Howe  on  Staten  Island  ;  the  interview  took  place  in  the 
"  Old  Billop  House,''  still  standing.  It  had  been  occupied  as  a 
barrack  for  soldiers,  and  was  in  an  exceedingly  filthy  condition; 
but  one  room  had  been  cleaned  and  purified,  and  furniture 
placed  therein,  for  the  piarpose  of  the  meeting.  Howe  met  the 
committee  in  a  courteous  manner,  and  at  once  proceeded  to  ex- 
plain the  nature  of  the  power  with  which  he  had  been  invested, 
which  was  simply  to  extend  the  royal  clemency  and  full  par- 
don to  all  repentant  rebels  who  would  lay  down  their  arms  and 
return  to  their  allegiance.  The  committee  informed  him  that 
they  were  not  authorized  to  entertain  any  propositions  which 
did  not  recognize  the  political  independence  of  the  colonies. 
Howe  replied  that  he  had  a  great  regard  for  the  Americans  as  a 
people,  but  that  recognition  of  their  independence  was  a  matter 
beyond  his  authority,  and  could  not  for  a  moment  be  enter- 
tained, and  that  their  precipitancy  was  painful  to  him   and 


182  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

perilous  to  themselves.  Franklin  answered  that  the  people  of 
America  would  endeavor  to  take  good  care  of  themselves,  and 
thus  alleviate  as  much  as  possible  the  pain  his  lordship  might 
feel  in  consequence  of  any  severities  he  might  deem  it  his  duty 
to  adopt.  This  terminated  the  brief  interview,  and  the  com- 
mittee rose  to  depart.  Howe  politely  accompanied  them  to  the 
shore,  the  party  walking,  both  in  coming  and  returning, 
between  long  lines  of  grenadiers,  who,  to  use  the  language  of 
Mr.  Adams,  "looked  as  fierce  as  ten  furies,  and  making  all  the 
grimaces  and  gestures,  and  motions  of  their  muskets,  with  bay- 
onets fixed,  which,  I  suppose,  military  etiquette  requires,  but 
which  we  neither  understood  nor  regarded."  On  the  way  down, 
his  lordship  again  expressed  his  regret  that  he  was  unable  to 
regard  them  as  public  characters,  to  which  Mr.  Adams  replied, 
"your  lordship  may  consider  me  in  what  light  you  please,  and 
indeed,  I  should  be  willing  to  consider  myself  for  a  few  moments 
in  any  character  which  would  be  agreeable  to  your  lordship,  ex- 
cept that  of  a  British  subject."  To  this  Howe  replied,  "Mr. 
Adams  appears  to  be  a  decided  character." 

The  consequence  of  this  exhibition  of  Mr.  Adam's  independ- 
ent and  fearless  spirit  was  subsequently  apparent,  when  the  list 
of  unpardonable  rebels  was  published,  prominent  among  which 
was  the  name  of  John  Adams.  It  must  have  been  humiliating 
in  the  extreme  to  the  pride  and  arrogance  of  the  British  gov- 
ernment to  be  obliged  to  receive  this  proscribed  rebel  as  the  first 
minister  plenipotentiary  of  the  new  government  of  the  United 
States  of  America.  The  remark  of  Mr.  Adams  did  not  prevent 
Lord  Howe  continuing  his  courtesy,  for  he  sent  them  over  to 
Perth  Amboy  in  his  own  barge. 

After  the  failure  of  the  interview  above  described,  Howe  de- 
termined to  effect  a  landing  at  Kipp's  bay,  and  accordingly  sent 
five  frigates  from  the  Staten  Island  fleet  to  that  point.  On  the 
evening  of  September  13th  they  passed  up  the  East  river,  where 
by  keeping  close  to  the  Long  Island  shore  they  were  able  to  en- 
dure without  serious  damage  the  constant  fire  of  the  Americans 
from  the  fortifications  on  the  New  York  side.  Three  battalions 
of  Hessians  were  also  sent  from  the  encampment  here  to  take 
part  in  that  expedition,  the  particulars  of  which  belong  to  other 
pages  of  history  than  these. 

The  British  affected  to  believe  that  it  was  the  desire  of 
Washington  to  obtain  possession  of   the  post  at  Richmond, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  183 

though  what  peculiar  value  either  he  or  they  attached  to  it  in 
a  military  point  of  view,  except  that  it  commanded  one  of  the 
entrances  to  the  island  through  the  Fresh  kills,  is  not  apparent. 
To  give  the  rebels,  as  well  as  his  own  semi-barbarous  Hessians, 
employment,  Knyphausen  sent  out  frequent  expeditions  from 
the  island  Into  the  Jerseys,  where  the  most  horrid  atrocities 
were  sometimes  committed. 

These  were  not  usually  sent  forth  on  their  errands  of  robbery 
and  murder,  unless  they  were  known  to  be  much  superior  in 
number  to  the  patriots,  who  were  likely  to  meet  and  oppose 
them,  or  had  some  other  important  advantage.  These  preda- 
tory excursions,  however,  were  not  confined  to  the  British;  the 
Americans,  on  their  part,  sadly  annoyed  their  enemies  by  strik- 
ing at  them  whenever  the  opportunity  offered.  The  first  of  the 
hostile  demonstrations  on  the  part  of  the  patriots  occurred  in  Oc- 
tober, 1776.  General  Hugh  Mercer,  who  was  in  command  of  the 
American  forces  in  that  part  of  New  Jersey  contiguous  to  Staten 
Island,  planned  an  attack  upon  the  British  intrenchments  at  Rich- 
mond. Passing  over  to  the  Island  with  part  of  the  troops  posted  at 
Perth  Amboy,  on  the  night  of  the  15th  instant,  he  advanced  to 
within  a  few  miles  of  Richmond,  at  which  point  he  had  been  in- 
formed three  companies— one  of  British  troops,  one  of  Hessians 
and  another  of  Skinner's  militia — were  stationed.  Colonel 
GrilBn  was  detached  with  Colonel  Patterson's  battalion  and 
Major  Clarke  at  the  head  of  some  riflemen,  to  fall  in  upon  the 
east  end  of  the  town,  while  the  remainder  of  the  troops  en- 
closed it  on  the  other  quarters.  Both  divisions  reached  the 
town  by  break  of  day,  but  the  enemy  had  learned  of  their  ap- 
proach and  were  prepared  to  flee,  exchanging  only  a  few  shots 
with  Colonel  Grifiin's  detachment.  Two  of  the  enemy  weie 
mortally  wounded,  and  seventeen  taken  prisoners,  two  of  the 
Americans  being  killed.  Colonel  Griffin  received  a  wound  in 
the  foot  from  a  musket  ball,  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Smith  was 
slightly  wounded  in  the  arm.  Among  the  prisoners  taken  in 
the  action  were  eight  Hessians.  The  attacking  party  also 
brought  away  forty-five  muskets  and  other  implements  of  war 
and  one  standard  of  the  British  Light  Horse. 

Later  in  the  month  the  Bi-itish  fleet  was  anchored  partly  at 
the  "  Watering  Place  "  and  partly  in  Prince's  bay,  from  the 
latter  of  which  troops  were  frequently  disembarked  to  the 
Jersey  shore  and  up  the  Raritan  to  make  predatory  excursions 


184  HISTOrtY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

among  the  people  in  adjacent  localities.  Bergen  had  already 
been  abandoned  by  the  Americans  as  a  place  too  much  exposed 
and  of  too  little  importance  to  continue  to  occupy  in  the  face  of 
the  possibilities  of  the  British  falling  upon  the  stores  of  hay  and 
provision  that  had  been  gathered  there. 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  year  the  king's  forces  under 
Cornwallis  proceeded  to  New  Brunswick,  professedly  to  protect 
the  magazine  there,  but  probably  desiring  to  provoke  an  en- 
gagement with  Washington.  The  latter,  however,  refused  to 
be  drawn  into  an  engagement  to  which  he  feared  his  forces 
were  unequal,  but  spread  his  army  over  the  Jerseys,  taking 
positions  at  Newark,  Elizabethtown  and  Woodbridge,  thus  com- 
manding the  coast  opposite  to  Staten  Island.  In  these  towns 
he  established  his  army  during  the  remainder  of  the  winter.  So 
alert  were  his  troops  that  they  could  not  be  surprised ;  and  so 
strongly  were  they  posted  that  any  attempt  to  dislodge  them 
by  force  must  have  been  attended  with  great  hazard  and  loss. 
The  following  from  an  English  authority  relates  the  position 
from  that  standpoint : 

"  Of  all  the  great  conquests  which  his  Majesty's  troops  had 
made  in  the  Jersies,  Brunswick  and  Amboy  were  the  only  two 
places  of  any  note  which  they  retained  after  the  action  at 
Princetown;  and  however  brilliant  their  success  had  been  in 
the  beginning  of  the  campaign,  they  reaped  little  advantage 
from  them  when  the  winter  advanced,  and  the  contiguity  of 
so  vigilant  an  enemy  forced  them  to  perform  the  severest 
duty." 

During  the  winter  Howe  was  employed  in  forming  several 
provincial  corps  from  the  Americans,  British  and  Irish  who  had 
separated  from  their  countrymen  of  their  own  choice,  or  had 
been  obliged  to  leave  their  homes  because  of  the  tory  sentiments 
they  expressed.  These  new  levies  strengthened  the  British 
army  by  several  thousand  men.  Several  hundred  of  the  citizens 
of  Staten  Island  were  among  the  number.  They  were  placed 
on  the  same  footing,  as  to  pay,  subsistence  and  clothing,  as  the 
regular  troops.  As  a  farther  encouragement  to  the  privates 
and  non-commissioned  officers,  they  were  at  the  end  of  the  war 
to  receive  certain  proportions  of  land,  according  to  the  rank 
which  they  might,  then  hold.  These  provincials  were  placed 
under  command  of  the  late  Governor  Tryon,  who  was  now  made 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  185 

a  major-general,  and  part  of  them  were  stationed  on  Staten 
Island. 

In  February,  1777,  a  detachment  under  Major  Gordon 
marched  from  Eichmond  to  Cole's  ferry,  where  they  embarked 
for  Sandy  Hook,  where  it  was  learned  a  considerable  body  of 
Americans  were  lying.  After  being  detained  on  board  by  bad 
weather  and  violent  winds  for  three  days  they,  numbering  about 
two  hundred,  effected  a  landing  on  the  beach  about  two  miles 
below  the  American  posts,  which  they  surprised  before  daylight 
in  the  morning.  The  Americans  were  driven  from  the  Never- 
sink  hills,  sustaining  a  loss  of  several  killed  and  seventy-four 
taken  prisoners. 

Predatory  warfare  and  petty  skirmishes  were  of  frequent  oc- 
currence. On  the  27th  of  February,  Major  Tympany  crossed 
from  Staten  Island  to  Elizabethtown  with  about  sixty  men  on  a 
foraging  expedition.  He  came  into  collision  with  a  body  of 
Americans,  two  or  three  of  whom  were  killed,  but  the  former 
escaped,  bringing  with  him  back  to  the  island  four  or  five  pris- 
oners and  ten  head  of  cattle. 

Early  in  March  a  party  of  Americans  made  an  attempt  to  gain 
the  light-house  at  Sandy  Hook,  but  were  unsuccessful,  the  men 
posted  there  being  protected  by  the  guns  of  the  "  Syren  "  which 
lay  at  anchor  near  the  spot. 

About  the  same  time  a  party  of  Americans  came  down  the 
Jersey  shore  and  fired  on  some  boats  that  were  taking  in 
forage  at  New  Blazing  Star,  on  the  island.  Major  Tympany 
thereupon  crossed  the  river  with  about  forty  men  and  pur- 
sued the  "rebels"  about  three  miles,  on  his  retnrn  bringing 
back  ten  head  of  cattle  and  thirty  sheep. 

The  following  extract  from  a  letter  addressed  by  Tryon  to 
"  Christopher  Billop  Esq  ;  Colonel  of  the  Militia  of  Richmond 
County,  Staten  Island,"  dated  May  19,  1777,  appeared  in  a 
New  York  paper  of  June  9,  with  the  annexed  remarks  by  the 
editor  of  the  newspaper  : 

"It  is  my  earnest  recommendation,  that  the  inhabitants  of  Rich- 
mond County,  who  had  the  first  opportunity  of  testifiying  their 
loyalty  to  their  Prince,  and  fidelty  to  the  British  constitution,  on 
the  arrival  of  the  Kings  troops,  and  which  was  most  graciously 
accepted  by  his  Majesty,  should,  on  this  occasion,  eagerly  fol- 
low the  approved  example  of  the  militia  of  King's  county,  by 
liberally  raising  a  sum  of  money  for  the  comfort  and  encourage- 


186  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

ment  of  the  Provincial  troops  raised  in  this  province.  T  enclose 
the  form  of  the  instrument  vrhich  is  adopted  for  the  in- 
habitants of  the  city  and  county  to  subscribe;  copies  of  vsrhich 
w^ill  by  sent  to  Queen's  and  Suffolk  counties,  for  a  similar  pur- 
pose. Any  suggestion  of  fears  and  apprehensions  from  circum- 
stances of  situation,  must,  and  assuredly  will  be  construed  into  a 
lukewarmness  at  this  crisis,  to  the  King  and  the  old  constitution. 
Therefore,  let  the  loyal  subjects  now  distinguish  themselves 
by  free  donations,  and  dare  the  worst  from  men  who  have  struck 
at  the  root  of  their  liberty  and  property." 

The  following  editorial  remarks  are  appended: 

"  We  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  the  Public,  that  the  loyal 
inhabitants  of  Staten  Island  have  already  subscribed  Five 
Hundred  Pounds  for  the  Encouragement  of  the  Provincial 
Corps  of  this  Colony,  and  transmitted  the  same  to  our  worthy 
Governor,  to  be  applied  to  that  laudable  Purpose.  The  Sub- 
scription in  other  Parts  meets  with  great  Success  among  his 
Majesty's  loyal  Subjects,  both  in  this  City  and  County,  and  in 
the  Counties  upon  Long  Island,  almost  every  one  being  desirous 
to  give  this  Test  of  Loyalty  and  Love  of  constitutional  Free- 
dom. Trimmers  and  some  doubtful  Characters,  it  is  expected, 
will  be  made  manifest  upon  this  Occasion,  and  of  course  be 
properly  noticed." 

On  the  6th  of  June  a  party  of  about  twelve  British  made  a 
raid  into  Elizabethtown,  where  they  were  fired  upon  by  the 
Americans,  and  a  skirmish  ensued,  in  which  two  or  three  were 
killed  and  several  wounded.  The  British  succeeded  in  stealing 
a  flat- bottomed  boat  large  enough  to  carry  one  hundred  men. 

About  this  time  the  British  commander  caused  to  be  issued 
the  following  proclamation,  which  suflBciently  explains  itself. 

"  Office  of  Commissary -General,  New  York,  June  12,  1777. 

"  Whereas  his  Excellency  Sir  William  Howe,  General  and 
Commander-in-Chief  of  His  Majesty's  Forces,  hath  thought  fit 
to  order  and  direct  Magazines  of  Forage  to  be  established,  for 
the  better  supplying  of  the  troops  under  his  Excellency's  com- 
mand: Notice  is  hereby  given  to  the  several  Land-holders, 
Farmers  and  others,  upon  York-Island,  Long-Island,  and 
Staten-Island,  who  may  be  able  to  supply  the  said  Magazines 
with  Hay,  Straw,  Oats,  and  Indian  Corn,  that  the  following 
rates  will  be  paid  for  the  same,  viz.: 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  187 

"  Good  Fresh  Hay,  at  the  rate  of  Five  Shillings  i)er  Hundred 
Weight. 

"  Straw,  at  Two  Shillings  per  Hundred  Weight. 

"  Oats  and  Indian  Corn,  according  to  its  quality. 

"  And  for  the  better  encouragement  of  such  persons  to  sup- 
ply the  said  magazines,  an  allowance  of  One  Shilling  per  Mile, 
for  every  Ten  Hundred  Weight,  will  be  paid,  over  and  above 
the  price  stipulated  aforesaid,  for  the  carriage  of  the  said 
Forrage  to  the  respective  Magazines  hereafter  mentioned,  viz.: 

York  Islakd. 

"  King's-Bridge,  Marston's  Wharf,  City  of  New- York. 

Long-Island. 

"  Brooklyn  Ferry,  Hempstead-Harbor,  Oyster-Bay,  Great- 
Neck. 

Staten-Island. 

"  Cole's-Ferry,  Decker' s-Ferry. 

' '  At  which  said  several  places  proper  persons  will  be  appointed 
to  receive  the  same,  to  ascertain  the  weight  thereof,  and  to  cer- 
tify the  delivery  :  and  upon  certificates,  ascertaining  such 
weight  and  delivery,  being  produced  at  this  office,  the  said  For- 
rage will  be  paid  for  immediately. 

"  His  Majesty's  service  requiring  these  Magazines  to  be  es- 
tablished as  soon  as  the  season  will  permit,  it  is  expected  and 
required  that  all  persons  who  raise  forrage,  do  furnish  a  certain 
quantity,  proportionable  to  the  produce  of  each  person  respec- 
tively. 

"  Daniel  Wier, 

"  Commissary  General.'''' 

Howe  and  a  large  portion  of  his  army  were  at  this  time  in 
New  Jersey.  The  objective  point  was  Philadelphia.  During 
the  early  part  of  the  preceding  winter  the  army  had  reached 
Trenton,  but  at  the  time  when  it  seemed  as  though  nothing  lay 
in  the  way  of  their  marching  to  Philadelphia  and  gaining  an 
easy  victory  a  sudden  and  unaccountable  apathy  seemed  to 
seize  the  British  commander,  and  he  rested  until  the  army  of 
Washington  was  in  a  better  position  to  resist  his  onward  prog- 
ress. By  this  time  Howe's  army  had  returned  to  Amboy,  and 
the  project  of  reaching  Philadelphia  by  land  seemed  to  be 
abandoned.  Another  attempt,  however,  was  made  to  draw 
Washington  away  from  his  fortifications,  so  that  the  British 
army  could  surround  him.     Having  retreated  slowly  across  the 


188  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

state,  while  Greene  was  harassing  his  rear,  he  prepared  to  cross 
from  Amboy  to  Staten  Island,  having  determined  to  attempt  to 
reach  Philadelphia  by  water.  Throwing  a  bridge,  which  had 
been  constructed  for  crossing  the  Delaware,  across  the  sound, 
he  sent  the  heavy  baggage  and  all  the  incumbrances  of  his  army 
over  to  the  island  under  the  escort  of  some  troops,  while  prep- 
arations were  making  for  the  passage  of  the  rest  of  the  army. 
Intelligence  of  this  was  received  by  Washington,  who  supposed 
that  the  British  army  was  retreating  in  earnest,  under  a  mis- 
apprehension of  the  strength  of  his  own  army.  He  accordingly 
descended  from  the  hilly  country  where  he  was  entrenched, 
and  moved  forward  as  though  pursuing  a  flying  enemy. 

The  British  general,  now  thinking  he  had  nearly  gained  his 
point,  determined  if  possible  to  get  between  Washington  and 
the  mountains  and  force  him  to  a  general  action  on  his  own 
terms  or  cut  off  some  of  his  detachments  if  he  should  retreat. 
He  accordingly  returned  to  Amboy,  and  on  the  26  th  of  June 
put  his  army  in  motion,  advancing  toward  the  pursuing  forces 
of  Washington.  The  forces  came  into  collision  and  the  British 
pursued  as  far  as  Westfield,  but  finding,  as  a  British 
chronicler  states,  "  that  the  caution  and  prudence  of  General 
Washington  had  rendered  his  schemes  abortive."  General 
Howe  returned  with  his  army  to  Amboy  on  the  second  day  after 
its  expedition  against  Washington,  and  on  the  29th  passed 
again  over  to  Staten  Island.  In  the  meantime  Washington 
wrote  to  congress  from  his  camp  at  Middlebrook,  June  28th,  as 
follows  : 

"  Sir,  On  Thursday  morning  General  Howe  advanced  with 
his  whole  army  in  several  columns  from  Amboy,  as  far  as  West- 
lield.  We  are  certainly  informed,  that  the  troops  sent  to  Staten 
Island  returned  the  preceding  evening,  and  it  is  said  with  an 
augmentation  of  marines  :  so  that  carrying  them  there  was  a 
feint,  to  deceive  us." 

The  campaign  of  Howe  in  New  Jersey  and  its  results  were 
summed  up  by  a  paper  of  the  time  in  the  following  paragraph  : 

"  Since  our  last  we  have  certain  intelligence,  that  soon  after 
the  skirmish  with  Lord  Stirling's  division,  as  mentioned  in  our 
last,  the  enemy  filed  off  from  Westfield  to  Amboy,  and  from 
thence  to  Staten  Island,  and  left  us  in  entire  possession  of  New 
Jersey,  in  a  small  part  of  which  they  had  been  pen'd  up  for  six 


HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  189 

months,  unable  to  do  any  great  matters,  except  stealing  a  few 
cattle,  and  making  Whigs  of  the  wavering  and  diffident." 

Among  the  troops  stationed  on  the  island  at  this  time  was  a 
rising  young  man  whom  subsequent  events  made  a  conspicuous 
figure  in  the  history  of  the  revolution.  This  young  man  was 
Major  John  Andre,  the  spy.  Though  he  was  not  prominent 
on  the  island,  yet  while  here  he  made  his  will,  and  the  in- 
terest which  naturally  attaches  to  his  name  must  be  our  apology 
for  the  insertion  of  a  copy  of  that  document  in  this  connection. 

"  TTie  following  is  my  last  Will  and  Testament  and  I  appoint 
as  Executors  thereto  Mary  Louisa  Andre  my  Mother,  David 
Andre  my  Uncle,  Andrew  Grirardot  my  Uncle,  John  Lewis  An- 
dre my  Uncle. 

"To  each  of  the  above  Executors  I  give  Fifty  Pounds. — I 
give  to  Mary  Hannah  Andre  my  Sister  Seven  Hundred  Pounds. 
— I  give  to  Ann  Marguerite  Andre  my  Sister  Seven  Hundred 
Pounds. — I  give  to  Louisa  Katherine  Andre  my  Sister  Seven 
Hundred  Pounds. — I  give  to  William  Lewis  Andre  my  Brother 
Seven  Hundred  Pounds.— But  the  condition  on  which  I  give 
the  above  mentioned  Sums  to  my  aforesaid  Sisters  and  Brothers 
are  that  each  of  them  shall  pay  to  Mary  Louisa  Andre  my 
Mother  the  sum  of  Ten  pounds  yearly  during  her  life. — I  give 
to  Walter  Ewer  Jun'r  of  Dyers  Court  Aldermanbury  One  Hun- 
dred Pounds. — I  give  to  John  Ewer  Jun'r  of  Lincoln's  Lin  One 
Hundred  Pounds.  I  desire  a  Ring  value  Fifty  Pounds  be  given 
to  my  Friend  Peter  Boissier  of  the  Eleventh  Dragoons. — I  de- 
sire that  Walter  Ewer  Jun'r  of  Dyers  Court  Aldermanbury 
have  the  Inspection  of  my  papers.  Letters,  Manuscripts,  I  mean 
that  he  have  the  first  Inspection  of  them  with  Liberty  to  de- 
stroy or  detain  whatever  he  thinks  proper,  and  I  desire  my 
Watch  be  given  to  him.  And  I  lastly  give  and  bequeath  to 
my  Brother  John  Lewis  Andie  the  residue  of  all  my  Effects 
whatsoever. — Witness  my  Hand  and  Seal  Staten  Island  in  the 
province  of  N.  York,  N.  America  the  7th  June  1777. 

"  John  Andre  Capt'n  in  the  26th  Reg't  of  Foot  [L.  S.J 

"N.  B.  The  Currency  alluded  to  in  this  Will  is  Sterling 
Money  of  Great  Britain. — I  desire  nothing  more  than  my  wear- 
ing Apparel  be  sold  by  public  Auction,  J.  A. 

"  City  and  Province  ) 
of  New  York.  f  ^®- 

Be  it  remembered  that  on  the  Mnth  day  of  October  in  the 


]90  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Year  of  Our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  Eighty  per- 
sonally came  and  appeared  before  me  Gary  Ludlow,  Surrogate 
for  the  City  and  Province  aforesaid,  Henry  White  and  William 
Seaton  both  of  the  City  and  Province  aforesaid  Esquires  who 
being  severally  duly  sworn  did  declare  that  they  were  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  hand  writing  of  John  Andre  formerly  Cap- 
tain in  the  twenty-sixth  Regiment  of  Foot  and  since  Adjutant 
General  Deceased  that  they  have  frequently  seen  him  write, 
And  that  they  verily  believe  that  the  before  written  Instrument 
purporting  to  be  the  last  Will  and  Testament  of  the  said  John 
Andre  bearing  date  the  seventh  Day  of  June  One  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  Seventy  Seven  with  the  Subscriptions  there- 
to are  all  of  his  the  said  John  Andre's  dwn  proper  hand  Writ- 
ing and  further  saith  not. 

"Cary  Ludlow  Surr." 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  above  that  the  will  was  admitted  to' 
probate  just  a  week  after  the  execution  of  its  maker  at  Tappan 
on  the  2d  of  October,  1780. 

Howe  having  determined  to  approach  Philadelphia  by  water 
began  early  in  July  the  embarkation  of  his  army  from  Staten 
Island.  On  the  5th  he  began  placing  on  board  of  transports 
such  corps  as  he  wished  to  take  with  him,  amounting  to  thirty- 
six  battalions  of  British  and  Hessians,  including  the  light  in- 
fantry and  grenadiers,  the  queen's  rangers,  a  powerful  artillery, 
and  a  regiment  of  light  dragoons.  The  troops  that  remained  in 
the  vicinity  of  New  York  were  placed  under  command  of  Gen- 
eral Clinton,  while  under  him  General  Knyphausen  had  com- 
mand of  Staten  Island.  Though  preparations  began  thus  early 
it  was  not  until  the  23d  of  the  month  that  the  fleet,  consisting 
of  two  hundred  and  sixty-seven  sail,  passed  outside  of  Sandy 
Hook. 

At  this  time  there  seems  to  have  been  a  desire  on  the  part  of 
the  British  to  starve  out  the  "rebels,"  or  at  least  to  weaken 
and  perplex  them  by  preventing  their  obtaining  any  supplies 
from  New  York  either  directly  or  through  Staten  Island.  To 
carry  this  out  all  commerce  between  here  and  the  Jerseys  was 
prohibited.  It  was  difficult,  however,  to  enforce  such  prohibi- 
tion. On  the  17th  of  July  Sir  William  Howe  issued  a  procla- 
mation relating  to  the  cargoes  of  vessels  arriving  at  the  port  of 
New  York.  He  appointed  Andrew  Elliot,  Esq.,  superintendent 
of  all  imports  and  exports  passing  between  New  York  and 


HISTORY  OP  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  191 

Long  Island  and  Staten  Island,  and  in  order  that  the  inhabitants 
of  the  latter  islands  might  be  furnished  with  necessary  supplies 
and  at  the  same  time  to  prevent  supplies  being  conveyed  to  the 
"  rebels"  through  these  channels,  he  ordered  that  no  craft  of 
any  kind  should  carry  from  the  city  to  either  of  these  islands, 
without  special  permit  from  the  superintendent's  office,  any 
larger  quantities  of  rum,  spirits,  sugar  or  molasses  than  one 
barrel  of  each,  or  of  salt  exceeding  four  bushels.  No  quantity 
of  any  other  kind  of  merchandise  larger  than  might  be  con- 
sidered sufficient  for  the  use  of  one  family  should  be  taken  at 
one  time.  The  penalty  for  the  violation  of  the  restrictions  of 
this  proclamation  was  forfeiture  of  the  vessel,  large  or  small, 
and  the  goods  found  on  board,  and  imprisonment  of  the  master 
in  charge.     Similar  proclamations  were  subsequently  issued. 

After  the  removal  of  the  troops  from  the  island  for  the  ex- 
pedition to  Philadelphia  there  were  only  about  three  thousand 
men  left  here.  The  principal  part  of  this  number  were  com- 
prised in  two  regiments  of  Hessians,  other  troops  being  of  the 
British  and  some  of  the  provincial  corps. 

In  the  early  part  of  August  a  party  of  Americans  crossed  the 
kills  and  landed  somewhere  on  the  shore  at  West  New  Brighton, 
and  directed  their  course  for  Richmond.  As  they  approached 
that  village  they  were  met  by  a  party  of  British,  who,  after  a 
slight  resistance,  retreated  slowly  until  they  reached  St.  An- 
drew's church,  which  they  entered;  the  Americans  fired  at  the 
windows  until  every  pane  of  glass  had  been  broken;  they  then 
approached,  and  fired  through  the  broken  windows  until  the 
British  were  driven  out;  a  reinforcement  from  the  vicinity  of 
the  quarantine  had  been  hurried  forward,  who  reached  Rich- 
mond just  as  the  church  had  been  vacated.  It  was  now  the 
turn  of  the  Americans  to  retreat,  which  they  did  by  the  Fresh 
kill  road,  keeping  the  prisoners  which  they  had  taken  in  their 
rear.  These  consisted  not  of  soldiers  only  but  of  citizens  also, 
whom  they  had  captured  on  their  way;  this  prevented  the 
British  from  firing,  lest  they  should  kill  their  own  friends,  or 
at  least  non  combatants.  After  the  Americans  had  descended 
the  hill  and  crossed  the  bridge  at  the  locality  now  known  as 
Laforge's  store,  Westfield,  they  concealed  themselves  in  a  corn- 
field, where  they  waited  until  their  pursuers  were  within  reach, 
when  they  fired  a  volley  at  them  and  the  British  colonel  in 
command  was   killed.      Continuing  their  retreat  until   they 


192  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

reached  the  shore  of  the  sound,  they  drove  their  prisoners, 
some  thirty  in  number,  into  a  large  hog  sty,  while  they  them- 
selves seized  what  boats  they  required,  and  effected  their  es- 
cape. While  they  were  crossing,  the  British  reached  the  shore 
and  opened  on  them  with  their  artillery,  which  they  had 
not  yet  ■  had  opportunity  for  using,  and  killed  several  of 
them. 

On  the  19th  of  the  same  month  Colonel  Dongan  and  Major 
Drummond,  of  the  Third  battalion  of  provincials,  mostly  from 
New  Jersey,  with  about  sixty  men,  set  out  from  Staten  Island 
on  a  predatory  raid  into  New  Jersey.  They  marched  about 
twenty-seven  miles  into  the  interior,  on  the  way  capturing 
fourteen  prisoners,  about  seventy  cattle  and  horses,  and  twenty 
stand  of  arms,  besides  destroying  a  quantity  of  powder,  shot, 
salt  and  rum.  The  transporting  of  the  stock  and  prisoners  across 
the  sound  at  Amboy  was  covered  by  a  guard  on  the  Jersey  side. 

One  of  the  most  important  engagements  of  the  war  on  the 
island  took  place  on  the  22d  of  August,  the  i)articulars  of 
which  are  as  nearly  in  accordance  with  the  following  statements 
as  we  can  gather  the  facts.  General  Sullivan,  of  the  American 
forces,  being  then  stationed  at  Hanover,  N.  J.,  some  twenty 
miles  or  more  from  Elizabethtown,  determined  to  make  reprizals 
for  the  predatory  raids  that  the  Staten  Island  troops  had  been 
making  into  New  Jersey.  He  learned  that  the  British  forces 
were  distributed  on  the  island  about  as  follows:  Colonel 
Buskirk,  with  a  regiment  of  two  hundred  and  fifty,  was  en- 
camped near  Decker's  ferry  ;  Colonel  Barton,  with  his  regiment 
of  about  the  same  number,  near  the  New  Blazing  Star  ferrv  ; 
Colonel  Lawrence,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  provincials,  near 
the  Old  Blazing  Star  ferry  ;  Colonel  Dongan  (Edward  Vaughn 
Dongan)  and  Colonel  Allan,  with  one  hundred  men  or  more  each, 
about  two  miles  apart,  between  the  latter  point  and  Amboy ; 
and  two  regiments  of  British  regulars,  two  of  Anspachers  and 
one  of  Waldeckers  were  encamped  by  their  fortifications  near 
the  "Watering  Place,"  their  numbers  being  unknown. 

Sullivan  well  knew  that  any  movement  of  troops  by  daylight 
in  the  country  near  the  shore  would  be  reported  by  tories  in 
time  to  allow  the  enemy  an  opportunity  to  prepare  to  oppose 
him.  To  avoid  this  a  long  march  by  night  was  the  only  resource. 
Accordingly  his  troops  at  Hanover  were  put  in  motion  at  about 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  21st.     These  were  selected 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  198 

from  the  brigades  of  Generals  Smallwood  and  De  Borre,  and 
numbered  about  one  thousand  men,  who  were  supposed  to  be 
most  ably  prepared  to  endure  a  long  march.  The  bodj'  reached 
Elizabethtown  at  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

The  forces  were  now  divided,  so  as  to  make  a  simultaneous 
attack  on  two  diflferent  points  on  the  island.  Colonel  Ogden, 
with  his  own  and  Colonel  Dayton's  regiment,  joined  by  one 
hundred  militia  under  Colonel  Frelinghuysen,  marched  from 
Elizabethtown  in  the  evening  to  a  point  opposite  the  Fresh  kill, 
where  they  were  conveyed  by  boats  across  the  sound  and  up  the 
creek,  their  object  being  to  attack  Lawrence's  regiment  in 
the  rear.  The  remainder  of  the  troops  crossed  from  Halstead's 
point  or  Elizabethtown  point,  approaching  the  island  on  the 
north  shore.  General  Smallwood' s  brigade  was  to  attack  Bus- 
kirk's,  and  General  De  Borre's  brigade  was  to  attack  Barton's 
regiment,  each  leaving  one  regiment  on  the  main  road  to  cover 
their  rear,  and  to  pick  up  such  as  might  escape  Colonel  Ogden 
or  the  attacking  parties.  Ogden  was  instructed  to  move  for- 
ward, should  he  complete  the  reduction  of  Lawrence's  regiment, 
and  attack  Dongan  and  Allan,  otherwise  to  hold  his  ground  till 
Sullivan  came  up  from  the  north  side  to  join  him. 

In  crossing  the  water  some  difficulty  was  experienced  on 
account  of  a  scarcity  of  boats,  but  the  whole  force  were  safely 
landed  on  the  island  before  daylight,  without  being  discovered 
by  the  British. 

About  day-break  Ogden  fell  upon  Lawrence  and  after  an  en- 
gagement of  two  or  three  minutes  routed  him,  taking  the 
colonel  himself  and  about  eighty  privates  and  small  officers 
prisoners.  He  then  moved  forward  toward  the  positions  of  Don- 
gan and  Allan  and  drove  them  back.  They  fell  back  to  the 
neighborhood  of  Prince's  bay,  where  they  found  intrenchments 
which  made  their  position  too  strong  for  the  fatigued  assailants 
to  press  against.  Ogden  now  fell  back  toward  Old  Blazing  Star 
and  took  position  to  wait  for  Sullivan.  In  the  meantime  the 
alarm  had  reached  the  commander  at  the  fortifications  on  the 
northeast  part  of  the  island,  and  he,  General  John  Campbell,  at 
once  marched  with  the  Fifty-second  British  and  Third  battalion 
of  Waldeckers  toward  Richmond,  under  the  supposition  that 
that  point  would  be  approached  by  the  invaders. 

Soon  after  the  moment  of  the  attack  made  by  Ogden,  General 
Sullivan  moved  with  De  Borre's  brigade  to  attack  Colonel  Bar- 
13 


194  HisrroKi'  of  eichmond  county. 

ton's  regiment  that  lay  at  the  New  Blazing  Star  (or  Decker's 
ferry).  Here  he  found  the  latter  drawn  up  to  receive  him,  but 
upon  the  main  body  moving  up  to  charge  they  broke  ranks  and 
fled.  Sullivan  had  stationed  Colonel  Price  off  to  the  right  to 
prevent  the  escape  of  the  enemy,  but  many  of  them  seized  the 
boats  that  lay  at  the  ferry  and  crossed  to  the  Jersey  shore,  while 
others  being  acquainted  with  the  intricacies  of  the  swamps  and 
woods  were  able  to  evade  their  pursuers.  A  considerable  num- 
ber of  arms,  blankets,  hats,  etc.,  were  taken,  and  about  forty 
privates,  with  Colonel  Barton  himself,  were  made  prisoners.  A 
barn  and  about  thirty-five  tons  of  hay  were  also  burned. 

At  the  same  time  General  Small  wood,  with  his  brigade,  moved 
in  another  column  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  Dutch  church, 
where  they  attacked  what  they  supposed  was  Colonel  Buskirk's 
regiment.  General  Smallwood's  guide,  instead  of  bringing  him 
in  the  rear  of  the  regiment,  led  him  to  a  position  in  their  full 
front.  The  latter  had  formed  on  the  east  side  of  the  bridge 
and  Smallwood's  men,  in  a  solid  column,  were  moving  over  to 
attack  them.  The  British,  however,  upon  the  first  fire,  broke 
and  fled  back  to  the  fortifications  on  the  northeast  part  of  the 
island,  where  they  were  later  in  the  day  rallied  by  General 
Skinner,  to  whose  corps  they  belonged,  and  were  led  by  him  to 
pursue  the  retiring  Americans  with  the  other  regiments  under 
Campbell.  In  their  precipitate  retreat  before  Smallwood's 
brigade,  however,  they  left  their  stand  of  colors,  which  was 
taken  by  the  Americans,  and  their  tents  which  the  latter  de- 
stroyed, as  they  also  did  a  quantity  of  hay  and  stores.  Small- 
wood's  men  also  burned  several  of  their  vessels  which  lay  in 
-the  kill  or  creek  near  by. 

The  forces  of  Sullivan  and  Smallwoodnow  effected  a  junction 
and  moved  inland  toward  Richmond  to  join  the  detachment  of 
Ogden.  About  noon  they  reached  Old  Blazing  Star  and  found 
that  Ogden,  after  waiting  till  longer  delay  seemed  unnecessarily 
hazardous,  had  sent  his  division  across  the  river.  Sullivan  had 
sent  a  messenger  to  biing  the  boats  from  Elizabethtown  point 
{Halstead's  point)down  the  sound  to  help  transfer  his  men  across, 
but  the  messenger  was  detained  on  the  way  and  the  boats  failed 
to  come.  In  this  emergency  Sullivan  began  at  once  to  trans- 
port his  men  by  means  of  the  three  boats  which  Ogden  had 
used,  but  before  this  could  be  accomplished  the  accumulated 
iorces  of  Campbell,  Skinner,  Dongan  and  Allan  were  upon  his 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  195 

rear  and  his  chances  of  escape  were  growing  uncomfortably- 
small.  The  rear  was  now  covered  by  about  eighty  of  Small- 
wood's  Marylander's,  commanded  by  Majors  Stewart  and  Til- 
lard,  who  ably  maintained  the  honorable  reputation  of  that 
brigade  by  their  unflinching  tenacity  against  overpowering 
odds.  The  bravery  of  this  little  party  was  highly  commended 
by  Sullivan  and  others  at  the  time.  By  their  determination  the 
enemy  was  held  back  until  all  the  troops  except  this  company 
were  safely  conveyed  across  the  river.  So  hotly  did  they  con- 
test the  approach  of  the  enemy  that  the  latter  were  several 
times  driven  back  with  great  confusion.  They  were,  however, 
forced  to  retire  and  take  new  positions  nearer  the  water,  until 
they  stood  within  twenty  rods  of  the  shore.  The  British  at 
last  brought  up  their  heavy  artillery  which,  with  "grape  and 
canister,"  so  commanded  the  sound  that  the  boatmen  refused 
to  face  the  fire  and  come  after  the  rear-guard.  Seeing  this,  and 
their  ammunition  also  failing  them  this  little  band  of  heroes  at 
last  surrendered,  though  several  of  them  escaped,  seven  of 
them  even  swimming  across  the  channel,  and  others,  perhaps, 
being  drowned  in  the  attempt.  About  forty  of  them  were 
taken  prisoners. 

Various  estimates  were  given  as  to  the  losses  in  this  days 
engagement  on  the  island.  The  total  loss  to  the  British  was 
one  hundred  and  thirty  privates  and  eleven  officers  taken 
prisoners,  and  probably  twenty-five  to  one  hundred  killed  and 
wounded;  while  that  of  the  Americans  was  ten  killed,  fifteen 
wounded  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  privates  and  nine 
officers  taken  prisoners.  Besides  this  the  British  lost  arms, 
baggage  and  a  number  of  cattle  carried  away  and  stores  and 
vessels  destroyed,  while  the  Americans  lost  a  few  whale  boats 
which  Campbell's  command  succeeded  in  capturing. 

General  Sullivan,  in  a  letter  to  congress,  in  which  he  urged 
an  investigation  into  his  conduct  relating  to  the  affair,  in  order 
to  clear  himself  from  some  charges  which  he  regards  as  unjust, 
gives  a  summary  of  it  in  the  following  language: 

"In  this  expedition  we  landed  on  an  island  possessed  by  the 
enemy;  put  to  roat  six  regiments;  killed,  wounded  and  made 
prisoners  at  least  four  or  five  hundred  of  the  enemy;  vanquished 
every  party  that  collected  against  us  ;  destroyed  them  great 
quantities  of  stores  ;  took  one  vessel,  and  destroyed  six  ;  took 
a  considerable  number  of  arms,  blankets,  many  cattle,  horses, 


196  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNXr. 

etc.;  marched  victorious  through  the  island,  and  in  the  whole 
course  of  the  day,  lost  not  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty 
men,  most  of  which  were  lost  by  the  imprudence  of  themselves, 
and  officers.  Some  few,  indeed,  were  lost  by  cross  accidents, 
which  no  human  foresight  could  have  prevented." 

After  this  raid  the  British  rested  less  easily.  They  were 
more  watchful,  and  suspicious  of  another  attack.  Kivington's 
Gazette,  of  October  25,  contained  the  following  paragraph, 
which  furnishes  some  suggestions  in  reference  to  the  subject 
before  us : 

"By  a  Gentleman  who  has  lately  escaped  from  confine- 
ment in  New  Jersey,  we  have  been  favoured  with  the  following 
particulars  :  *  *  *  It  is  imagined  that  another  expedition 
is  determined  upon  against  Staten-Island  under  the  command 
of  Mr.  Philemon  Dickenson,  who  has  assembled  near  400  men 
about  Elizabeth  Town  ;  boats  and  scows  are  also  prepared,  with 
a  floating  raft,  to  cross  Bridge  creek,  and  thereby  secure  a  re- 
treat to  the  point.  Q-en.  Sullivan  was,  on  his  late  unsuccessful 
attempt  on  this  island,  highly  reprehended  for  not  using  this 
expedient,  and,  as  he  has  been  again  blamed  for  his  conduct  at 
Brandywine,  in  Pennsylvania,  he  some  time  ago  resigned  his 
commission  in  disgust,  and  withdrew  himself  from  the  rebel 
army." 

Tories  who  were  so  strong  in  their  sentiments  as  to  make  a 
residence  among  the  friends  of  independence  undesirable,  were 
frequently  coming  over  to  the  island  to  join  the  British  army 
or  to  take  advantage  of  its  protection.  Some  Quakers,  whose 
peculiar  principles  forbade  their  taking  any  active  part  in  war- 
like transactions,  fled  to  the  island  as  an  asylum  from  the  ap- 
peals of  their  active  whig  neighbors.  Sullivan,  in  his  raid  on 
the  island,  claimed  to  have  taken  twenty-eight  tories  in  addi- 
tion to  his  other  trophies,  but  the  accounts  from  the  other  side 
represent  that  they  were  not  tories  but  peaceable  Quakers. 

The  fears  of  the  British,  above  referred  to,  were  not  ground- 
less. During  November  a  number  of  raids  were  made  by  the 
Americans  from  Elizabethtown.  On  the  night  of  Tuesday,  the 
18th,  just  before  the  rising  of  the  moon,  a  party  landed  in  the 
meadow,  where  they  concealed  themselves  until  they  had  the 
advantage  of  moonlight,  when  they  surprised  the  picket,  but 
after  a  brisk  skirmish  were  obliged  to  abandon  the  scheme  and 
return  to  Elizabethtown.     Another  attack  was  made  the  follow- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  197 

ing  day,  but  so  far  as  we  can  learn  with  no  better  success. 
Again,  early  on  Thursday  morning,  the  20th,  a  body  of 
"rebels,"  commanded  by  Philemon  Dickenson,  before  spoken 
of,  landed  on  the  island  and  advanced  upon  the  encampments 
of  Campbell.  No  sooner  had  they  opened  fire  on  them,  how- 
ever, than  they  discovered  reinforcements  approaching  and  sev- 
eral ships  of  war  steering  for  the  island.  Seeing  that  they 
would  be  overwhelmed  by  numbers  they  retired,  and  with  the 
loss  of  a  few  prisoners  made  good  their  escape  to  the  Jersey 
shore.  On  Friday  another  attempt  was  made  to  approach  the 
island,  but  with  no  better  results.  In  these  raids  more  or  less 
stores  and  provisions  were  carried  off.  At  the  final  evacuation 
on  Friday,  the  removal  of  what  stores  they  had  collected  was  ex- 
ecuted under  cover  of  an  armed  vessel,  which  approached  the 
shore  near  the  present  site  of  Mariner's  Harbor  and  fired  occa- 
sional guns  at  the  houses  on  the  island. 

Some  difficulty  seems  at  this  time  to  have  been  experienced 
in  enforcing  the  restrictions  against  the  exportation  of  salt  from 
New  York  to  Staten  Island,  by  which  channel  that  article  of 
necessity  was  smuggled  into  New  Jersey.  By  a  proclamation 
on  the  15th  of  November,  Clinton  directed  that  the  inhabitants 
of  Staten  Island  should  be  allowed  to  carry  salt  for  their  family 
use,  not  exceeding  three  bushels  for  a  family,  on  obtaining  a 
certificate  from  a  justice  of  the  peace  attesting  that  they  were 
Ijroper  persons  to  be  trusted  with  it.  This  regulation  soon  fell 
into  abuse,  and  on  the  18th  it  was  amended  by  a  further  proc- 
lamation that  all  persons  from  the  island  applying  for  a  permit 
to  carry  salt  thither  must  have  a  certificate  from  either  General 
Campbell  or  G-eneral  Skinner,  and  general  authority  was  given 
to  any  one  who  should  intercept  any  person  carrying  salt  with- 
out the  requisite  permit,  to  seize  and  appropriate  the  salt  to  his 
own  use  and  purposes. 

On  the  20th  of  December  General  Clinton  issued  a  remarka- 
ble proclamation  regulating  the  prices  of  farm  products,  the 
arguments,  objects  and  substance  of  which  are  shown  in  the 
following  extracts : 

"  Whereas  it  is  consonant  not  only  to  the  common  princi- 
ples of  humanity,  but  to  the  wisdom  and  policy  of  all  well 
regulated  states,  in  certain  exigencies  to  guard  against  the  ex- 
tortion of  individuals,  who  raise  the  necessaries  of  life,  without 
which  other  parts  of  the  community  cannot  subsist ;  and  where- 


198  HISTOKT  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

as  the  farmers  on  Long-Island  and  Staten  Island  are  possessed 
of  great  quantities  of  Wheat,  Rj^e,  and  Indian  Corn,  for  sale, 
beyond  what  they  want  for  their  own  consumption,  and  it  is 
highly  unreasonable  that  those  who  may  stand  in  need  of  those 
articles,  should  be  left  at  the  mercy  of  the  farmer,  and  whereas 
it  is.  equally  just  and  reasonable  that  every  encouragement 
should  be  given  to  the  industry  of  the  husbandman  ;  *  *  * 
*  *  *  and  whereas  the  present  rates  at  which  Wheat,  Flour , 
Rye-Meal,  and  Indian  Meal  are  sold,  do  vastly  exceed  in  pro- 
portion the  advanced  price  of  those  articles  which  the  farmer 
stands  in  need  of  purchasing,  *****  (jo  hereby  or- 
der and  direct  that  the  prices  to  be  hereafter  demanded  for  the 
said  articles  shall  not  exceed  the  following  rates, 

"A  Bushel  of  Wheat  weighing  Fifty  Eight  Pounds,  Twelve 
SMllings,  with  an  Allowance,  or  deduction  in  proportion  for  a 
greater  or  lesser  weight. 

"A  Bushel  of  Rye,  or  Indian  Corn,  Seven  Shillings. 

"  Merchantable  Wheat  Flour,  Thirty-Jive  Shillings  per  Cwt. 

"  Rye  Flour,  Twenty  Shillings  per  Cwt." 

"  Indian  Meal,  Seventeen  Shillings  per  Cwt." 

The  proclamation  further  stipulated  that  the  farmers  of  these 
two  islands  should  at  once  make  returns  to  the  commanding  of- 
ficers of  militia  in  their  respective  localities,  showing  the  quan- 
tity of  each  kind  of  grain  they  had,  and  what  quantity  they 
would  need  for  the  use  of  their  families  during  the  year.  He 
also  ordered  the  farmers  to  thresh  one  third  of  their  grain  at 
once  ;  another  third  by  the  first  of  February  and  the  remaining 
third  by  the  first  of  May  next.  A  refusal  to  comply  with  any 
of  the  requirements  set  forth  in  the  proclamation  should  be 
punishable  by  confiscation  of  the  entire  crop  of  grain  belong- 
ing to  siich  offender,  and  imprisonment  of  his  person. 

In  January,  1778,  the  prisoners  taken  in  the  raid  of  Dicken- 
son during  November  preceding  had  not  been  exchanged,  but 
on  the  contrary,  some  had  been  summarily  dealt  with,  when  the 
following  correspondence  passed  between  General  Robertson 
and  Governor  Livingston  of  New  Jersey,  which,  as  it  throws 
light  on  the  condition  of  affairs  and  the  results  of  the  Novem- 
ber raids  on  the  island,  we  insert  in  full. 

"New  York,  January  4,  1778. 
"  Sir, 

"  I  am  interrupted  in  my  daily  attempts  to  soften  the  calami^ 


HISTORY  OF  RIOIIMOND  COUNTY,  199 

ties  of  prisoners,  and  reconcile  their  case  with  our  security,  by 
a  general  cry  of  resentment,  arising  from  an  information 

"  That  officers  in  the  King's  service  taken  on  the  27th  of  No- 
vember, and  Mr.  John  Brown,  a  deputy-commissary,  are  to  be 
tried  in  Jersey  for  high  treason  ;  and  that  Mr.  Iliflf  and  another 
prisoner  have  been  hanged. 

"  Though  I  am  neither  authorized  to  threaten  or  to  sooth,  my 
wish  to  prevent  an  increase  of  horrors,  will  justify  my  using 
the  liberty  of  an  old  acquaintance,  to  desire  your  interposition 
to  put  an  end  to,  or  prevent  measures  which,  if  pursued  on  one 
side  would  tend  to  prevent  every  act  of  humanity  on  the  other, 
and  render  every  person  who  exercises  this  to  the  King's  ene- 
mies, odious  to  his  friends. 

"I  need  not  point  out  to  you  all  the  cruel  consequences  of 
such  a  proceedure.  I  am  hopeful  you'll  prevent  them,  and  ex- 
cuse this  trouble  from,  Sir, 

"  Your  most  obedient  humble  servant, 

"James  Robertson. 

"N.  B.  At  the  moment  that  the  cry  of  murder  reached  my 
ears,  I  was  signing  orders,  that  Fell's  request  to  have  the  liberty 
of  the  city,  and  Colonel  Reynold  to  be  set  free  on  his  parole, 
should  be  complied  with.  I  have  not  recalled  the  order,  be- 
cause tho'  the  evidence  be  strong,  I  can't  believe  it  possible,  a 
measure  so  cruel  and  impolitic,  could  be  adopted  where  you 
bear  sway. 

"To  William  Livingston,  Esq.,  &c.,  &c." 

To  this  Grovernor  Livingston  replied  : 

'■^January  7,  1778. 
"  Sir, 

"Having  received  a  letter  under  your  signature,  dated  the 
4th  instant,  which  I  have  some  reason  to  think  you  intended 
for  me,  I  sit  down  to  answer  your  inquiries  concerning  certain 
officers  in  the  service  of  your  king  taken  on  Staten  Island,  and 
one  Browne  who  calls  himself  a  deputy  commissary  ;  and  also 
respecting  one  Iliff  and  another  prisoner  (I  suppose  you  must 
mean  John  Mee,  he  having  shared  the  fate  you  mention)  who 
have  been  hanged. 

"  Baskirk,  Earl  and  Hammel,  who  are,  I  presume,  the  officers 
intended,  with  the  said  Browne,  were  sent  to  me  by  General 
Dickenson  as  prisoners  taken  on  Staten  Island.  Finding  them 
all  to  be  subjects  of  this  state,  and  to  have  committed  treason 


200  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

against  it,  the  council  of  safety  committed  them  to  Trenton 
goal.  At  the  same  time  I  acquainted  General  Washington, 
that  if  he  chose  to  treat  the  three  first  who  were  British  officers, 
as  prisoners  of  war,  I  doubted  not  the  council  of  safety  would 
be  satisfied.  General  Washington  has  since  informed  me  that 
he  intends  to  consider  them  as  such;  and  they  are  therefore  at 
his  service,  whenever  the  commissary  of  prisoners  shall  direct 
concerning  them.  Browne  I  am  told  committed  several  rob- 
beries in  this  state  before  he  took  sanctuary  on  Staten-Island, 
and  I  should  scarcely  imagine  that  he  has  expiated  the  guilt  of 
his  former  crimes  by  committing  the  greater  one  of  joining  the 
enemies  of  his  country.  However,  if  Gen.  Washington  chooses 
to  consider  him  also  as  a  prisoner  of  war,  I  shall  not  interpose 
in  the  matter. 

"Iliff  was  executed  after  a  trial  by  jury  for  enlisting  our 
subjects,  himself  being  one,  as  recruits  in  the  British  army, 
and  he  was  apprehended  on  his  way  with  them  to  Staten-Island. 
Had  he  never  been  subject  to  this  state,  he  would  have  forfeited 
his  life  as  a  spy.  Mee  was  one  of  his  company,  and  had  also 
procured  our  subjects  to  enlist  in  the  service  of  the  enemy. 

"If  these  transactions.  Sir,  should  induce  you  to  counte- 
nance greater  severities  toward  our  people,  whom  the  fortune 
of  war  has  thrown  into  your  power,  than  they  have  already 
suffered,  you  will  pardon  me  for  thinking  that  you  go  farther 
out  of  your  way  to  find  palliatives  for  inhumanity,  than  ne- 
cessity seems  to  require;  and  if  this  be  the  cry  of  murder  to 
which  you  allude  as  having  reached  your  ears,  I  sincerely  pity 
your  ears  for  being  so  frequently  assaulted  with  cries  of  mur- 
der much  more  audible,  because  much  less  distant,  I  mean  the 
cries  of  your  prisoners  who  are  constantly  perishing  in  the 
goals  of  New  York  (the  coolest  and  most  deliberate  kind  of 
murder)  from  the  rigorous  manner  of  their  treatment. 
"  I  am  with  due  respect, 

"  Your  most  humble  servant, 

"William  Livingston. 
"James  Robertson,  Esq.,  &c.  &c. 

"P.  S.  You  have  distinguished  me  by  a  title  which  I  have 
neither  authority  nor  ambition  to  assume,  I  know  of  no  man, 
sir,  who  bears  sway  in  this  state.  It  is  our  peculiar  felicity, 
and  our  superiority  over  the  tyrannical  system  we  have  dis- 


HISTORY  or  BICHMOND  COUNTr.  201 

carded,  that  we  are  not  swayed  by  men— In  New  Jersey,  Sir, 
the  laws  alone  hear  sway.'^ 

The  winter  of  1777-78  developed  a  considerable  amount  of 
smuggling,  which  taxed  the  genius  of  General  Clinton  to  the 
utmost  to  prevent.  He  appointed  Alexander  Gardiner  wharf 
officer  at  Staten  Island,  and  required  all  vessels  carrying  goods 
to  the  island  to  land  them  at  Cole's  ferry  and  nowhere  else, 
and  there  all  cargoes  should  be  inspected  by  the  said  officer, 
who  would  allow  goods  to  be  taken  thence  to  their  places  of 
destination  on  the  island.  This  officer  was  also  authorized 
to  seize  and  confiscate  all  goods  not  corresponding  to  the 
superintendent's  permit  accompanying  them,  and  also  to  seize 
and  confiscate  any  vessel  found  employed  In  such  illicit 
traffic. 

The  effort  to  prevent  commerce  between  the  island  and 
New  Jersey  was  not  confined  to  the  British  authorities.  It 
was  prohibited  also  by  the  colonists.  An  illustration  of  the 
the  efforts  made  to  prevent  commercial  intercourse  with  the 
enemy  is  furnished  by  the  following  anecdote.  In  January, 
1778,  one  William  Pace,  of  Schooley's  mountain,  and  Thomas 
V.  Camp,  of  Somerset  county,  were  both  on  their  way  to 
Staten  Island,  the  latter  with  a  quantity  of  flour  and  the 
former  with  four  quarters  of  beef,  intended  for  the  British 
general.  They  were  both  arrested  and  taken  before  the  council 
of  safety  on  the  28th.  It  would  have  been  regarded  as  high 
treason  had  evidence  been  sufficient  to  prove  clearly  that 
their  cargoes  were  designed  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  enemy, 
but  this,  proof  was  wanting.  Still  there  was  evidence  sufficient 
to  warrant  the  council  in  confiscating  the  flour  and  beef  and 
further  imposing  a  fine  upon  each  for  asking  a  price  for  their 
goods  higher  than  the  law  established.  On  the  following  day, 
however,  evidence  was  produced  that  one  Jacob  Fitz  Randolph, 
who  lived  at  the  Jersey  side  of  the  Blazing  Star,  had  met 
them  at  "Sparck-Town,"  a  locality  infested  by  tories  on 
Rah  way  river,  several  miles  southwest  of  Elizabethtown,  and 
engaged  to  take  their  cargoes  across  the  sound  when  the  ice 
broke  up  if  they  would  bring  them  to  his  house.  They  were 
accordingly  apprehended  and  confined  in  jail  for  procuring 
provisions  for  the  enemy. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  10th  of  June  three  boats  were 
loaded  with    men  at  Elizabethtown  and  proceeded  down  the 


202  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

sound  to  the  mouth  of  the  Fresh  kill,  and  landing  between  the 
Blazing  Star  and  Burnt  island  in  the  mouth  of  the  kill,  they 
surprised  the  picket,  but  being  unable  to  drive  them  back  they 
retired  and  waited  on  the  Jersey  shore  until  near  daybreak, 
when  they  returned  with  an  increase  of  numbers  and  attempted 
to  land  at  the  same  place,  under  cover  of  their  batteries.  They 
met  with  such  vigorous  resistance  from  Skinner's  brigade,  who 
were  guarding  that  point,  that  they  were  obliged  to  abandon 
the  undertaking,  and  retired,  with  small  loss  on  either  side.  In 
the  meantime  the  British  were  thoroughly  alarmed,  and  the 
corps  of  royal  artillery  which  had  been  posted  at  the  redoubts 
between  Ryers'  and  Cole's  ferries  were  put  in  motion  with  two 
six- pounders,  and  the  troops  at  the  different  posts  on  the  island 
were  also  under  arms  and  marching  toward  the  expected  scene 
of  action.  The  timely  retirement  of  the  Americans,  however, 
made  their  presence  unnecessary  and  probably  saved  them- 
selves from  the  serious  consequences  of  an  encounter  with 
superior  numbers  and  the  raking  fire  of  artillery. 

But  little  transpired  on  the  island  during  the  summer  to  be 
worthy  of  special  notice.  The  operations  between  hostile  forces 
were  mainly  confined  to  the  petty  depredations,  smuggling 
and  raiding  of  foraging  parties  on  a  small  scale,  which  were  of 
too  frequent  and  continual  occurrence  to  be  worthy  of  special 
remark.  In  September  (10th)  the  commissary  of  forage  required 
the  farmers  to  thresh  out  their  grain  at  once  "  as  the  Straw  is 
wanted  for  useof  his  Majesty's  troops,"  for  which  they  were  to 
be  paid  legal  rates  on  delivery  at  the  magazine  at  Cole's  ferry. 

On  the  evening  of  the  30th  of  September  an  expedition  hav- 
ing been  fitted  out  with  troops,  embarked  from  Staten  Island, 
set  sail  for  Little  Egg  harbor,  off  which  point  they  arrived  on 
the  6th  of  October,  having  been  delayed  by  adverse  winds. 

As  the  hard  winter  of  1778-9  came  on  proclamations  were 
issued  fixing  the  prices  of  various  common  necessities  as  fol- 
lows :  Walnut  cordwood,  or  any  other  kind  of  wood,  four 
pounds  per  cord  ;  upland  hay,  eight  shillings  per  cwt.  ;  salt 
hay,  four  shillings  per  cwt.  ;  straw,  three  shillings  per  cwt.  ; 
Indian  corn,  ten  shillings  per  bushel ;  oats,  seven  shillings  per 
bushel.  Other  proclamations  of  similar  character  were  after- 
ward issued.  The  following  item,  though  not  regulated  by  the 
military  authorities  of  the  island  is  of  interest.  It  is  from  a 
paper  of  December  26. 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  2.03 

"  The  intense  cold  weather  has,  within  these  two  days,  oc- 
casioned the  quick-silver  in  the  weather-glass  to  fall  four  de- 
grees lower  than  has  been  observed  for  the  last  seven  years  ; 
several  ships,  &c.,  and  many  lives  have  been  lost  by  the  mon- 
strous bodies  of  ice  floating  in  our  Bay." 

In  March,  1779,  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  by  proclamation  gave  per- 
mission to  any  loyal  subjects  of  the  king  to  enclose  and  culti- 
vate for  their  own  benefit  portions  of  the  cleared  woodlands 
and  other  uncultivatedlandsof  persons  who  had  left  their  homes 
on  Staten  Island  and  Long  Island,  and  were  not  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  government,  and  such  loyal  subjects  were  also 
permitted  to  erect  temporary  habitations  upon  such  lands. 

The  ''New  YorTc  Gazette'"  of  March  22,  1779,  says:  "Last 
Thursday  morning  a  party  of  Rebels  from  Jersey,  commanded 
by  one  Richmond,  came  to  Prince's  Bay  in  order  to  carry  off  a 
Boat  that  lay  there  loaded  with  wood  ;  but  before  they  could 
accomplish  their  Design  a  few  of  the  Inhabitants  assembled  on 
the  Beach  and  kept  up  such  a  brisk  Fire  upon  them  that  they 
were  obliged  to  relinquish  their  Prize,  which  happened  to  be 
aground,  and  make  the  best  of  their  way  home.  Mr.  Sleight, 
an  Inhabitant  of  Staten  Island,  received  a  Wound  in  his  Breast 
on  this  Occasion,  but  it  is  hoped  he  will  do  well. 

"  Two  or  three  different  Parties  of  them  have  been  lately  at 
the  Seat  of  Col.  Christopher  Billop  of  the  same  Island  in  order 
to  captivate  him  once  more,  with  a  view  to  get  him  for  an  Ex- 
change." 

At  the  same  time  parties  from  the  island  were  making  fre- 
quent incursions  into  New  Jersey.  As  examples  the  two  fol- 
lowing paragraphs  from  Graine's  "  New  York  Gazette,''''  will 
suffice. 

[April  26]  "Last  Wednesday  Lieutenant-Colonel  Buskirk 
sent  off  Capt.  Ryerson,  Lieut.  Buskirk,  and  Ensign  Earle  with 
a  Detachment  of  42  Men  of  the  4th  Battalion  of  New  Jersey 
Volunteers,  who  fell  in  with  the  Rebels  about  Day-Break,  im- 
mediately charged  and  put  them  to  the  Rout,  killed  and  wounded 
a  considerable  Number,  whom  they  passed  on  the  Field  beg- 
ging for  Mercy,  while  they  followed  the  rest  until  reinforced  by 
their  Main  Body,  consisting  of  about  100  Carolina  Troops  and 
sixty  militia;  Captain  Ryerson  perceiving  his  Men  much  fa- 
tigued drew  off  his  little  Party  to  a  rising  Ground,  where  in- 
stead of  being  attacked  by  them  so  much  superior  in  Number, 


204  HISTORY  OF  KIOHMOND  COUNTY. 

he  saw  them  Retreat.     His  Loss  on  the  Occasion  was  one  Man 
missing  and  two  wounded." 

[July  3]  "  Last  Tuesday  Night  a  Detachment  from  his  Ma- 
jesty's 37th  Regiment,  with  a  Party  of  CoL  Barton's  and  some 
Refugees,  went  over  from  Staten-Island  to  a  Place  called  Wood- 
bridge  Raway,  where  they  surprized  a  Party  of  Rebels  in  a 
Tavern,  killed  their  commanding  Officer  Captain  Skinner  of  a 
Troop  of  Light  Horse,  and  another  Man,  and  took  the  following 
Prisoners,  viz.:  Capt.  Samuel  Meeker,  Christopher  March, 
Joseph  Stephens,  Benjamin  Willis,  David  Craig,  Stephen  Ball, 
Lewis  Marsh,  Jotham  Moore,  Jesse  Whitehead,  John  Thorp, 
Thomas  Bloomfield,  Jeremiah  Corey  and  David  Hall." 

As  has  before  been  intimated.  Col.  Christopher  Billop  was  a 
conspicuous  object,  and  the  whigs  of  Jersey  were  anxious  to 
secure  him  as  a  prisoner.  Several  attempts  were  made.  At 
last,  on  the  23d  of  June,  a  party  of  about  twenty  landed  near  the 
house  under  cover  of  some  trees,  and  undiscovered  by  the  in- 
mates of  the  house  approached  it  and  seized  their  victim,  and 
bore  him  away  to  Jersey.  On  the  same  night  a  party  landed  and 
carried  off  another  prominent  tory.  Colonel  Cortelyou,  and  with 
him  one  William  Smith  of  Woodbridge,  who  was  his  guest  at 
the  time. 

We  are  prompted  in  passing,  to  give  the  following  extract 
from  a  tory  paper  of  September  18,  1779,  which,  though  not 
openly  germain  to  the  subject,  contains  a  hidden  sarcasm, 
which  may  be  seen  in  the  light  of  the  fact  that  the  atmosphere 
of  New  York  was  strong  with  "loyal"  sentiment,  while  the  op- 
posite was  true  in  New  Jersey. 

"  The  old  inhabitants  of  Staten-Island  assert,  that  the  cause 
of  the  Fever  and  Ague's  having  been  so  prevalent  of  late  there, 
was  the  want  of  the  usual  quantity  of  Thunder  and  Lightning. 
But  what  shall  we  think  of  the  cause,  to  which  a  Lady  from 
Jersey  attributes  the  sickly  state  of  the  inhabitants  of  that  Prov- 
ince? She  affirms  it  is  entirely  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  Mus- 
ketoes. — If  what  she  affirms  be  true — how  easily  can  we  account 
for  the  great  health  abounding  in  this  city.  We  have  PTilebot- 
omists  in  plenty.     Oenuine. ' ' 

The  following  records  are  suggestive  and  appropriate  to  this 
time: 

"  Sept.  28th  1779  Richmond  County.    Received  of  John  Bedel 


HISTORY  or  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  205 

Esq.  the  sum  of  Fifty  one  Pound  six  shill  for  the  use  of  the  Gun 
boat  as  appears  by  the  following  receipt 
"Richmond  County  Sept  the  28.  1779 

"Received  of  Mess^"  Richard  Conner,  Christian  Jacobson 
Henry  Ferine,  Cornelis  Corson  supervissors  for  said  County  the 
sum  of  Eighty  four  Pound  being  in  full  for  my  selfe  <&  Eight 
men  belonging  to  the  gan  boat  commenceing  "the  fourteent  of 
august  last  and  continued  for  one  month 

by  me  Jas.  Stewart  Capt" 

There  are  allusions  to  the  gun-boat  in  several  places  in  the 
records  ;  it  was  probably  one  of  the  means  used  by  Colonel  Bil- 
lop  to  enforce  the  order  to  prevent  communication  between  New 
Jersey  and  Staten  Island.  This  boat,  for  a  time  at  least,  ap- 
pears to  have  been  under  the  direction  of  Colonel  Billop,  and 
was  an  unpopular  affair  to  the  people  on  both  sides  of  the  water. 
It  was  an  almost  daily  occurrence  that  those  on  board  fired  at 
any  person  within  their  reach  on  the  Jersey  shores  ;  with  what 
effect,  however,  is  not  known.  A  company  of  a  half  dozen  Jer- 
seymen  once  attempted  to  get  possession  of  the  boat,  but  failed. 
It  was  lying  at  anchor  one  bright  moonlight  night  under  the 
shore  of  the  island,  and  as  no  person  was  seen  moving  on  board, 
they  supposed  their  opportunity  bad  come.  Accordingly,  one 
of  their  number  was  sent  in  a  small  boat  to  row  up  some 
distance  above  the  gun-boat,  and  then  to  drift  silently  down 
with  the  ebb  tide,  and,  as  he  passed,  to  observe  whether  there 
was  any  person  on  her  deck.  He  succeeded  in  accomplishing 
his  purpose,  but  discovered  a  man  sitting  flat  upon  the  deck, 
apparently  engaged  in  strapping  a  knife  upon  his  boot.  When 
he  reached  the  shore  he  made  his  report,  and  the  enterprise 
was  abandoned  for  the  time,  nor  do  we  know  that  it  was  ever 
after  renewed. 

The  sloop  "Neptune"  was  kept  as  a  guard-boat,  stationed 
above  Decker's  ferry.  She  was  in  command  of  Captain  Palfrey. 
By  some  untoward  circumstances  she  drifted  or  by  some  means 
fell  within  range  of  the  guns  of  the  fort  at  Elizabethtown  point  on 
the  morning  of  October  15th,  and  there  she  grounded.  Captain 
Coogle,  who  was  in  command  at  Decker's  ferry,  discovered  her 
situation  and  sent  Cornelius  Hetfield,  who  had  command  of  a 
gun-boat  at  that  post,  with  twenty  men  to  recover  the  sloop. 
The  latter  was  at  once  joined  by  Job  Hetfield  in  another  boat, 
well  manned,  and  they  both  set  off  for  the  "Neptune,"  which  by 


206  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

this  time  had  been  boarded  by  about  thirty  men  from  the  oppo- 
site shore.  The  latter,  seeing  the  superior  numbers  and  strength 
of  their  assailants,  abandoned  the  sloop  and  the  Hetfield  party 
went  on  board.  The  cannon  from  the  fort  now  opened  on  the 
sloop  and  the  fire  was  returned  by  the  Hetfields.  For  several 
hours  the  vessel  remained  aground,  before  the  tide  arose  sufii- 
ciently  to  float  her,  and  during  that  time  firing  continued  with 
more  or  less  activity.  Though  several  men  were  wounded,  and 
perhaps  some  killed,  and  considerable  damage  done,  the  boat 
was  able  to  escape  to  her  station. 

November  24,  1779,  Sir  Henry  Clinton  issued  his  proclama- 
tion to  procure  fuel  for  the  approaching  winter.  It  was  well 
that  he  thus  early  made  preparation  for  the  needs  of  his  army 
during  what  proved  to  be  a  long  and  extremely  cold  winter. 
He  required  all  persons  who  had  obtained  permission  to  cut 
wood  "off  certain  lands  on  Long  Island  and  Staten  Island  im- 
mediately to  bring  what  wood  they  have  cut  to  this  market," 
and  required  all  owners  of  woodlands  on  those  islands  to  cut  and 
cart  their  wood  to  the  most  contiguous  landings  in  such  propor- 
tion "as  will  fully  answer  the  intent  and  meaning  of  this  proc- 
lamation and  prevent  the  disagreeable  necessity  of  granting 
permission  to  their  wood  to  be  cut  by  others."  Later  in  the 
winter,  Grovernor  James  Robertson,  of  the  province  of  New 
York,  issued  a  proclamation  forbidding  the  cutting  of  wood  on 
the  estates  of  persons  "  supposed  to  be  in  rebellion." 

The  third  important  attempt  to  invade  the  island  was  made 
during  this  winter — which  is  known  as  the  hard  winter  of  1779- 
80.  The  American  forces  were  quartered  in  New  Jersey  for 
the  winter,  but  poorly  clothed,  provisioned  and  armed.  Gen- 
eral Washington,  in  his  quarters  at  Morristown,  planned  this 
expedition,  and  left  its  direction  to  General  Stirling.  From 
their  peculiar  exposure  and  sufferings  at  the  moment,  the  com- 
mander-in-chief, perhaps,  suggested  this  attack,  to  divert  the 
minds  of  his  discontented  men  from  their  numerous  and  fear- 
ful forebodings.  The  American  army  was  then  encamped  on 
the  hills  back  of  Morristown,  the  encampment  extending  sev- 
eral miles  into  the  country.  Their  canvas  tents  afforded  but  a 
miserable  security  from  the  rain,  sleet  and  snow.  On  the  3d  of 
January  came  one  of  the  most  tremendous  snow  storms  ever 
remembered.  Some  of  their  sheltering  hovels  and  tents  were 
blown  down  or   torn  to  pieces,  and  the  soldiers  became  like 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  207 

sheep  under  the  snow,  which  fell  to  a  depth  of  from  four  to  six 
feet.  So  obstructed  were  the  roads  as  to  prevent  the  usual  re- 
ceipt of  supplies,  and  for  ten  days  each  man  had  but  two  pounds 
of  meat  and  some  even  were  entirely  destitute.  But  why  con- 
tinue the  details  of  the  condition  of  the  American  army  during 
that  hard  winter  ?  They  are  matters  of  general  history.  We 
have  given  enough  to  show  that  it  was  under  the  most  disheart- 
ening circumstances  that  the  plan  of  invading  Staten  Island 
was  conceived  and  set  in  operation. 

General  Stirling  was  dispatched  with  a  body  of  the  troops  to 
attack  the  outposts  of  the  enemy  on  Staten  Island.  They  pro- 
ceeded in  sleighs,  and  crossing  the  river  on  the  ice  at  Elizabeth- 
town  point,  took  up  their  line  of  march  toward  the  present  site 
of  Port  Richmond.  The  bridge  of  ice  was  sufficient  to  allow 
the  passage  of  any  force  across  the  kills,  and  it  was  supposed 
that  the  same  obstruction  would  prevent  the  movement  of  re- 
inforcements to  the  enemy  by  means  of  their  shipping  in  the 
bay.  The  detachment  under  Stirling  numbered  about  two 
thousand  five  hundred  men. 

When  a  little  east  of  Port  Richmond  the  column  divided, 
part  marching  onward  toward  New  Brighton,  where  the  British 
post  had  been  erected  on  the  hills,  and  the  other  wing  proceed- 
ing up  Mill  lane,  the  present  Columbia  street  of  West  New 
Brighton,  and  approached  the  mill  which  stood  at  the  head  of 
the  pond.  The  night  of  the  14th,  on  which  they  made  this 
long  passage  from  camp  to  the  designed  scene  of  action  was  a 
starry  night,  bright  and  clear,  but  so  intensely  cold  that  about 
one  third  of  the  men  were  more  or  less  wounded  by  the  biting 
frost.  The  intent  was  to  surprise  Skinner's  brigade  of  new  re- 
cruits, but  it  was  soon  discovered  that  their  designs  had  been 
anticipated  by  the  enemy,  information  having  reached  them 
through  the  kind  offices  of  their  tory  friends.  A  surprise  was 
now  out  of  the  question,  and  as  the  works  of  the  enemy  were 
well  situated  and  apparently  strong,  and  the  means  of  receiv- 
ing reinforcements  from  New  York  not  obstructed  as  had  been 
expected,  it  was  deemed  unadvisable  to  make  an  assault. 

The  troops  spent  the  day  of  the  15th  of  January  and  the  fol- 
lowing night  on  the  island,  in  snow  waist  deep,  protecting  them- 
selves as  well  as  they  could  from  the  inclement  weather  by 
making  huge  fires  of  the  cordwood  which  they  found  piled  up 
where  they  halted.     The  British  during  the  day  sent  a  boat  to 


208  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

New  York,  which  returned  at  evening  with  reinforcements.  On 
the  morning  of  the  16th  Stirling  withdrew  his  detachment  to 
Elizabethtown.  The  official  report  of  Stirling  concludes  with 
the  following  statements  : 

"  The  retreat  was  effected  in  good  order,  and  with  very  little 
loss.  A  party  of  the  enemy's  horse  charged  our  rear  guard 
under  Major  Edwards,  but  was  immediately  repulsed.  The 
major  had  three  men  killed.  Some  few  of  the  men  were  frost 
bitten-,  and  though  we  took  all  the  pains  in  our  power  to  have 
all  those  unable  to  march  transported  in  sleighs,  yet  I  imagine 
a  very  few  may  have  been  left  behind. 

"  Immediately  after  crossing,  a  party  was  detached  under 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Willett,  to  Decker's  house.  The  corps  there 
had  been  alarmed  and  barely  made  its  escape.  The  house  as 
a  garrison  place,  and  8  or  9  small  vessels  were  burned.  A  con- 
siderable quantity  of  blankets  and  other  stores  were  found. 

"  While  the  troops  were  upon  the  island,  a  number  of  per- 
sons from  this  side  [Elizabethtown]  took  advantage  of  the  oc- 
casion to  pass  upon  the  island,  and  plunder  the  people  there  in 
the  most  shameful  and  merciless  manner.  Many  of  them  were 
stopped  on  their  return,  and  their  booty  taken  from  them.  In 
addition  to  which,  I  have  sent  an  order  for  publication,  requir- 
ing those  who  had  eluded  the  search  to  restore  the  articles  in 
their  possession,  and  exhorting  the  good  people  at  large,  to  as- 
sist in  detecting  them.  All  the  soldiery  on  recrossing  the  ice, 
were  searched,  and  the  little  plunder  they  had  taken  from  them, 
and  their  names  noted,  that  they  may  be  brought  to  punish- 
ment. The  articles  recovered  are,  and  will  be  deposited  with 
the  Revd.  Mr.  Caldwel,  who  is  exerting  himself  in  the  affair, 
to  be  returned  to  the  owners.  I  am  happy  to  inform  your  Ex- 
cellency, that  a  very  inconsiderable  part  indeed,  of  the  troops, 
dishonored  themselves,  by  participating  in  these  enormities." 

Additional  light  is  thrown  upon  the  affair  by  the  following 
extract  from  a  letter  from  an  officer  on  board  the  British  brig 
"  Hawk,"  lying  off  Staten  Island  at  the  time. 

"  On  the  15th  inst.  at  Day  break,  the  Alarm  was  given,  that 
the  Rebels  were  on  Staten  Island,  an  Express  was  sent  on 
board  from  Gen.  Sterling  to  prepare  for  Action;  we  immedi- 
ately got  a  Spring  on  our  Cable  and  cleared  Ship,  the  Rebels 
appeared  on  the  Hill  over  the  Ferry,  and  brought  a  Field  Piece 
to  bear  upon  us,  which  we  perceiving,  fired  our  bow  Gun  twice 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  209 

at  them,  the  second  shot  roused  them  from  a  Meal  they  were 
making  of  broiled  Beef  Stakes;  their  Fire  from  the  Field  Piece 
was  well  directed,  but  the  Shot  fell  short  of  us  some  Yards. 
A  large  Parly  of  Rebels  came  down  to  burn  the  Houses  and  For- 
age, we  fired  on  them,  shot  one  Man's  Arm  off;  he  bled  to  death 
and  now  lays  in  the  snow;  our  Firing  made  them  retreat  as  fast 
as  possible  up  the  Hill  to  their  main  Body  (which  by  the  In- 
formation of  two  Prisoners  and  a  Deserter  that  we  had  on  board, 
consisted  of  4,000  Foot,  200  Horse,  6  Brass  Field  Pieces  6 
Pounders,  and  a  N'umber  of  Artillery  Men)  Gen.  Skinner  sent 
a  Letter  on  board,  thanking  us  for  the  Service  we  did.  'Tis 
certain  that  the  '  Hawk'  prevented  the  Forage,  the  Tavern, 
and  all  the  Houses  in  that  Neighborhood  from  being  burnt.  A 
Number  of  Men,  Women  and  Children  came  on  board  for  Ref- 
uge with  their  Goods  and  Effects." 

Another  British  account  contains  so  much  that  will  be  read 
with  interest  that  it  is  presented  here.  Proper  allowances  must 
be  made  for  the  partisan  coloring  in  these  statements  of  inter- 
ested persons  at  the  time  : 

"  On  Friday  Night  the  14th  inst.  a  large  Detachment  from 
the  Rebel  Army,  consisting,  it  is  supposed,  of  between  3  and 
4000  Men,  with  6  Pieces  of  Cannon,  and  2  Howitzers,  moved 
suddenly  from  the  Neighborhood  of  Morris-Town,  and  being 
(as  it  is  reported)  transported  in  Sleighs  over  the  Ice,  reached 
Staten-Island  before  Day  break  in  the  Morning  of  the  15th, 
bending  their  March  towards  Decker' s-Ferry.  Colonel  Buskirk 
commanding  the  4th  Battalion  of  Brigadier- General  Skinner's 
Brigade  posted  there,  having  received  Intelligence  of  their  Ap- 
proach, judged  it  proper  to  retire  towards  Ryerson's  Ferry,  not 
being  in  Force  sufficient  to  oppose  so  considerable  a  corps. 
The  Rebels  pursued  their  March,  and  before  Noon  took  Post 
upon  the  Heights,  near  the  Redoubts,  constructed  at  the  North 
End  of  the  Island  :  from  their  Position,  cutting  off  the  Com- 
munication between  the  Corps  hutted  there,  and  the  Troops  at 
Richmond  and  the  Flag  Staff  :  they  remained  in  this  Situation 
till  early  in  the  Morning  of  the  16th,  when  they  were  observed 
retiring  from  Staten  Island,  without  attempting  any  Thing  ; 
they  burnt  Decker's  House,  and  a  very  few  small  Vessels  frozen 
in  by  the  Ice  at  that  Place.  -A  small  Detachment  which  har- 
assed their  Rear,  made  a  few'J*risoners  ;  and  several  Deserters 
came  to  the  different  Posts  during  their  Stay  on  the  Island. 
14 


210  HISTORy  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

"  They  committed  many  Excesses,  in  plundering  and  dis- 
tressing the  Inhabitants. 

"Sixteen  Prisoners  have  been  already  sent  to  New  York  ; 
and  it  is  imagined  there  are  others  not  yet  arrived  from  Staten 
Island." 

It  may  be  noted  in  passing  that  the  ice  soon  after  became 
more  solid,  and  there  was  a  bridge  across  the  bay  from  the  is- 
land to  New  York,  over  which  loaded  sleighs  and  other  heavy 
burdens  were  drawn.  A  paper  of  February  7  has  the  item  that 
eighty  six  loaded  sleighs  passed  over  on  the  ice  the  day  before. 
The  most  intense  frost,  accompanied  by  great  falls  of  snow  be- 
gan about  the  middle  of  December,  and  shut  up  navigation  to 
the  port  of  New  York  from  the  sea  for  many  weeks.  The  se- 
verity of  the  weather  increased  to  such  an  extent  that  about 
the  middle  of  January  all  communication  with  New  York  city 
by  water  was  cut  off,  and  new  means  opened  by  the  ice.  The 
passage  of  the  North  river  from  the  city  was  about  the  19th  of 
January  practicable  for  the  heaviest  cannon,  a  circumstance 
previously  nnknown  in  the  memory  of  man.  Soon  after  pro- 
visions were  transported  in  sleighs,  and  detachments  of  cavalry 
marched  from  New  York  to  Staten  Island  upon  the  ice.  The 
East  river  was  also  blocked  up  for  many  days.  In  this  state  of 
their  communications  the  British  on  New  York  island  were  ap- 
prehensive of  an  attack  from  the  army  of  Washington,  and  set 
on  foot  a  project  for  putting  the  loyal  expressions  of  the  in- 
habitants to  a  test  by  raising  about  forty  companies  of  troops 
among  them.  This  gave  them  good  courage  and  they  actually 
began  to  hope  that  the  Americans  would  make  an  attack,  so 
well  prepared  did  they  feel  to  resist  it.  It  was  not  until  the 
20th  of  February  that  the  frost  abated  so  as  to  allow  the  waters 
surrounding  New  York  to  become  navigable. 

General  Knyphausen,  who  had  command  of  the  Hessian 
troops  on  Staten  Island,  early  in  June,  1780,  resolved  to  make 
an  incursion  into  New  Jersey,  Springfield  being  the  point  to 
which  his  efforts  were  to  be  directed.  On  the  night  of  the  6th 
he  passed  over  with  about  five  thousand  men,  accompanied  by 
Generals  Robertson,  Tryonand  Sterling  to  Elizabethtown  point. 
The  militia  stationed  near  there  tired  upon  them  and  Sterling 
was  wounded  in  the  thigh.  The  British  troops,  however, 
maintained  their  march  and  reached  the  town  (Elizabeth)  early 
in  the  morning  of  the  7th,  whence,  after  a  halt,  they  moved  on 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  211 

toward  Springfield.  Finding  the  forces  in  that  direction  too 
strong  to  oppose,  he  drew  back  to  Elizabethtown  and  awaited 
the  arrival  of  Clinton  and  Arbuthnot  on  their  return  from 
Charlestown.  The  main  strength  of  Washington' s  army  now 
being  engaged  in  guarding  points  along  the  North  river  which 
were  threatened  by  the  British  commander,  Knyphausen  hav- 
ing been  reinforced  marched  again  towkrd  Srjringfield,  where 
he  engaged  the  Americans  under  Green  and  Dickenson,  on  the 
83d.  From  this  engagement  he  returned  the  same  day  to  Eliza- 
bethtown, and  during  the  night  following  brought  his  entire 
army  across  to  Staten  Island. 

Toward  the  end  of  October,  1780,  there  was  great  excite- 
ment among  the  British  on  Staten  Island,  caused  by  a  rumor 
that  Lafayette  had  arrived  in  the  vicinity  of  Elizabethtown 
with  a  large  force,  and  furnished  with  boats  on  wheels,  and 
that  he  meditated  an  attack  on  the  British  posts  on  the 
island.  Every  precaution  was  taken  to  prevent  a  surprise;  the 
defenses  were  all  strengthened,  and  defects  which  they  sup- 
posed would  not  be  observed  by  the  inexperienced  and  unedu- 
cated eyes  of  the  American  officers,  but  which  the  more  culti- 
vated observation  of  the  French  would  readily  detect,  were  re- 
paired so  far  as  time  and  means  permitted.  Simcoe  marched 
his  rangers  down  from  Richmond  to  Billop's  point  toward  the 
close  of  the  day,  in  full  view  of  the  people  on  the  opposite 
shore,  to  create  the  impression  that  an  inroad  into  New  Jersey 
was  about  to  be  made,  and  then  marched  them  back  again 
through  the  interior  after  dark.  Reinforcements  were  sent  from 
New  York  city,  and  Simcoe  issued  the  following  procla- 
mation : 

"  The  Lt.  Colonel  has  received  information  that  M.  Lafayette, 
a  Frenchman,  at  the  head  of  some  of  his  majesty's  deluded 
subjects,  has  threatened  to  plant  French  colors  on  the  Rich- 
mond redoubts.  The  Lt.  Colonel  believes  the  report  to  be  a 
gasconade;  but  as  the  evident  ruin  of  the  enemy's  affairs  may 
prompt  them  to  some  desperate  attempt,  the  Queen's  Rangers 
will  lay  in  their  clothes  this  night,  and  have  their  bayonets  in 
perfect  good  order." 

He  also  had  orders  from  the  commander-in-chief  to  abandon 
his  post  "  if  the  enemy  should  land  in  such  force  as  to  make, 
in  his  opinion,  the  remaining  there  attended  with  risk."  Noth- 
ing, however,  came  of  this  alarm. 


212  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

The  following  letter,  sent  by  Washington  to  Captain  Judah 
Alden,  commanding  officer  at  Dobb's  ferry,  indicates  that  the 
American  leader  had  some  important  scheme  in  contemplation 
which  for  some  reason  or  other  was  never  carried  out,  and  the 
details  of  which  are  unknown  to  us.  Nevertheless  we  consider 
the  letter  worthy  of  preservation,  as  it  shows  that  Washing- 
ton's eye  was  frequently  turned  toward  Staten  Island,  and  that 
he  had  a  lively  sense  of  the  importance  of  this  little  bit  of  terri- 
tory in  the  great  struggle. 

"  Headquarters,  23d  Novem.,  1780. 

"  Sir  :  I  impart  to  you  in  confidence  that  I  intend  to  execute 
an  enterprise  against  Staten  Island  to-morrow  night,  for 
which  reason  I  am  desirous  of  cutting  off  all  intercourse  with 
the  enemy  on  the  east  side  of  the  river.  You  vpill  therefore  to- 
morrow at  retreat  beating  set  a  guard  upon  any  boats  which 
may  be  at  the  flat  or  neck,  and  not  suffer  any  to  go  out  on  any 
pretense  whatever  until  next  morning.  Toward  evening  you 
will  send  a  small  party  down  to  the  Closter  landing,  and  if  they 
find  any  boats  there  you  will  give  orders  to  have  them  scuttled 
in  such  a  manner  that  they  cannot  be  immediately  used,  but  to 
prevent  any  possibility  of  it  the  party  may  remain  there  until  to- 
ward daylight — but  are  not  to  make  fires  or  discover  themselves 
—and  then  return  to  your  post.  I  depend  upon  the  punctual 
observation  of  this  order,  and  that  you  will  keep  this  motive 
a  secret.  Acknowledge  the  rec'  t  of  this,  that  I  may  be  sure 
you  have  got  it. 

"  I  am.  Sir,  Yr.  Most  obt.  Servt., 

"Geo.  Washington." 

On  Friday  evening,  February  23,  1781,  Capt.  Cornelius  Hat- 
field, with  a  party  of  five  tory  refugees  from  New  Jersey,  crossed 
over  to  Elizabethtown  and  attacked  the  command  of  Captain 
John  Craig,  who  was  posted  there.  Seizing  them  by  surprise 
the  assailants  were  able  to  secure  the  captain  and  ten  men  as 
prisoners,  and  with  them  they  returned  to  Staten  Island.  A 
similar  raid  was  made  on  the  night  of  March  1st,  when  a  party 
of  tories  brought  off  Commissioner  Clossen  and  an  ensign 
and  another  man.  The  same  method  of  partisan  warfare  was 
being  prosecuted  by  the  whigs  from  New  Jersey,  who  made 
frequent  descents  upon  the  tories  of  the  island,  carried  away 
prisoners  and  plundered  their  families. 

On  the  20th  of  March  a  party  of  militia  and  refugees  from  the 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  213 

island,  under  command  of  Lieut.  Richard  Seaman  of  the  militia 
and  Joseph  Shotwell  of  the  refugees,  made  an  incursion  several 
miles  into  the  country  in  the  township  of  Woodbridge,  where 
they  captured  and  brought  off  two  subalterns  and  eleven  pri- 
vates of  the  New  Jersey  militia.  On  their  return  they  boasted 
with  apparent  pride  that  they  had  not  stooped  to  the  mean- 
ness of  plundering  the  houses  of  those  who  fell  in  their  power. 

The  leader  of  the  above  exploit  was  at  this  time  desirous  to 
dispose  of  his  farm,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  announce- 
ment, which  is  too  much  of  a  curiosity  to  be  thrown  away. 

"  To  be  sold  at  Vendue,  On  Thursday  the  19th  inst.  The  Farm 
belonging  to  Richard  Seaman,  very  pleasantly  situated  on  the 
south  side  of  Staten-Island  (formerly  the  mansion  house  and 
part  of  the  valuable  plantation  that  did  belong  to  Mr.  Jaquis 
Poilloin,  deceased)  containing  190  acres,  exclusive  of  the  beach 
and  flats  on  the  front  of  the  said  farm,  which  will  be  included 
in  the  purchase  on  .which  comes  great  quantities  of  sea  weed  (a 
very  valuable  manure.)  On  said  farm  is  a  good  house,  barn, 
and  all  other  necessary  out-houses,  a  very  good  apple  orchard  of 
above  200  ingrafted  trees  of  the  best  fruit,  now  in  its  prime, 
with  most  sorts  of  other  fruit  trees,  common  to  this  country. 
The  natural  advantages  of  this  plantation  are  so  well  known, 
that  it  is  unnecessary  to  say  any  more  on  the  subject.  The 
vendue  will  be  held  on  the  premises,  where  the  conditions  of 
sale  will  be  made  known  by  Richard  Seaman." 

On  Saturday  evening,  the  21st  of  April,  Capt.  Cornelius  Het- 
field,  with  some  of  his  tory  refugees  and  a  detachment  of  Gen- 
eral Skinner's  corps  under  his  command,  crossed  over  to  Eliza- 
bethtown,  where  they  surprised  and  drove  in  the  picket.  Here 
they  engaged  in  a  skirmish,  in  which  one  of  their  number, 
Elias  Mann,  a  tory,  was  killed.  Hetfield  and  one  private  were 
also  wounded.  The  party  succeeded  in  liberating  one  Michael, 
a  tory,  who  was  held  there  in  chains,  and  then  made  good  their 
return  to  the  island. 

A  return^of  this  kind  of  excursion  took  place  on  Tuesday, 
May  9th.  Captain  Hendricks,  accompanied  by  a  sergeant  and 
eleven  men,  came  from  Elizabethtown  to  the  island  and  at- 
tempted to  take  the  patrol  of  the  First  battalion  of  New  Jersey 
loyalists.  Finding  it  impossible  to  surprise  them  they  secreted 
themselves  in  the  woods  until  they  supposed  the  patrol  had  left 
the  neighborhood,  but  were  discovered  later  and  a  skirmish 


214  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

ensued,  in  which  one  man  was  killed,  another  wounded,  and 
two  of  the  assailants  made  prisoners.  They  then  retired  to  the 
Jersey  shore. 

We  give  the  account  of  another  of  these  incursions  as  related 
from  the  British  stand-point.  On  the  29th  of  June  a  party,  con- 
sisting of  thirty-eight  of  the  First  battalion  of  New  Jersey  vol- 
unteers, with  about  thirty -four  militia  and  refugees,  the  former 
under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Hutchinson  and  Ensign 
Barton,  and  the  latter  under  command  of  Captains  Durham  and 
Robbins,  landed  at  Twerabley's  point,  near  the  mouth  of  Rah- 
way  river  and  surrounded  a  tavern  in  hopes  of  taking  three 
rebel  light  horse,  who  were  supposed  to  be  stationed  there  to 
give  notice  of  any  troops  approaching  from  Staten  Island.  Not 
finding  these  men  here  they  proceeded  to  the  house  of  one 
Captain  Amos  Morse,  who  was  surprised  and  taken  out  of  his 
bed,  with  four  other  "  rebels."  The  party  then  went  in  search 
of  cattle,  and  succeeded  in  capturing  about  forty  head,  and 
eighty  sheep.  As  they  were  driving  them  to  tlie  landing  at 
Twembley's  point  about  forty  of  the  "rebels"  having  collected, 
pursued  them,  and  a  skirmish  ensued,  in  which  twenty  of  the 
pursuers  were  made  prisoners  and  some  others  were  wounded. 
The  British  and  tories  were  then  able  to  land  their  booty  and 
prisoners  on  Staten  Island. 

July  21st  Captain  Hetfield  made  an  incursion  into  New  Jer- 
sey and  brought  oflf  Lieutenant  Obadiah  Meeker  and  fourteen 
privates  of  the  "rebel"  militia  as  prisoners,  with  whom  he  re- 
turned to  Staten  Island. 

On  the  night  of  the  23d  of  August  a  party  from  New  Bruns- 
wick, under  command  of  Captain  Hyler,  in  six  boats,  landed 
on  the  island  and  took  off  with  them  three  tories  and  nine 
horses.  They  also  collected  about  one  hundred  head  of  cattle 
on  the  shore,  but  the  militia  of  the  island  being  apprised  of 
their  movements,  they  were  unable  to  convey  them  away. 

The  incident  related  in  the  following  paragraph,  taken  from 
a  newspaper  of  November  12,  1781,  shows  the  social  possibili- 
ties under  a  martial  condition  such  as  that  in  which  Staten 
Island  then  lay  : 

"  Last  Saturday  William  Hetfield,  an  inhabitant  of  Elizabeth- 
Town,  Rahway,  came  to  Staten  Island  with  a  small  quantity  of 
flour  to  dispose  of,  that  he  might  get  some  hard  money  which 
would  enable  him  to  pay  the  taxes  imposed  by  the  rebel  Gov- 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  215 

ernor :  On  his  return  in  the  evening,  he  was  met  in  the  Sound 
by  one  Peter  Terrat,  a  noted  thief,  who  supports  himself  and  a 
gang  of  such  miscreants,  by  robbing  and  plundering  ;  to  him 
and  his  party  Hatfield  surrendered  himself  ;  but  after  he  was 
a  prisoner,  Terrat  thought  Hetfield  threw  something  overboard, 
on  which  the  infernal  fiend  took  a  pistol  out  of  his  pocket  and 
shot  him  dead,  laid  the  body  on  the  bank  of  the  Sound,  and 
went  off  exulting  with  the  other  prisoners  he  had  taken. 

"  Hetfield  has  left  a  wife  and  several  children  to  lament  their 
loss.  It  is  said  the  people  of  the  county,  detesting  such  horrid 
violence,  intend  making  enquiry  into  the  murder,  and  punish 
the  villain  as  he  deserves. 

"We  since  hear  that  a  Jury  has  brought  a  verdict  against 
him  guilty  of  murder,  on  which  he  fled  from  justice." 

Captain  Adam  Hyler,  who  has  been  already  mentioned,  made 
many  predatory  raids  on  Long  Island,  Staten  Island  and  in  New 
Jersey.  He  was  an  active  partisan  in  and  about  that  part  of 
New  Jersey  where  he  resided.  As  his  expeditions  against  the 
enemy  were  chiefly  conducted  by  water,  and  in  small  boats,  it 
is  probable  that  he  held  his  title  of  captain  by  courtesy,  and  not 
by  commission.  In  January,  1782,  a  party  of  infantry  from 
Staten  Island,  in  six  boats,  went  up  the  Raritan  to  New  Bruns- 
wick, and  before  daylight  succeeded  in  capturing  all  his  boats. 
In  less  than  a  month  thereafter  Hyler  launched  a  large  new  boat 
built  for  thirty  oars. 

The  following,  taken  from  a  paper  publishedin  New  York,  in 
the  interests  of  the  royalists,  is  another  instance  of  the  enter- 
prise and  indomitable  resolution  of  Hyler.  The  date  is  July 
15,  1782 : 

"  Last  Tuesday  night  Mr.  Hyler  took  2  fishing  boats  near  the 
Narrows,  and  ransomed  them  for  $100  each.  One  of  them  has 
been  twice  captured." 

The  same  day  "  a  little  before  sunset,  Mr.  Hyler,  with  3  large 
24-oared  boats,  made  an  attack  on  the  galley  stationed  at 
Prince's  Bay,  south  side  of  Staten  Island.  There  being  little 
or  no  wind,  he  came  up  with  a  good  deal  of  resolution,  but 
Capt.  Cashman  gave  him  an  18-pounder,  which  went  through 
the  stern  of  one  of  the  boats,  and  obliged  Hyler  to  put  ashore 
on  the  Island,  where,  after  a  smart  combat,  he  was  obliged  to 
leave  one  of  his  boats  and  make  the  best  of  his  way  home  with 
the  other  two." 


216  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

"  John  Althouse,  with  12  men,  was  on  board  a  guard-boat  at 
anchor  in  Prince's  Bay,  when  two  whale  boats  were  descried 
under  South  Amboy  shore.  It  was  calm.  The  cable  was  sprung 
and  a  24-pounder  brought  to  bear,  which  sent  a  shot  through 
Hyler's  boat.  His  crew  were  taken  in  the  other  boat,  (Dickey's) 
and  all  made  off  for  New  Brunswick  with  Gren.  Jacob  S.  Jack- 
son, whom  they  had  captured  in  South  Bay,  and  kept  prisoner 
till  he  was  ransomed." 

The  mantle  of  Captain  Hyler  appears  to  have  fallen  on  other 
shoulders  after  his  death.  The  New  Jersey  Gazette  of  Novem- 
ber 13,  1782,  says:  "The  brave  Capt.  Storer,  commissioned  as 
a  private  boat-of-war,  under  the  States,  and  who  promises  fair 
to  be  the  genuine  successor  of  the  late  valiant  Capt.  Hyler,  has 
given  a  recent  instance  of  his  valor  and  conduct  in  capturing 
one  of  the  enemy's  vessels,  and  in  cutting  out  a  vessel  lying 
under  the  flag-staff  and  within  half  pistol  shot  of  the  battery 
of  14  guns,  at  the  watering-place,  Staten  Island." 

But  the  years  of  war  were  drawing  to  a  close.  The  tale  of 
plunder,  rapine  and  murder,  committed  under  the  pretext  of 
war  was  closed,  and  on  the  16th  of  June,  1783,  Adjutant  Gen- 
eral De  Lancey  issued  from  his  headquarters  in  New  York  the 
proclamation  by  which  all  estates  on  the  island  were  to  be  im- 
mediately delivered  up  to  their  proprietors  or  their  attorneys. 
This,  however,  did  not  entirely  conclude  the  condition  of  war, 
or  abolish  the  presence  of  a  soldiery.  A  few  months  of  hesi- 
tancy ensued. 

On  the  25th  day  of  November,  1783,  the  British  finally  evacu- 
ated New  York  and  Staten  Island.  Eight  years  before,  they 
had  entered  the  country  with  the  expectation  that,  in  less  than 
as  many  months,  they  would  overrun  it  from  north  to  south, 
and  trample  out  the  rebellion.  The  people  should  be  made  to 
bow  with  abject  submission  before  the  invincible  power  of  Great 
Britain,  and  humbly  sue  for  the  privilege  of  lying  in  the  dust 
and  having  her  foot  placed  upon  their  necks.  The  march  of  the 
army  through  the  land,  from  its  beginning  to  its  end,  was  to  be 
an  uninterrupted  triumph.  But  they  now  returned  overcome 
and  crestfallen.  The  rebellion  which  they  came  to  conquer  had 
conquered  them,  and  their  overweening  arrogance  and  pride  had 
received  a  blow  such  as  it  had  never  received  before  nor  has 
since.  An  eye  witness  of  their  departure  described  the  scene  as 
in  the  highest  degree  impressive.     Several  days  before  the  25th 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  9A7 

had  been  occupied  in  conveying  the  troops,  cannon,  tents,  etc., 
from  the  land  to  the  vessels,  both  in  New  York  and  on  Staten 
Island.  When  all  was  ready,  they  passed  through  the  Narrows 
silently  ;  not  a  sound  was  heard  save  the  rattling  of  the  cordage. 
"We  stood,"  he  said,  "on  the  heights  at  the  Narrows,  and 
looked  down  upon  the  decks  of  their  ships  as  they  passed.  We 
were  very  boisterous  in  our  demonstrations  of  joy  ;  we  shouted, 
we  clapped  our  hands,  we  waved  our  hats,  we  sprang  into  the 
air,  and  some  few,  who  had  brought  muskets  with  them,  fired  a 
feu-dejoie.  A  few  others,  in  the  exuberance  of  their  gladness, 
indulged  in  gestures,  which,  though  very  expressive,  were 
neither  polite  nor  judicious.  The  British  could  not  look  upon 
the  scene  without  making  some  demonstration  of  resentment. 
A  large  seventy-four,  as  she  was  passing,  fired  a  shot  which 
struck  the  bank  a  few  feet  beneath  the  spot  upon  which  we 
were  standing.  If  we  had  had  a  cannon,  we  would  have  re- 
turned it,  but  as  we  had  none,  we  ran  away  as  fast  as  we  could. 
A  few  rods  from  us  stood  another  group,  composed  of  men  and 
women,  who  gazed  silently,  and  some  tearfully,  upon  the  pass- 
ing ships,  for  some  of  the  females  had  lovers,  and  some 
husbands  on  board  of  them,  who  were  leaving  them  behind, 
never,  probably,  to  see  them  again.  It  was  long  after  dark 
when  the  last  ship  passed  through  the  Narrows." 

But  they  did  not  all  go ;  many  of  the  soldiers,  especially 
Hessians,  who  had  no  home  attractions  across  the  water,  when 
they  learned  that  peace  had  been  declared,  and  that  the  army 
would  shortly  leave  the  country,  deserted,  and  sought  places  of 
concealment,  from  which  they  emerged  when  the  power  to  arrest 
them  had  departed.  Many  had  formed  attachments  which  they 
were  unwilling  to  sunder.  But  many  more  were  detained  by 
admiration  of  the  country,  and  a  desire  to  make  for  themselves 
a  new  home  in  a  new  world.  From  some  of  these  have  descend- 
ed men  whose  names  are  written  in  the  country's  history. 

Let  us  turn  now  for  a  brief  space  to  review  the  period  of  the 
war  and  its  general  effect  upon  the  people.  If  the  history  of 
the  sufferings  of  the  people  of  Staten  Island  daring  the  war 
could  be  written,  it  would  present  a  picture  too  dreadful  to 
contemplate.  Neither  age,  sex  nor  condition  were  exempt  from 
insults  and  outrages  of  the  grossest  character;  no  home  was  too 
sacred  to  protect  its  inmates  from  injury;  the  rights  of  prop- 
erty were  not  recognized,  if  the  invader  coveted  it;   even   the 


218  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  OOUNTY. 

temples  of  God  were  desecrated;  the  law  of  mi^ht  alone  pre- 
vailed. Proclamations  and  professions  of  good  will  and  protec- 
tion were  repeatedly  promulgated,  but  those  who  relied  on 
them  usually  reaped  disappointment.  It  was  useless  to  appeal 
to  those  high  in  authority,  for  the  complaints  of  the  people 
were  unheeded,  and  redress  of  injaries,  except  under  pecu- 
liar circumstances,  could  not  be  obtained.  If  a  British  officer's 
horse  was  in  need  of  hay  or  oats,  a  file  of  soldiers  was  sent 
to  any  farmer  who  was  known  to  have  a  supply,  to  sieze  and 
take  away  what  was  wanted.  If  the  officer  himself  needed  a 
horse,  the  same  method  was  adopted  to  procure  one.  Money, 
provisions  and  even  bedding  and  household  furniture,  were 
taken  by  force;  sometimes  promises  of  payment  were  made,  but 
these  were  seldom  fulfilled.  The  course  adopted  by  the  British 
while  in  possession  of  the  island,  effectually  alienated  many  of 
the  friends  of  the  royal  cause,  and  hence  it  was  that  so  many 
of  them,  at  the  close  of  the  war,  eagerly  took  the  oath  of  al- 
legiance to  the  new  government,  and  so  few  adhered  to  the 
cause  of  the  king,  and  followed  its  fortune. 

Numerous  instances  of  suffering  are  preserved  in  the  tradi- 
tions of  some  of  the  old  families  of  the  island.  There  was 
one  man  of  local  notoriety  whose  name  is  still  remembered  and 
mentioned  by  the  descendants  of  those  whose  misfortune  it 
was  to  suffer  at  his  hands;  his  name  was  Nathaniel  Robbins; 
he  resided  at  what  is  now  known  as  New  Springville,  but 
the  house  which  he  occupied  was  demolished  many  years 
ago.  It  stood  near  the  corner  of  the  roads  leading  to  Rich- 
mond and  Port  Richmond,  fronting  on  the  former.  He  was 
an  Englishman  by  birth,  dissolute  in  his  habits,  and  the  terror 
not  only  of  those  who  dwelt  in  his  neighborhood,  but  of  the 
whole  county.  His  wife  was  a  native  of  Staten  Island,  and  a 
daughter  of  the  widow  Mary  Merrill.  The  opinion  which  his 
wife's  mother  entertained  of  him  may  be  inferred  from  a 
clause  in  her  will,  which  was  dated  January  10th,  1789,  and 
in  which  she  bequeaths  to  her  daughter  Mary  Robbins  the 
sum  of  £40,  "  so  as  never  to  be  in  the  power  or  at  the  command 
of  Nathaniel  Robbins,  her  present  husband."  His  depreda- 
tions were  generally  committed  under  some  disguise,  which 
he  supposed  effectually  concealed  his  identity,  though  he  was 
often  betrayed  by  his  voice  or  some  other  tell-tale  circumstance. 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  219 

He  had  his  associates  it  is  true,  who  were  also  well  known,  but 
Robbins  was  regarded  as  the  leader  and  soul  of  the  gang. 

Those  families  residing  near  the  sound,  or  "the  lines,"  as  it 
was  called,  suffered  more  from  marauders  than  those  who 
dwelt  in  the  interior,  because  the  opportunities  for  approach 
and  escape  there  were  more  convenient.  As  part  of  the  local 
history  of  the  island,  authenticated  chiefly  by  family  tradi- 
tions, which  are  accepted  as  reliable,  several  instances  are 
subjoined. 

At  or  near  Chelsea  dwelt  several  families  of  the  name  of 
Prall,some  of  whose  descendants  are  among  the  most  respectable 
of  our  citizens  at  the  present  day.  Among  them  were  two 
brothers,  Abraham  and  Peter,  both  prosperous  farmers  and 
men  of  substance.  The  house  in  which  the  former  resided  has 
since  been  considerably  modernized,  on  the  Chelsea  road,  at  no 
great  distance  from  the  Richmond  turnpike.  The  Chelsea  road 
at  that  time  was  little  better  than  a  private  lane  leading  to 
these  residences  from  the  main  road,  and  passing  through 
dense  woods.  On  one  occasion  a  man  who  was  indebted  to 
Abraham  Prall  called  on  him  and  paid  him  a  considerable  sum 
in  gold.  The  next  evening  the  family  were  surprised  by  the 
approach  of  two  men,  who  were  evidently  disguised.  Their 
errand  was  at  once  suspected,  and  the  old  man  had  just  time 
enough  to  take  the  money  he  had  received  out  of  the  cupboard 
in  which  he  had  deposited  it,  and  put  it  into  his  pockets. 
When  the  strangers  entered  one  of  them  presented  a  pistol  at 
him  and  said,  "Prall,  we  know  you  have  money,  so  deliver  it 
up  at  once."  He  was  very  much  alarmed,  and  his  wife,  per- 
ceiving his  agitation,  said,  "Father,  don't  be  alarmed,  these 
men  are  our  neighbors."  She  had  detected  the  speaker  by  his 
voice,  and  knew  him  to  be  the  same  person  who  had  paid  the 
money  the  previous  evening,  and  had  seen  it  deposited  in  the 
cupboard.  "  Do  you  suppose,"  said  the  old  man,  "  that  I  am 
so  unwise  as  to  keep  any  large  sum  of  money  in  my  house  in 
times  like  these  ?  You  are  welcome  to  any  money  you  may 
find  in  the  house."  They  took  him  at  his  word,  and  the  cup- 
board was  the  first  place  visited. 

The  rest  of  the  house  was  also  searched,  but  without  success. 
They  then  turned  to  go,  but  directed  the  old  man  to  go  before 
them  through  the  lane  to  the  public  road.  The  path  through 
the  woods  was  intensely  dai-k,  and  he  managed,  as  he  went 


220  HISTORY  OF  KIOHMOND  COUNTY. 

along,  to  drop  his  guineas,  one  by  one,  upon  the  ground,  until 
by  the  time  they  had  reached  the  highway  he  had  none  remain- 
ing in  his  pockets.  Here  another  effort  was  made  to  compel 
him  to  tell  what  he  had  done  with  it,  but  all  the  reply  they 
could  extort  from  him  was,  "  The  money  I  had  in  my  house 
yesterday  is  not  now  in  my  possession."  He  was  then  searched, 
and  made  to  solemnly  swear  that  he  would  never  divulge  the 
circumstances  of  their  visit,  nor  mention  any  names  he  might 
suspect.  The  oath,  though  by  no  means  obligatory,  he  scrupu- 
lously kept.  The  next  morning  he  retraced  his  steps  of  the  pre- 
vious night,  and  picked  up  every  piece  of  his  money. 

A  younger  member  of  one  of  these  families,  while  on  his  way 
homeward,  at  a  late  hour,  on  horseback,  near  the  corner  of  the 
Port  Richmond  and  Signs  roads,  New  Springville,  was  suddenly 
stopped  by  a  man,  who  rushed  out  of  the  bushes,  seized  his 
horse  by  the  bridle,  and  ordered  him  to  "deliver  up."  The 
horse  was  very  spirited,  and  with  a  touch  of  the  rider's  spur 
suddenly  sprang  forward,  throwing  his  assailant  violently  to 
the  ground.  Then,  at  the  utmost  of  his  speed,  he  made  for 
home,  springing  over  every  fence  or  other  obstacle,  until  he 
reached  his  stable  door  in  safety. 

At  another  time,  two  young  men  took  a  sleigh  ride  to  the 
south  side  of  the  island.  When  they  returned,  before  remov- 
ing the  harness  from  their  beasts,  they  ran  into  the  house  for  a 
moment  to  warm  their  hands,  when  one  of  the  family  came  run- 
ning into  the  room  saying  that  somebody  was  taking  their 
horses  away.  Rushing  out  together,  they  saw  two  men  in  their 
sleighs  driving  rapidly  in  the  direction  of  the  sound.  As  pursuit 
was  useless  they  stood  still,  and  saw  the  thieves  cross  the  sound 
on  the  ice,  until  they  reached  the  Jersey  shore,  and  then  dis- 
appear in  the  country.     They  never  saw  their  horses  afterward. 

Mr.  John  Bodine,  who  then  lived  on  the  present  poor  house 
farm,  having  received  a  considerable  sum  of  money,  suspected 
that  the  fact  was  known,  and  if  so,  that  an  attempt  would  be 
made  to  rob  him.  He  therefore  buried  it  under  the  step-stone 
at  his  back  door.  His  suspicions  proved  to  be  well  founded. 
His  expected  visitors  made  their  appearance  the  following  even- 
ing and  demanded  all  the  money  he  had  in  the  house.  It  was 
in  vain  that  he  protested  that  there  was  no  money  in  the  house. 
They  insisted  on  searching  for  it,  but  before  doing  so  bound 
him  hand  and  foot,  and  then  proceeded  with  their  villainous 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  221 

work.  Nothing,  however,  was  found.  But  they  were  not  dis- 
couraged. If  the  money  was  not  in  the  house  he  had  concealed 
it,  and  must  reveal  the  place.  He  concluded  that  if  prevarica- 
tion was  ever  justifiable  it  was  under  just  such  circumstances 
as  those  in  which  he  was  then  placed,  so  he  persisted  in  his  de- 
nial of  having  any  or  having  concealed  any.  They  threatened 
to  shoot  him.  He  told  them  to  shoot  away,  he  could  not  give 
them  what  he  had  not.  Perceiving  that  the  fear  of  death  did 
not  intimidate  him,  they  resorted  to  torture.  They  heated  a 
shovel,  and  proceeded  to  burn  him  on  various  parts  of  his  body, 
but  all  in  vain  ;  he  persisted  in  his  denial,  and  they  finally  de- 
sisted, supposing  it  to  be  improbable,  if  not  impossible,  for  any 
man  to  endure  so  much  agony  for  any  amount  of  money. 

It  was  not  only  money  that  excited  the  rapacity  of  these 
thieves.  Household  furniture,  clothing,  linen,  anything  that 
had  value  in  their  eyes  was  ruthlessly  carried  away.  One  family 
had  a  vault  constructed  under  the  floor  of  a  cider  mill  in  which 
beds,  bedding  and  other  articles,  except  some  of  the  most  com- 
mon description,  and  in  constant  use,  were  concealed.  Several 
years  after  the  war  a  man  who  resided  near  "  the  lines,"  being 
on  business  in  New  Jersey,  discovered  in  one  house  a  mirror 
and  several  pictures  belonging  to  himself,  of  which  his  house 
had  been  robbed  during  the  war. 

We  are  indebted  for  the  following  incident  to  a  man  who 
died  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  then  in  his  ninetieth 
year. 

One  afternoon,  late  in  the  fall,  two  British  officers  on  horse 
back  rode  into  his  barn- yard,  and-  having  dismounted,  entered 
the  barn,  and  seeing  two  horses  in  their  stills,  peremptorilj^ 
ordered  him  to  take  them  out  and  put  theirs  in.  They  then 
directed  him  to  see  that  their  beasts  were  well  fed  and  other- 
wise cared  for.  From  the  barn  they  went  into  the  house,  and 
ordered  the  mistress  to  show  them  her  best  room.  This  being 
done,  they  proceeded  to  the  upi)er  part  of  the  house,  and  after 
having  examined  every  apartment,  selected  one,  and  directed 
her  to  prepare  two  beds  in  that  room,  and  to  see  to  it  that  they 
were  clean  and  comfortable  in  all  respects,  and  that  the  best 
room  was  furnished  with  everything  suitable  for  the  accommo-, 
dation  of  gentlemen.  They  then  descended  into  the  cellar,  and 
examined  the  family  stores  there  and  in  the  out-houses.  Hav- 
ing ascertained  the  conveniences  of  the  place,  they  ordered  their 


222  HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

supper  to  be  prepared  and  served  in  the  best  room,  informing 
her  that  they  intended  to  reside  there  for  some  time,  and  ex- 
pected to  have  their  meals  served  regularly  every  day  when 
they  vi^ere  at  home.  They  brought  no  luggage  with  them  except 
what  was  contained  in  two  large  valises  strapped  to  their 
saddles. 

They  remained  in  that  house  until  spring.  Their  clothes 
were  thrown  out  every  week  to  be  washed,  and  by  their  order  a 
supply  of  fire-wood  was  constantly  ready  at  their  door.  They 
did  not  always  take  the  trouble  to  put  the  wood  on  their 
own  fire,  frequently  calling  on  some  one  of  the  family  to  do 
it  for  them.  One  of  them  was  a  tory  officer  from  Amboy,  the 
other  was  an  Englishman.  Said  the  old  man,  "  They  lorded  it 
over  our  house  for  that  whole  winter,  and  all  we  had  to  do  was 
to  obey  them.  There  was  no  use  in  complaining  or  remonstrat- 
ing. If  we  had  done  so,  we  would  have  been  requited  with  a 
curse  and  a  blow  of  their  swords.  I  felt  like  poisoning  them, 
and  verily  believe  I  should  have  done  so  if  it  had  not  been  for 
fear  of  the  consequences.  They  left  us  as  unceremoniously  as 
they  came,  without  even  a  '  thank  you  '  or  a  '  good-bye.'  " 

It  is  related  of  a  young  woman,  the  daughter  of  a  farmer  residing 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  Fresh  kills,  while  engaged  one  morning  in 
boiling  soap,  two  soldiers  entered  the  kitchen  and  ordered  her 
to  prepare  breakfast  for  them  ;  she  declined  to  do  so,  as  she 
was  otherwise  engaged,  and  could  not  leave  her  employment  to 
oblige  anybody.  This  reply  excited  their  wrath,  and  one  of 
them  approached  her  with  an  intention  of  striking  her.  Seizing 
a  large  dipper,  she  filled  it  with  the  boiling  liquid  and  dashed 
it  at  him.  Perceiving  her  intention,  he  wheeled  suddenly 
around  and  thus  saved  his  face,  but  received  the  whole  charge 
upon  the  back  of  his  head  and  neck.  His  companion,  fearing 
a  similar  reception,  escaped  as  quickly  as  possible,  but  the 
scalded  ruffian,  in  endeavoring  to  remove  the  hot  soap,  took  all 
the  hair  off  with  it,  which  never  grew  again,  but  left  the  back 
of  his  head  bald  ever  after. 

Another  farmer  in  the  same  vicinity,  while  he  and  one  of  his 
sons  were  engaged  in  the  barn  one  morning,  was  suddenly 
alarmed  by  a  cry  for  help  from  the  house.  Each  seizing  a  hay- 
fork, the  farmer  and  his  son  ran  in  and  found  three  soldiers  in 
the  house,  one  of  whom  was  holding  one  of  the  young  women 
by  the  arm.     They  both  rushed  at  him,  first  one  stabbed  him 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  223 

in  the  tshoulder,  and  the  other  in  the  thigh,  disabling  him  at 
once.  With  the  same  weapons  they  attacked  the  other  two, 
driving  them  all  before  them  out  of  the  house,  and  pursuing 
them  for  some  distance  down  the  road. 

The  following  romantic  incident,  though  traditional,  is  well 
authenticated : 

Forty  years  ago  or  more  there  stood  an  old  stone  house  nearly 
on  the  site  later  occupied  by  the  residence  of  Capt.  R.  Chris- 
topher, in  West  New  Brighton.  For  many  years  before  it  was 
demolished  it  was  owned  and  occupied  by  the  late  Nathaniel 
Britton,  Jr.,  but  the  name  of  the  occupant  during  the  early 
years  of  the  revolution  had  entirely  escaped  the  memory  of  the 
narrator.  He  was,  however,  a  prominent  tory,  and  the  father 
of  a  daughter  said  to  have  possessed  more  than  an  ordinary  de- 
gree of  personal  attractions.  Before  the  commencement  of  the 
war  she  was  affianced  to  a  young  man  named  Mersereau,  who 
resided  at  or  near  Holland's  Hook.  A  young  British  lieuten- 
ant saw  and  admired  her,  and  probably  from  the  outset  marked 
her  for  a  victim.  He  succeeded  in  becoming  acquainted  with 
her,  and  to  the  gratification  of  her  father,  became  very  assid- 
uous in  his  attentions.  She,  however,  rejected  his  advances. 
After  several  months,  finding  he  had  utterly  failed  in  impress- 
ing her  with  a  sense  of  the  honor  of  his  alliance,  he  resolved  to 
possess  himself  of  her  person,  at  all  hazards.  The  same  young 
tory  who,  on  another  occasion,  betrayed  Colonel  Mersereau' s 
presence  with  his  family,  and  who,  it  would  appear,  was  some- 
what noted  for  his  unscrupulousness,  was  applied  to  by  the 
lieutenant.  The  plot  agreed  apon  between  them  was  carried 
into  execution,  with  results  as  follows  : 

Almost  directly  opposite  the  junction  of  the  road  from  Gar- 
retson's  station  with  the  old  Richmond  road,  then  called  the 
King's  highway,  there  is  a  deep  ravine,  penetrating  some  dis- 
tance into  Todt  hill,  at  the  farthest  extremity  of  which  there  is 
a  spring  of  water.  Near  this,  before  the  war  commenced,  a 
solitary  individual  had  built  a  rude  cabin,  in  which  he  dwelt 
for  several  years,  but  when  hostilities  began  he  disappeared, 
leaving  the  cabin  vacant.  The  approach  to  it  was  by  a  foot 
path  through  the  dense  forest  which  lined  the  hills  on  either 
side  of  the  ravine.  One  evening  the  young  tory  called  at  the 
residence  of  the  young  lady,  and  informed  her  that  he  had  been 
sent  to  convey  her  to  the  residence  of  her  aunt,  near  Richmond, 


224  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

who  had  been  taken  suddenly  ill,  and  had  requested  her  to 
come  to  her.  Suspecting  no  evil,  and  being  much  attached  to 
her  relative,  she  was  soon  ready  to  accompany  him.  Springing 
into  the  wagon  which  he  had  brought,  she  was  rapidly  driven 
away.  When  they  reached  the  entrance  to  the  ravine,  two  men 
rushed  out  of  the  bushes,  seized  the  horse  by  the  bridle,  and 
ordered  the  occupants  of  the  wagon  to  alight.  One  of  them 
pretended  to  take  possession  of  the  driver,  while  the  other  led 
the  young  lady  up  the  foot-path  into  the  ravine,  cautioning  her 
that  her  safety  depended  upon  her  silence. 

So  far  the  plot  had  been  carried  out  successfully,  but  there 
was  an  avenger  nearer  than  they  suspected.  They  had  taken 
but  a  few  steps  in  the  direction  of  the  cabin,  when  several  men 
rushed  out  of  the  bushes  and  seized  the  lieutenant,  for  it  was 
he  who  had  possession  of  the  young  lady.  One  of  them  took 
her  hand,  assuring  her  that  they  were  her  protectors,  and  that 
she  need  be  under  no  apprehensions.  Though  they  were  all 
disguised,  she  at  once  recognized  Mersereau  by  his  voice.  Those 
who  had  possession  of  the  lieutenant  proceeded  to  tie  his  hands, 
informing  him  that  they  intended  to  do  no  further  harm  than 
the  infliction  of  a  severe  flogging  ;  and  if  he  attempted  to  cry 
out  they  would  gag  him.  A  bundle  of  supple  rods  was  at  hand, 
and  two  of  them,  one  after  the  other,  inflicted  the  chastisement 
which  they  had  promised.  Having  punished  him  to  their  hearts' 
content,  they  released  him,  with  the  warning  that  if,  after  the 
expiration  of  a  week,  he  was  found  on  the  island,  they  would 
capture  him  again  and  cut  off  his  ears.  The  young  lady  was 
safely  returned  to  her  home  by  the  same  conveyance,  but  not 
the  same  driver,  for  he  had,  by  some  means,  disappeared.  The 
lieutenant  also  saved  his  ears  by  departure  before  the  week  ex- 
pired. How  the  villainous  plot  was  discovered  was  never  posi- 
tively known,  but  it  was  shrewedly  suspected  that  the  young 
tory  had  played  a  double  part,  and  for  a  consideration  had  be- 
trayed his  military  employer.  The  horse  and  wagon  remained 
in  the  possession  of  Mersereau  unclaimed  (or  several  weeks 
but  was  finally  stolen  one  night,  and  never  heard  of  after. 

There  is  an  instance  of  extraordinary  self-possession  and 
prompt  decision  related  of  a  young  man  named  Housman, 
which  probably  saved  his  life.  He  resided  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  Four  Corners,  and  one  morning,  after  a  slight  fall  of  snow 
during  the  night,  he  went  out  with  his  gun  in  quest  of  rabbits. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTr.  225 

Though  the  people  of  the  island,  during  its  occupany  by  the 
British,  were  prohibited  from  keeping  lire-arras  of  any  descrip- 
tion in  their  houses,  some  few  had  succeeded  in  concealing  guns, 
which,  from  the  associations  connected  with  them,  or  for  some 
other  reasons,  were  valuable  to  them.  Such  was  the  gun  car- 
ried by  young  ILousman  on  this  occasion.  While  tramping 
through  the  woods,  a  sudden  turn  in  the  path  brought  him  in 
sight  of  two  soldiers,  who  were  probably  out  on  tlie  same  er- 
rand. They  saw  each  other  simultaneously,  and  each  party 
stopped.  The  young  hunter  thought  of  the  loss  of  his  gun,  and 
probably  of  his  life  also,  but  suddenly  turning  his  back  to  the 
soldiers,  he  waved  his  hand  as  if  beckoning  to  some  other  per- 
sons as  he  stepped  back  round  the  turn,  and  shouted  out, 
"Hurry  up,  here  are  two  Britishers  ;  three  of  you  go  round  to 
the  right,  and  three  to  the  left,  and  the  rest  of  you  follow  me  ; 
hurry  up,  before  they  run  away."  What  the  "Britishers" 
had  to  fear  we  know  not,  but  hearing  these  directions,  and  fear- 
ing there  might  be  a  small  army  about  to  surround  them,  they 
turned  and  fled,  throwing  away  their  arms  to  facilitate  their 
flight.  What  report  they  made  when  they  reached  their  quar- 
ters is  not  known,  but  a  detachment  was  sent  out  to  capture  the 
young  man  and  his  army.  Their  surprise  and  mortification 
must  have  been  extreme,  when  at  the  turn  in  the  path  they 
could  only  find  the  tracks  of  a  single  individual  in  the  snow. 

A  farmer,  whose"  name  has  passed  into  oblivion,  residing  "  in 
the  Clove,"  left  home  late  one  day,  leaving  only  his  wife  and 
a  lad  of  seventeen  years  at  home.  It  was  after  dark  before  the 
boy  completed  his  work  about  the  barn,  but  just  as  he  was 
coming  out  he  saw  a  soldier  enter  the  house  with  a  musket  in 
hand.  Before  he  had  time  to  reach  the  house  he  heard  his 
mother  shrieking  for  help.  He  rushed  forward,  and  as  he 
entered  saw  the  soldier  holding  his  mother  by  the  throat  with 
hisleft  hand,  while  his  right  was  drawn  back  to  strike  her. 
When  he  entered,  the  soldier  had  placed  his  musket  by  the  side 
of  the  door  in  the  passage  ;  the  son  seized  it,  and  at  the  risk  of 
shooting  his  mother,  levelled  it  at  the  ruffian's  head  and  sent 
a  ball  crashing  through  his  brain,  killing  him  on  the  spot.  But 
there  was  still  cause  for  alarm.  If  the  shot  had  been  heard, 
and  should  attract  any  person  to  the  spot,  an  exposure  must 
necessarily  follow  and  the  lad  would  be  executed,  for  no  cir- 
cumstances would  be  admitted  as  justification  for  killing  a 

15 


226  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

soldier.  Fortunately,  however,  the  noise  had  not  been  heard, 
or  at  least  had  attracted  no  attention.  All  that  could  now  be 
done  was  to  conceal  the  body  until  the  return  of  the  husband 
and  father  in  the  morning.  This  was  done  by  dragging  it  under 
the  stairs,  where  it  was  not  likely  to  be  seen  by  any  person  but 
themselves.  The  next  morning,  when  the  farmer  returned,  he 
removed  a  part  of  his  barn  floor,  under  which  he  dag  a  grave; 
and  after  dark  the  evening  following  the  body  was  thrown 
into  it,  and  the  musket  also,  and  buried,  and  there  they  prob- 
ably remain  to  this  day.  The  family  kept  their  own  secret  until 
after  the  close  of  the  war,  and  the  evacuation  of  the  island  by 
the  British. 

A  man  named  Cole,  residing  in  Southfield,  was  the  proprietor 
of  a  remarkably  fine  gray  horse.  Several  of  the  officers  of  the 
army  had  offered  to  purchase  him,  but.  he  declined,  to  part  with 
him  at  any  price.  He  had  before  sold  a  horse  to  an  officer,  who 
had  promised  to  pay  for  him  within  two  months,  but  two  years 
had  passed,  and  the  debt  was  not  yet  discharged.  At  another 
time  a  Hessian  officer,  who  had  been  quartered  upon  him  for  a 
short  time,  when  he  left,  forcibly  took  away  another  horse,  and 
Cole  had  repeatedly  vowed  that  no  other  officer  should  have 
another  horse  of  his  unless  he  stole  him  ;  he  would  shoot  him 
first — the  horse,  not  the  officer.  Early  one  bright  winter  even- 
ing he  heard  a  commotion  in  his  stable,  and,  always  on  the 
alert,  he  thrust  two  pistols  in  his  pockets  and  hastened  out. 
At  the  stable  door  he  saw  two  soldiers  attempting  to  put  a 
halter  on  the  head  of  his  favorite  horse.  "Hi,  there,"  he 
cried,  "  what  are  you  going  to  do  with  that  horse?"     "Going 

to   take   him   away,"    replied  one  of  them;    "Colonel 

wants  him,  and  sentus  to  get  him."  "  Well,"  said  Cole,  "you 
just  make  up  you  mindg  that  neither  you  nor  the  colonel  shall 
take  that  horse  away  without  my  consent."  "Stand  aside, 
you  d— d  rebel,"  said  one  of  them,  as  Cole  attempted  to  take 
the  horse  from  them,  at  the  same  time  pointing  a  bayonet  at 
him,  "or  I'll  make  a  hole  through  your  heart."  Without  far- 
ther reply,  he  drew  one  of  his  pistols  and  shot  the  horse 
through  the  head  ;  "There,  you  infernal  thieves,"  he  exclaimed 
as  he  threw  the  pistol  down,  "now  you  may  take  him."  For 
a  moment  the  soldiers  were  amazed  as  they  gazed  on  the 
struggles  of  tlie  dying  animal,  but  soon  recovering  themselves, 
they  prepared  to  rush  upon  him  with  their  bayonets,  when  Cole 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  227 

presenting  the  other  pistol,  exclaimed,  "  Come  on,  you  thieves 
and  robbers,  with  your  bayonets,  and  I'll  drop  one  of  you  at 
least."  The  soldiers  considering  discretion,  in  this  instance, 
the  better  part  of  valor,  turned  and  walked  away,  threatening 
him  with  the  vengeance  of  the  colonel.  '>Go  tell  your  master," 
said  Cole,  as  he  followed  them  to  the  gate,  "  that  I'll  serve  him, 
or  you,  or  any  other  thief  who  comes  upon  my  premises  at 
night  to  steal  my  property,  as  I  served  that  horse." 

The  majority  of  the  English,  of  all  ranks,  regarded  the  colo- 
nists as  physically,  intellectually  and  morally  inferior  to  them- 
selves. In  their  social  intercourse  with  them  as  well  as  in  their 
plundering,  they  made  but  little  distinction  between  loyalists 
and  rebels.  But  there  were  some  exceptions.  Among  the 
officers  of  the  British  army  were  some  who  were  gentlemen  by 
nature  and  by  culture,  and  a  few  were  eminently  pious  men, 
who  found  no  difficulty  in  reconciling  their  obligations  to  their 
king  with  their  duty  to  their  Maker.  These  two  latter  classes 
were  ever  ready  to  listen  to  the  complaints  of  the  oppressed, 
and  as  far  as  lay  in  their  power,  to  redress  the  wrongs  of  the 
injured. 

Of  this  class  was  Captain  John  Yoke,  of  whom  the  following 
anecdote  has  been  preserved.  He  was  billeted  upon  a  farmer 
in  the  vicinity  of  Richmond  for  some  two  or  three  months,  and, 
unlike  many  other  officers,  regularly  paid  for  his  board  and 
lodging.  A  few  days  after  he  had  removed  his  quarters,  the 
farmer  came  to  him  and  informed  him  that  during  the  previous 
night  his  house  had  been  entered  and  robbed  of  a  sum  of  money, 
and  that  he  suspected  that  it  had  been  done  by  soldiers,  be- 
cause beneath  the  window  through  which  the  house  had  been 
entered,  and  which  had  been  left  open,  he  had  found  a  button, 
by  means  of  which,  perhaps,  the  culprits  might  be  detected. 
The  captain  took  the  button  and  promised  to  give  the  matter 
his  immediate  attention.  The  button  indicated  the  regiment  as 
well  as  the  company  to  which  the  loser  of  it  belonged.  During 
the  parade  that  same  day,  he  closely  scrutinized  the  company 
indicated,  and  found  a  soldier  with  a  button  missing  on  the 
front  of  his  coat.  After  parade  he  communicated  his  suspicions 
to  the  colonel  of  the  regiment,  and  the  soldier  was  sent  for. 
When  he  arrived,  the  colonel,  using  a  little  artifice,  informed 
him  that  he  suspected  him  of  being  implicated  in  a  drunken 
brawl  the  night  before  at  a  tavern  a  mile  or  two  distant.     This 


228  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

the  soldier  denied,  saying  that  he  could  prove  he  was  nowhere 
near  that  tavern,  or  even  in  that  direction,  during  the  night  pre- 
vious. "Were  you  out  last  night?"  inquired  the  colonel; 
"Well— yes,"  answered  the  soldier,  "but  not  in  that  direc- 
tion." "Where  were  you?"  "In  various  places,  but  not  at 
that  tavern."  "By  whom  can  you  prove  that  you  were  not 
at  that  tavern  "  The  name  of  another  soldier  was  mentioned, 
and  the  colonel  sent  for  him.  When  he  arrived,  he  corroborated 
all  the  first  had  said,  adding  that  they  two  had  been  together 
all  the  night.  "  Then,"  said  the  colonel,  "  you  two  are  the  burg- 
lars who  entered  the  house  of  Mr. through  a  window  last 

night,  and  robbed  him  of  twenty  guineas.  Lay  down  the  money 
upon  this  table,  or  you  shall  both  be  executed  for  burglary  and 
robbery."  The  affrighted  soldiers,  taken  by  surprise,  confessed 
their  crime,  and  each  placed  ten  guineas  upon  the  table.  What 
punishment  was  meted  out  to  the  culprits  is  not  related,  but 
Captain  Yoke  had  the  satisfaction  of  returning  the  money  to 
the  owner  thereof  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours  after  it  had 
been  stolen. 

Though  there  were,  in  the  royal  army,  both  among  the  Eng- 
lish and  Hessians,  a  great  many  idle,  dissolute  and  very  wicked 
men,  officers  as  well  as  privates,  there  were  also  among  them 
many  exemplary  and  industrious  men,  some  of  whom  were  me- 
chanics and  some  agriculturists.  An  army  doing  garrison  duty 
has  generally  a  good  deal  of  idle  time,  which  was  employed  by 
these  men  to  their  own  profit  and  advantage.  Shoemakers,  for 
instance,  frequently  made  boots  and  shoes  for  the  officers  and 
their  families,  when  they  had  any,  and  for  the  citizens  of  the 
county  ;  and  were  permitted  to  take  their  surplus  work  to  the 
city  to  sell  to  dealers,  for  all  of  which  they  were  generally  well 
paid.  The  government  supplying  all  their  personal  wants,  the 
money  thus  earned  accumulated  until,  at  the  close  of  the  war 
many  had  large  sums  at  their  command.  It  was  generally  this 
class  who  contrived  to  stay  behind,  purchase  land,  or  commence 
business  on  their  own  account,  sometimes,  it  is  said,  under  as- 
sumed names.  Some  of  the  agriculturists  obtained  permis- 
sion from  the  neighboring  farmers  to  clear  and  cultivate  an  acre 
or  two  of  land  which  the  owners,  in  many  instances,  had  con- 
sidered worthless,  because  it  was  overgrown  with  bushes  and 
briars,  and  would  cost  more  to  clear,  as  they  said,  than  the  land 
was  worth.     It  is  said  that  these  industrious  men  literally  made 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  229 

the  wilderness  "  blossom  as  the  rose."  By  a  thrifty  system  of 
culture  which  they  applied  they  were  able  to  produce,  as  a  ven- 
erable informant  declared,  "more  from  a  single  acre  than  I 
could  raise  on  five." 

That  there  was  no  lack  of  patriots  on  the  island  during  the 
war  is  shown  by  the  following  anecdote  : 

A  man  named  Taylor — not  of  the  Staten  Island  family  of  that 
name — came  over  from  New  York,  and  took  up  his  abode  here 
for  the  avowed  purpose  of  trading  with  the  English  vessels.  He 
carried  on  the  business  for  several  months  openly,  and  in  defiance 
of  all  the  cautions  he  had  received  by  means  of  anonymous  letters, 
which  he  openly  exhibited  in  public  places,  and  held  up  to  ridi- 
cule. He  defied  any  power  which  the  rebels  possessed  to  pre- 
vent his  doing  as  he  pleased  in  the  matter  of  trading  with  the 
ships.  One  very  dark  and  stormy  night,  five  men  entered  his 
dwelling  unannounced.  They  were  all  disguised,  and  while  a 
part  of  them  seized  and  bound  him,  the  remainder  per- 
formed the  same  service  for  his  wife.  With  pistols  at  their 
heads,  they  were  cautioned  to  make  no  outcry.  Having  se- 
cured Taylor,  they  led  him  to  his  own  barn,  put  a  noose  around 
his  neck,  threw  the  rope  over  one  of  the  beams,  and  hoisted 
him  from  the  floor  by  his  neck  ;  then  having  fastened  the  rope 
to  a  post,  left  him  and  went  their  way. 

His  wife  hearing  the  men  depart,  apprehended  something  ser- 
ious had  occurred,  and  made  most  desperate  efforts  to  loose  the 
thongs  which  bound  her,  and  finally  succeeded.  Fortunately  a 
lighted  lantern  stood  in  an  adjoining  room,  which  she  seized 
and  ran  into  the  barn,  where  she  found  her  worst  apprehensions 
realized  by  seeing  her  husband  struggling  in  the  agonies  of 
death.  Finding  she  could  not  untie  the  knot  around  the 
manger  post,  she  found  a  hatchet,  with  which  she  cut  the  rope 
and  let  him  down  upon  the  floor.  Having  removed  the  noose 
around  his  neck,  and  finding  him  insensible,  she  ran  to  a  neigh- 
boring house  for  assistance,  and  at  length  succeeded  in  restor- 
ing him  to  consciousness.  Two  or  three  days  afterward  Taylor 
removed  back  again  to  JN"ew  York,  but  he  was  accompanied  by 
a  guard  of  soldiers  all  the  way  to  the  city. 

At  some  time  between  the  cessation  of  actual  hostilities  and 
the  evacuation  by  the  British,  the  following  incident  is  said  to 
have  occurred  : 

There  were  many  ships  of  war  lying  at  anchor  in    various 


230  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

parts  of  the  harbor,  mostly  in  the  vicinity  of  the  city  ; 
there  were  some,  however,  which  lay  in,  and  even  beyond  the 
Narrows,  and  these  were  anchored  as  near  the  shores  of  Long  and 
Staten  Islands,  as  could  safely  be  done,  for  the  convenience  of 
easy  access  to  the  land  in  all  conditions  of  the  weather,  in  order 
that  the  officers  might  obtain  supplies  of  butter,  vegetables,  etc., 
from  the  farms  in  the  vicinity.  One  day  a  boy,  some  seventeen 
or  eighteen  years  of  age,  was  in  search  of  some  stray  cattle  in 
the  woods  near  the  water,  and  saw  a  ship's  boat  with  two  sailors 
approaching.  Supposing  he  might  as  well  keep  out  of  their 
sight  in  that  solitary  place,  he  concealed  himself  behind  a  large 
tree ;  he  saw  them  land,  and  while  one  of  them  remained  in 
charge  of  the  boat,  the  other,  with  a  basket  in  his  hand,  en- 
tered the  wood.  After  having  proceeded  a  few  rods,  until  he 
was  out  of  sight  of  his  companion,  and  of  everybody  else,  as 
he  supposed,  he  took  off  his  coat,  knelt  down  at  the  foot  of  a 
large,  gnarled  tree,  and,  with  an  instrument  resembling  a  ma- 
son's trowel,  dug  a  hole  in  the  earth,  and  having  deposited 
something  therein,  carefully  filled  the  hole  again  with  earth, 
and  laid  a  large  flat  stone  upon  it.  This  done  he  arose  to  his 
feet,  and  took  a  long  and  careful  survey  of  the  surroundings, 
then  proceeded  on  his  way.  The  youth  kept  in  his  place  of 
concealment  for  two  full  hours,  when  he  saw  the  sailor  return- 
ing with  his  basket  apparently  tilled  with  vegetables.  He 
passed  by  the  place  where  he  had  dug  the  hole,  scrutinized 
it  closely,  and  then  proceeded  to  the  boat,  which  was  still  in 
waiting  for  him,  and  returned  to  the  ship.  Assuring  himself 
that  the  coast  was  clear,  the  young  man  went  to  the  place,  re- 
opened the  hole,  and  found  therein  a  heavy  canvas  bag,  evi- 
dently containing,  as  he  judged  by  its  sound,  a  quantity  of 
money.  Securing  the  prize,  and  without  waiting  to  re-fill  the 
hole,  he  hastened  away,  and  found  some  other  place  of  deposit, 
known  only  to  himself.  A  day  or  two  thereafter  posters  were 
put  up  in  every  public  place,  offering  a  large  reward  for  the 
recovery  of  three  hundred  guineas,  which  had  been  stolen  from 
one  of  his  majesty's  ships,  being  the  property  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  an  additional  reward  for  the  detection  of  the  thief, 
but  the  boy  kept  his  own  counsel.  The  theft  occasioned  a  good 
deal  of  talk  at  the  time,  but  it  was  soon  forgotten  in  the  ex- 
citement consequent  upon  the  declaration  of  peace  and  the 
preparations  for  the  departure  of  the  British  from  the  country. 


HISTORY  OF  IIICHMOND  COUNTY.  231 

For  nearly  four  years  the  yoang  man  kept  his  own  secret,  at 
which  time  he  had  attained  his  majority  ;  and  then,  when  he 
purchased  a  Wm  for  himself,  and  paid  for  it,  did  he  first  re- 
veal, to  his  parents  only,  the  manner  in  which  he  obtained  his 
means. 

During  the  whole  time  of  their  occupancy  of  the  island  the 
British  kept  a  lookout  on  some  convenient  elevation  for  the 
arrival  of  vessels.  At  one  time  a  sentinel  was  stationed  in  the 
top  of  ''  a  large  chestnut  tree  which  grew  upon  the  summit  of 
the  island,  about  a  mile  from  a  small  wooden  church  which 
stood  near  the  King's  highway."  There  is  a  tradition  confirma- 
tory of  this  statement,  which  says  that  the  British  kept  a  num- 
ber of  soldiers  on  the  top  of  Todt  hill  to  guard  the  road  and  to 
keep  a  lookout  over  the  land  and  water.  From  the  locality 
indicated  this  might  have  been  done  very  easily,  for  it  com- 
mands a  view  of  the  outer  bay  and  Sandy  Hook  in  one  direc- 
tion, and  the  kills,  and  New  Jersey  beyond,  in  another.  The 
sentinel  in  the  tree  was  provided  with  a  platform  upon  which 
to  stand,  and  signals  to  elevate  upon  a  pole  lashed  to  the  high- 
est limb  of  the  tree.  This  position  was  a  jierilous  one  in  a 
heavy  wind,  and  peculiarly  so  during  a  thunder  storm.  It  is 
said  that  on  one  occasion  a  soldier  on  duty  in  that  elevated 
place  was  overtaken  by  a  sudden  storm  of  rain,  thunder  and 
lightning.  The  ladder  by  which  he  had  ascended  was  blown 
out  of  his  reach,  and  he  was  unable  to  escape  from  the  dangers 
which  surrounded  him.  When  the  storm  had  passed  away  his 
body  was  found  on  the  ground  beneath  the  tree,  with  his 
neck  broken;  and  certain  livid  marks  on  his  person,  together 
with  the  condition  of  the  tree  itself,  indicated  that  he  had  been 
stricken  by  lightning  and  fallen  to  the  ground.  About  a  month 
afterward  another  storm  passed  over  the  same  locality,  and  the 
lookout  descended  from  his  elevation  as  quickly  as  possible, 
but  he  had  no  sooner  reached  the  ground  than  the  tree  was 
again  struck,  and  he  was  killed  at  its  foot.  After  that  the 
place  of  lookout  was  changed,  and  brought  down  the  hill 
nearer  the  church,  probably  in  the  vicinity  of  the  light-house. 
The  following  season  the  doomed  tree  was  again  struck,  and 
riven  to  splinters. 

An  aged  man  named  Britton,  residing  in  Southfield,  with  his 
wife  and  granddaughter,  a  young  lady  about  seventeen  years 
of  age,  were  seated  before  a  bright  fire  on  the  hearth,  one  chilly 


232  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

autumn  evening.  On  a  table  stood  a  mug  of  cider,  and  in  the 
fire  was  one  end  of  a  long  iron  rod,  with  which,  after  heating  it, 
the  old  man  was  in  the  habit  of  "  mulling  "  his  cider,  a  bever- 
age of  which  he  partook  every  evening  before  retiring.  While 
thus  waiting  the  outer  door  suddenly  opened  and  a  huge  Hes- 
sian soldier  entered.  After  regarding  the  family  group  for  a 
moment,  he  walked  to  the  corner  in  which  the  young  lady  was 
sitting,  and  seated  himself  beside  her.  "Hey,  missy,"  said 
he,  attempting  to  put  his  arm  around  her  waist,  "how 
you  like  a  big  Dutchman  for  a  husband,  hey?"  "  Go  away, 
you  Dutch  brute,"  said  she.  "Oh,  no,"  he  answered  renew- 
ing his  attempt  at  familiarity,  "me  not  go  away  yet."  "Go 
away,"  she  repeated,  "  or  I  shall  hurt  you."  Laughing  at  this 
threat  he  persisted  in  annoying  her,  until  suddenly  she 
stooped  down,  and  seizing  the  iron  rod,  thrust  the  red  hot  end 
of  it  into  his  face.  He  uttered  a  yell,  and  in  the  effort  to  spring 
up,  fell  over  his  chair.  She  continued  her  assault  upon  him, 
by  pushing  the  rod  into  any  part  of  his  person  she  could  reach 
and  when  he  regained  his  feet  and  made  for  the  door,  she  con- 
tiniied  to  pursue  him,  even  following  him  out  of  doors.  He 
made  repeated  attempts  to  strike  her,  but  her  rod  being  longer 
than  his  arm,  effectually  prevented  him  from  touching  her. 
He  also  attempted  to  seize  the  rod,  but  it  was  too  hot  to  hold, 
and  every  such  effort  only  burned  him  the  more.  Foiled  at 
every  point,  he  turned  and  ran  away. 

During  the  war  British  officers  were  quartered  at  the  house 
of  a  Mrs.  Dissosway,  near  the  present  site  of  Tottenville.  Her 
husband  was  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  British.  Captain 
Nathaniel  Fitz  Randolph,  who  was  very  troublesome  to  the 
British,  was  her  brother.  A  tory  colonel  once  promised  to 
procure  the  release  of  her  husband  if  she  would  prevail  upon 
her  brother  to  remain  quietly  at  home  and  become  a  neutral 
party.  "And  if  I  could"  she  replied,  with  a  look  of  scorn, 
at  the  same  time  drawing  up  her  tall  figure  to  its  utmost  height, 
"  if  I  could  act  so  dastardly  a  part,  t'hi7ik  you  that  Oeneral 
Washington  has  but  one  Captain  Randolph  in  his  armyf 

On  one  occasion  after  the  establishment  of  independence,  it 
is  related  that  several  families  of  those  who  had  suffered  diar- 
ing  the  war  were  returning  from  a  religious  service  in  sleighs. 
As  they  approached  the  house  of  a  certain  tory  captain,  they 
all  drew  up  in  front,  and  Dissosway,  the  leader,  went  to  the 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  233 

front  door  and  with  the  butt  of  his  driving  whip  rapped. 
When  his  call  was  answered  by  the  captain  the  former  ex- 
plained, "  We  stopped  to  let  you  know  we  rebels  have  been  to 
church.     It  is  our  turn  now  to  give  thanks." 

A  Mrs.  Jackson  resided  on  the  island  during  the  war.  Her 
husband  was  for  nine  months  in  the  provost,  and  for  two  years 
afterward  on  parole.  During  his  absence  the  house  was  the 
abode  of  British  officers  and  soldiers.  One  day  this  resolute 
woman  caught  a  soldier  carrying  her  tin  milk  pail  through  the 
house  to  take  it  to  his  master,  who  wished  to  bathe  his  feet  in 
it.  Seizing  the  pail  and  tearing  it  from  his  grasp  she  fearlessly 
retorted,  "  Not  for  your  master's  master  shall  you  touch  what 
you  have  no  business  with."  This  lady  used  to'  send  provis- 
ions to  the  American  army  on  the  opposite  shore.  To  do  this 
the  utmost  secrecy  was  required.  To  avoid  suspicion  she  would 
often  set  her  husband's  mill  going  and  attend  to  it  herself  while 
the  black  man  who  usually  performed  that  service  left  his  work 
to  go  across  the  river  with  provisions.  One  day  she  kept  a 
fatted  calf  muzzled  under  her  bed  all  day  to  send  it  to  the 
Americans  at  night.  On  one  occasion  she  received  intelligence 
that  the  Americans  were  coming  to  surprise  and  capture  the 
British  who  were  lodged  in  her  house.  She  gave  no  warning  to 
the  latter  till  the  whig  force  was  Just  at  hand;  then,  not  wish- 
ing to  have  a  bloody  contest  in  her  house,  she  told  them  the 
whigs  were  coming.  "  Run,  gentlemen,  run,  or  you  are  all  pris- 
oners." They  did  run,  without  ceremony,  but  the  whigs  were 
upon  them. 

After  Jackson's  return  the  house  was  robbed.  A  knock  was 
heard  at  the  door  one  night,  and  on  opening  it  a  disguised  man 
appeared,  with  a  pistol  which  he  placed  at  the  head  of  Mr. 
Jackson  and  enjoined  silence  under  pain  of  instant  death.  A  little 
daughter  standing  by  involuntarily  screamed  out,  when  one  of 
the  ruffians  struck  her  a  blow  on  the  head,  which  laid  her  in- 
sensible on  the  floor.  The  house  was  then  stripped  of  what- 
ever articles  the  thieves  desired  to  take  away.  Their  path  next 
morning  could  be  traced  by  the  articles  they  had  dropped  by 
the  way  in  their  haste  as  they  departed.  The  family  believed 
they  were  a  band  of  tories,  who  were  often  more  cruel  and  ra- 
pacious than  the  British  soldiers. 

The  following  incident  is  related  as  being  one  of  the  most 
daring  exploits  of  the  revolution.     A  colonel  of  the  American 


234  HISTORY  OV  BICHMOND  COUNTY. 

army  having  been  taken  prisoner,  and  there  being  no  British 
officer  of  a  similar  grade  in  their  possession  with  whom  to  re- 
deem him,  three  men  entered  upon  the  perilous  enterprise  of 
taking  a  colonel  from  the  very  midst  of  the  enemy  then  sta- 
tioned on  Staten  Island.  They  crossed  the  sound  on  a  dark 
night,  and  approached  the  house  where  several  officers  were  lo- 
cated, but  found  it  strongly  guarded.  Proceeding  with  the 
utmost  caution  they  were  able  to  evade  the  guard  in  the  dark- 
ness, and  approaching  the  house  took  their  stand  near  a  window, 
through  which  they  could  see  what  was  going  on  within. 
Watching  a  favorably  opportunity  they  entered  the  house,  and 
placing  a  pistol  to  the  breast  of  a  colonel  they  ordered  him  to 
march  out  as  th.eir  prisoner,  threatening  to  shoot  him  in  case 
he  made  the  least  noise  or  resistance.  They  took  him  away 
from  his  companions,  out  through  the  guard  by  which  the 
house  was  encircled,  and  delivered  him  safely  in  Elizabethtown 
by  sunrise  the  next  morning.  One  of  the  men  who  performed 
this  daring  feat  was  Henry  Willis,  who  died  about  forty  years 
since,  but  of  the  names  of  the  other  two  we  are  ignorant. 

The  murder  of  Stephen  Ball  and  its  attendant  circumstances 
are  so  intimately  associated  with  Staten  Island  that  we  may  be 
excused  for  introducing  here  an  account  of  the  matter.  Ball 
was  in  the  habit  of  supplying  some  of  the  British  on  Staten 
Island  with  such  beef  and  other  provisions  as  he  had  to  sell. 
Upon  one  occasion  a  tory  sent  out  from  the  British  as  a  spy, 
had  been  taken  by  the  Americans,  tried  by  a  regular  court  mar- 
tial and,  being  found  guilty,  was  hung.  One  Hetfield,  the 
leader  of  a  notorious  band  of  ruffians,  vowed  vengeance  by  re- 
taliation, and  the  next  time  Ball  came  to  the  island  they 
seized  him.  This  was  in  January,  1781.  He  was  taken  before 
General  Patterson,  and  then  before  General  Skinner,  charged 
with  being  a  spy,  but  they  both  knew  his  mission  on  the 
island  and  refused  to  try  him,  directing  his  release.  The  Het- 
field gang,  however,  were  determined  to  execute  their  threats 
of  vengeance,  and  accordingly,  after  robbing  him  of  whatever 
valuable  articles  he  had  with  him,  took  him  over  to  Bergen  Point 
and  there  hung  him  to  a  tree.  This  act  of  independent  violence 
appears  to  have  been  deprecated  by  the  British  authorities  as 
well  as  the  Americans,  from  the  fact  that  the  victim  was  acting 
no  partisan  character,  but  simply  engaged  in  a  commercial 
tmnsaction.     The  party  engaged  in  it  consisted  of  Cornelius, 


HTSTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  235 

John,  Smith,  Job  and  James  Hetfield,  Elias  and  Samuel  Mann 
and  Job  Smith,  all  of  New  Jersey. 

At  the  close  of  the  war,  Staten  Island,  New  York  island,  and 
a  part  of  Long  Island,  were  peculiarly  circumstanced;  through- 
out the  country  the  several  state  governments,  and  the  minor 
county  and  town  governments  under  them  had  been  organized, 
and  were  in  full  operation,  except  in  the  counties  mentioned  ; 
these  had  been  under  the  control  of  the  British  military  au- 
thorities, and  whatever  civil  government  they  had  continued 
to  be  under  the  English  laws  ;  any  attempt  to  organize  a  gov- 
ernment which  had  the  least  tincture  of  republicanism  would 
not  have  been  tolerated  a  moment ;  therefore,  when  the  English 
evacuated  the  country,  the  government  which  had  directed  its 
destinies  for  a  century,  was,  so  far  as  these  counties  were  con- 
cerned, annihilated  as  it  were  in  a  day,  and  the  people,  without 
any  previous  instruction  or  experience,  were  suddenly  brought 
under  the  influences  of  a  new  code  of  laws.  It  would  be  inter- 
esting to  trace  the  steps  taken  by  the  people  of  the  island  to 
acclimate  themselves  to  the  political  atmosphere  which  they 
were  thereafter  to  inhale,  but  here  the  resources  fail. 

In  proportion  to  its  population,  Perth  Amboy  contained  more 
tories  than  any  other  place  within  the  limits  of  the  state  of 
New  Jersey.  Many  of  them  enlisted  in  the  regiment  known  as 
the  Queen's  Rangers,  and  in  the  several  companies  composing 
Colonel  Billop's  regiment.  We  have  been  able,  to  obtain  the 
names  of  but  two  of  the  captains  of  the  companies,  viz.:  Abra- 
ham Jones,  a  native  Staten  Islander,  and  David  Alston,  an 
Englishman  or  Scotchman  by  birth,  but  for  years  before  the  war 
a  resident  of  New  Jersey,  in  the  vicinity  of  Rahway,  and,  after 
the  war,  of  Staten  Island.  Many  of  the  British  officers,  in  all 
parts  of  the  country,  remained  after  the  cessation  of  hostilities, 
but  many  more  of  the  rank  and  tile.  This  was  particularly  so 
on  Staten  Island,  and  many  of  the  families  now  residing  here 
are  the  descendants  of  these  officers  and  soldiers.  There  were 
not  as  many  tories  on  the  island  at  the  close  as  at  the  beginning 
of  the  war. 

It  is,  after  all,  a  doubtful  matter  whether  there  were  many  of 
the  people  on  Staten  Island  who  were  really  tories  from  prin- 
ciple. The  Seaman  and  Billop  families,  and  two  or  three  others 
not  quite  so  prominent,  were  all  beneficiaries  of  the  British 
government;  they  were  the  proprietors  of  large  and  valuable 


236  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

estates  bestowed  upon  them  for  merely  nominal  consideration; 
they  were  also  the  incumbents  of  lucrative  offices,  which  gave 
them  a  power  and  an  influence  which  otherwise  they  would  not 
have  possessed.  The  British  officers,  both  of  the  army  and 
navy,  were  lavish  of  their  gold,  and  the  people  of  the  island, 
so  far  as  money  was  concerned,  were  never  in  better  circum- 
stances. The  temptation  then  to  infringe  the  resolutions  of  the 
provincial  congress,  prohibiting  all  intercourse  with  the  vessels 
of  the  enemy,  was  irresistible,  more  especially  as  the  congress 
was  powerless  to  enforce  its  own  ordinances,  or  to  punish  the 
infraction  of  them. 

The  injustice  and  cruelty  of  the  British  during  the  war,  and 
the  frequent  disrespect  of  their  own  promises,  often  repeated, 
as  well  as  the  inhumanity  with  which  they  treated  the  American 
prisoners  who  fell  into  their  hands,  had  caused  many  to  regret 
the  step  they  had  taken  in  publicly  advocating  the  cause  of 
the  crown,  and  gradually  they  became  converts  to  the  cause 
of  their  native  country,  so  that  when  the  end  came,  there 
were  few  left  who  declined  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to 
the  new  government,  and  fewer  still  who  were  so  infatuated 
with  royalty  as  to  abandon  their  property  and  the  land  of 
their  nativity,  to  follow  its  fortunes.  Of  this  latter  class  we 
have  been  able  to  find  but  two  families,  the  Billops  and  the 
Seamans.  The  property  of  these  families  was  confiscated  and 
sold  by  Isaac  Stoutenburgh  and  Philip  Van  Courtland,  com- 
missioners of  forfeiture  for  the  Southern  district  of  New  York. 
On  the  16th  day  of  July,  1784,  they  sold  to  Thomas  McFarren, 
of  New  York,  the  Manor  of  Bentley,  containing  850^  acres  for 
£4,695  ($11,737.50)  forfeited  to  the  people  of  this  state  by  the 
attainder  of  Christopher  Billop.  The  boundaries  given  in  this 
conveyance  are  as  follows:  "Bounded  southerly  by  the  Bay  or 
water  called  Prince's  Bay,  westerly  by  the  river  that  runs  be- 
tween the  said  Land  and  Amboy,  Northerly  partly  by  the  Land 
of  Jabob  Keckhow  and  partly  by  the  road,  and  Easterly  partly 
by  the  road  and  partly  by  the  Bay."  The  land  was  then  occu- 
pied in  different  parcels  by  different  individuals  as  follows:  373 
acres  by  Samuel  Ward;  200  acres  by  Albert  Ryckman;  50  acres 
by  John  Manner;  50  acres  by  Edmund  Wood;  50  acres  by  An- 
drew Prior;  25  acres  by  James  Churchward;  67^  acres  by  Benja- 
min Drake;  23^  acres  by  Joseph  Totten;  and  llf  acres  by  Jacob 
Reckhow. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 


237 


On  the  same  day,  the  same  commissioners  sold  to  the  same 
individual,  for  £1,120.16  ($2,802),  about  eighty  acres  of  land  in 
the  town  of  Castleton,  consisting  of  eight  lots,  all  bounded 
southerly  by  "a  road  leading  from  the  Rose  and  Crown  to  Don- 
gan's  Mill,"  which  tract  of  land  was  forieiled  by  the  attainder 
of  Benjamin  Seaman. 

On  the  30th  day  of  April,  1785,  the  same  commissioners  sold 
to  Cornelius  C.  Rosevelt,  of  New  York,  two  hundred  acres 
of  land,  more  or  less,  for  £3,000  ($7,500),  forfeited  to  the 
people  of  this  state  by  the  attainder  of  Benjamin  Seaman, 
the  same  being  then  in  the  possession  of  Paul  Micheau. 


OLD  BRITISH  FORT. 


The  policy  of  the  government  of  the  United  States  appears 
always  to  have  been  of  a  pacific  and  conciliatory  character 
toward  its  enemies,  after  they  had  been  subdued  and  rendered 
powerless  for  evil.  All  tories,  as  well  as  foreign  foes,  were 
permitted  to  take  a  position  among  the  citizens  of  the  country 
upon  taking  the  oath  of  allegiance.  All  animosities  were 
buried,  and  the  descendants  of  a  great  number  of  these  re- 
pentant royalists,  now  residing  on  the  island,  are  ignorant  of 
the  position  their  ancestors  took  in  the  great  political  ques- 
tions which  agitated  the  country  a  century  ago. 

Some  marks  of  the  Britisli  occupancy  of  the  island  have 
remained  to  designate  the  localities  of  their  encampments  and 


238  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

the  scenes  of  some  of  their  active  operations.  One  of  the 
most  conspicuous  of  these  evidences  is  the  old  fort  which  oc- 
cupies a  commanding  hill  to  the  west  of  Richmond.  The  site 
overlooks  the  valley  in  which  mainly  lies  the  village.  The 
embankment  encloses  a  space  about  fifty  feet  square  and  is 
situated  near  the  brow  of  a  hill  which  descends  by  a  steep 
slope  nearly  three  hundred  feet  to  the  salt  marshes  which  lie 
at  the  base.  The  earth  works,  now  beaten  down  by  the  ravages 
of  a  century,  are  still  several  feet  in  height,  in  the  form  of  a 
square,  facing  the  three  directions  in  which  the  hill  overlooks 
the  surrounding  country,  while  the  entrance  to  the  fort  was 
from  the  fourth  side,  on  the  northwest,  where  the  natural  grade 
renders  approach  easy. 

More  than  thirty  years  ago  Major  Howard  found  a  consider- 
able excavation  in  or  under  the  hill  that  rises  just  west  of  Nau- 
tilus Hal)  at  Tompkinsville.  Being  anxious  to  know  its  origin, 
he  made  numerous  inquiries  but  without  success  until  he  was 
referred  to  an  old  black  man,  about  eighty  years  of  age,  who, 
on  being  shown  to  the  spot,  explained  that  it  was  the  saw  pit 
where  the  British  sawed  timber  for  their  barracks.  The  negro 
had  often  seen  them  engaged  in  that  work.  The  hills  were 
covered  with  a  thick  growth  of  heavy  white  oak  timber 
which  the  British  cut  away,  and  subsequently  pine  and  cedar 
came  in  and  occupied  the  ground.  The  British  had  here  a 
cantonment  for  seven  thousand  men  extending  along  the  foot 
of  the  hill  and  up  the  ravine  partially  followed  by  the  present 
course  of  Arietta  street.  The  timber  was  cut  down  to  build 
these  barracks.  The  troops  were  here  for  seven  years,  and  as 
the  old  black  man  remarked,  "On  fine  days  and  in  summer 
the  hills  would  be  just  covered  with  the  red  coats." 

As  late  as  1832  the  remains  of  some  of  the  dwelling  places  of 
the  Hessian  soldiers  were  distinctly  to  be  seen  along  the 
Richmond  road,  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  in  the  rear  of  Stapleton. 
These  consisted  of  ^excavations  in  the  side  of  the  hill,  eight  or 
ten  feet  square,  which  had  been  covered  with  planks  or  pieces 
of  timber,  upon  which  earth  or  sods  were  placed  to  form  roofs. 
The  fronts  had  been  boarded  up,  and  probably  the  sides.  How 
they  had  been  warmed  in  winter  or  whether  they  had  been 
warmed  at  all  was  not  apparent.  They  must  have  been  miser- 
ably dark,  damp  caves,  but  probably,  in  the  opinion  of  their 
English  masters,  good  enough  for  Dutch  mercenaries. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  239 

In  closing  this  cliapter  of  revolutionary  history,  we  can  per- 
haps give  no  more  lifelike  pictures  of  those  times  in  general 
than  may  be  gathered  from  the  substance  of  interviews  with 
living  witnesses  who  gave  their  impressions  and  recollections 
of  many  scenes  and  events  that  passed  under  their  notice.  The 
facts  gathered  at  a  few  such  interviews  with  persons  then  liv- 
ing at  advanced  ages,  but  now  long  since  dead,  were  noted 
down  by  Professor  Charles  Anthon,  more  than  thirty  years 
ago — about  the  years  1850  to  1853;  and  from  the  notes  of 
those  interviews  we  have  condensed  the  most  interesting  items 
referring  to  the  revolution,  in  the  following  paragraphs.  These 
facts  are  given  as  nearly  as  may  be  to  the  manner  and  form  of 
their  development  in  the  interview,  without  regard  to  any 
order  in  matters  of  time  or  topic,  or  even  harmony  of  state- 
ment. 

From  a  conversation  with  Captain  Blake,  March  15,  1851 : 
He  was  about  13  years  old  when  the  British  landed.  It  was 
three  or  four  days  before  any  of  them  were  seen  where  he  lived. 
Then  four  soldiers  came  along  and  said  they  wanted  something 
to  eat.  When  they  had  finished  they  each  threw  down  a  half 
dollar,  to  the  great  surprise  of  the  people.  The  soldiers  in  gen- 
eral behaved  at  first  very  well,  paying  for  everything  that  they 
took,  but  when  they  came  back  from  Jersey  they  stole  every- 
thing they  could  lay  their  hands  on.  In  general  the  people 
were  well  treated.  Fifteen  pence  was  the  price  for  a  dozen 
eggs.  The  currency  used  was  principally  English.  Dollars 
passed  for  4s.  6d.  The  soldiers  were  very  liberal.  All  the 
vacant  buildings  were  occupied  by  them.  At  Ryers'  there  was 
a  "Fives'  Court,"  a  kind  of  game  at  which  the  British  officers 
spent  a  great  deal  of  time  in  playing.  During  this  time  a  man 
by  the  name  of  Housman  occupied  the  old  Dongan  manor 
house.  The  Hessians  wore  large  whiskers,  coming  up  to  the 
corners  of  the  mouth.  He  once  saw  two  Hessians  receive  two 
hundred  lashes  apiece.  They  used  to  come  around  and  buy 
cattle.  The  Forty-second  regiment  lay  in  Bodine's  orchard. 
They  were  Scotch  and  wore  the  Highland  uniform.  The  Het- 
fields  were  all  robbers.  There  were  several  brothers  of  them. 
They  frequently  brought  over  thirty  or  forty  head  of  cattle 
from  Jersey  to  the  British.  On  one  occasion  they  threw  a  man 
into  a  hog-pen  and  required  him  to  eat  corn.  On  his  refusal  to 
do  so   they  took  him  out    and    hammered  his  toe-nails  off. 


240  HISTOEt  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTZ. 

Decker's  house  was  on  the  site  of  the  Port  Richmond  hotel 
(now  St.  James).  It  was  of  brick.  At  the  time  of  the  invasion 
iinder  Sullivan  the  Americans  burned  it.  The  Dutch  church 
was  burned  on  the  same  occasion.  Mr  Blake's  father  was  cross- 
ing the  mill-dam,  and  when  he  reached  the  west  side  he  came 
all  at  once  among  the  Americans.  They  remained  there  until 
the  British  troops  appeared  with  light-horse.  They  fired  and 
killed  a  light-horseman,  then  ran  away  through  the  woods  like 
so  many  frightened  horses. 

From  an  interview  with  Rev.  Dr.  Van  Pelt,  June  5,  1851  : 
A  man  stopped  at  his  house  about  the  year  1804,  he  then  living 
in  the  Port  Richmond  hotel.  That  man  said  he  was  in  the  en- 
gagement at  the  Dutch  church.  The  weather  was  cold,  but  the 
heat  of  the  action  caused  them  to  sweat  profusely.  The  church, 
which  was  like  a  hay- stack  in  form,  was  completely  riddled  by 
balls.  Dr.  Van  Pelt  said  that  when  the  war  broke  out  there 
were  two  other  Dutch  churches  on  the  island ;  one  in  Westfield 
and  another  at  Richmond.  The  latter  had  just  been  completed 
when  the  war  broke  out.  It  was  a  frame  building,  and  the 
British  used  it  gradually  up  for  firewood.  Judge  Micheau  was 
a  witness  of  this,  but  was  afraid  to  say  anything,  lest  he  should 
be  suspected  of  disaffection.  The  few  on  the  island  who  were 
attached  to  the  American  cause  belonged  generally  to  the  Dutch 
church.  Many  persons  living  here  professed  attachment  to  the 
British,  but  secretly  sent  very  valuable  information  to  General 
Washington.  A  Mr.  Latourette  was  engaged  in  carrying  wood 
to  the  city  during  the  hard  winter  of  1779-80,  as  long  as  a  pas- 
sage remained  open,  and  would  often  enable  American  officers  de- 
tained as  prisoners  in  the  sugar  house  to  escape.  It  was  neces- 
sary for  every  one  who  wished  to  leave  the  city  to  present  him- 
self to  General  Howe  for  permission  to  do  so.  Latourette  would 
go  before  the  general  with  these  officers  in  disguise,  and  say, 
"  General,  I  have  brought  you  a  fine  load  of  wood,  and  am  go- 
ing directly  down  for  more  ;  I  have  some  countrymen  here  who 
would  like  to  go  with  me."  The  general  would  give  them  a 
hasty  look  and  say,  "Let  them  all  pass."  Then  they  wonld 
go  aboard  the  boat  and  make  sail  for  Staten  Island.  At  the 
mouth  of  the  kills  an  armed  vessel  was  stationed  to  examine 
all  boats  that  passed,  but  Latourette  being  well  known  was 
allowed  to  pass  without  examination  under  the  plea  that  he 
was  in  a  hurry  to  bring  another  load  of  wood  to  General  Howe. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  241 

So  having  the  oflBcers  secreted  in  the  vessel  he  was  able  to  land 
them  safely  where  they  could  easily  effect  their  escape. 

From  an  interview  with  Mrs.  Bird,  November  22,  1851,  she 
then  being  91  years  of  age  : — She  was  15  years  old  when  the 
British  landed.  They  landed  mostly  at  Van  Buskirk's  dock. 
As  they  were  landing  they  interchanged  rifle  shots  with  the 
Americans  on  the  opposite  shore  of  the  kills.  The  first  she  saw 
of  the  British  was  a  body  of  Highlanders  who  came  marching 
up  into  the  Clove  (where  she  was  living),  from  the  direction  of 
Van  Duzer's  ferry  in  quest  of  lodging.  Some  of  them  were 
quartered  in  their  barn.  She  lived  with  her  adoptive  father, 
Thomas  Seaman,  whose  house  at  that  time  was  the  first  one  on 
the  left,  as  you  turn  out  of  the  clove  road  into  the  Little  Clove. 
General  Knypjjausen  was  a  very  fine  looking  man  and  used  to 
ride  a  great  white  horse.  The  Hessians  were  all  fine  looking 
men.  Their  dress  was  nearly  all  blue,  and  both  dress  and  ac- 
coutrements were  very  heavy.  Some  wore  beards  and  some  did 
not.  During  the  war  the  people  along  the  north  shore  did  not 
dare  to  burn  lights  at  night,  eveu  in  cases  of  sickness  or  other 
extreme  need,  lest  they  should  be  suspected  of  showing  signals 
to  the  rebels.  People  in  general  had  to  be  very  discreet,  and 
keep  their  mouths  shut.  "Parson  Charlton"  of  St.  Andrew's 
church  wore  a  very  white  wig.  The  "  Rose  and  Crown  "  was  a 
public  house  during  the  war,  and  the  headquarters  for  that  part 
of  the  island.  The  "Black  Horse"  was  also  a  tavern  then. 
The  Queen's  Rangers  were  then  stationed  at  the  point  since 
called  the  "Telegraph."  There  was  a  Presbyterian  meeting 
house  in  the  west  quarter,  which  the  British  first  converted  into 
a  hospital  and  then  destroyed. 

From  an  interview  with  Mr.  Isaac  Simonson,  December  26, 
1851,  he  being  90  years  of  age  :— The  camp  on  Staten  Island  be- 
fore the  revolution,  to  which  the  troops  came  on  their  return 
from  Canada,  in  the  time  of  the  French  war,  was  at  the  quaran- 
tine or  watering  place.  At  the  time  of  the  revolution.  General 
Howe,  within  a  few  days  after  landing,  employed  Isaac  Decker, 
a  noted  man  and  a  great  friend  of  the  British,  who  was  a  captain 
of  the  light  horse,  to  go  all  over  the  island  and  direct  the  farm- 
ers who  were  willing  to  dispose  of  their  cattle  or  sheep,  of 
which  there  were  a  great  number  on  the  island,  to  drive  them 
to  the  watering  place.  None  were  taken  by  force.  When  the 
farmers  had  brought   them  they  were  all  paid  by  the  ofiicer 

16 


242  HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

whose  duty  it  was  to  attend  to  that  business.  When  these  cat- 
tle arrived  at  the  watering  place  they  were  turned  into  the  fields 
of  the  "  Glebe,"  among  the  young  oats  and  wheat,  and  mowing 
grass.  Guards  were  stationed  to  watch  them,  as  the  fences  were 
all  destroyed,  not  a  rail  being  left  in  three  months.  At  that 
time  things  were  very  cheap.  After  the  British  came  prices 
more  than  doubled. 

The  next  day  after  the  British  landed,  Mr.  Simonson,  with 
some  other  boys,  went  down  to  what  is  now  Port  Richmond  to 
see  them.  They  landed  during  the  night.  When  the  fleet  ap- 
proached the  Lower  bay  they  anchored  outside  of  Sandy  Hook 
to  wait  for  pilots  to  bring  them  in.  The  same  Isaac  Decker, 
before  mentioned,  was  a  fisherman,  and  with  others  of  the  same 
occupation  who  accompanied  him,  went  down  and  brought  in 
the  ships.  Decker  piloted  them  to  a  landing  place,  and  landed 
himself  in  the  first  boat.  The  spot  was  called  the  "White 
Rock."  The  exploit  made  Decker  suddenly  famous  in  a  local 
way.  The  church  at  Port  Richmond  had  eight  corners  and  then 
went  up  high  to  a  balcony,  above  which  was  a  steeple  which 
contained  a  bell.  The  sides  were  shingled  from  the  ground  up. 
The  soldiers  lived  in  it.  The  building  finally  blew  down,  no  one 
being  in  it  at  the  time.  The  Isaac  Decker  spoken  of  lived  in 
the  house  known  as  Decker's  which  was  burned  at  the  time  of 
Sullivan's  invasion.  At  that  time  the  Americans  burned  this 
house  and  three  vessels,  also  Dongan's  or  John  Bodine's  barn, 
in  which  the  British  had  a  hospital,  which  was  afterward  rebuilt 
after  the  same  model  and  on  the  same  foundation,  by  John  C. 
Dongan.  When  the  Americans  had  got  out  of  the  woods  and 
on  the  meadows  they  halted,  while  the  forts  on  the  Jersey  side 
near  Elizabethtown  fired  on  the  British,  who  were  still  on  the 
upland  and  had  no  cannon.  Cole's  ferry  was  the  same  as  Van 
Duzer's  and  Darby  Doyle's. 

After  the  revolution  all  about  the  quarantine  grounds  was 
commons.  Colonel  Billop  was  a  tall,  slim  man.  His  father-in- 
law.  Seaman,  owned  a  large  tract  in  the  manor,  off  which  he 
sold  the  wood.  Toward  the  latter  part  of  the  revolution  he  had 
teams  cutting  and  carting  there.  The  inhabitants  commonly 
worked  on  the  roads  on  Saturdays.  One  very  warm  day  Mr. 
Isaac  Simonson  remembered  working  in  company  with  others 
on  the  road  that  runs  down  from  Pour  Corners  to  the  north  side, 
when  Colonel  Billop  and  Colonel  Seaman  came  along,  riding  on 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  243 

horseback.  They  stopped  and  chatted  with  the  road-master, 
and  gave  something  to  the  men,  as  was  then  customary,  but 
the  men  were  dissatisfied  with  the  smallness  of  the  gift. 

John  and  Peter  Latourette  lived  at  Fresh  kill.  They  were 
great  patriots,  and  when  the  British  came,  fled  to  Jersey,  whence 
they  used  to  make  visits  in  whale-boats  to  the  island.  Many 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  island  were  placed  in  confinement  by 
the  British,  on  account  of  being  whigs.  Among  these  were 
Hezekiah  and  Abraham  Reckhow,  brothers  of  Mr.  Simonson's 
wife's  mother.  They  were  both  at  first  confined  in  the  guard- 
house in  the  fort  at  Dr.  Westervelt's,  but  her  father  succeeded 
in  getting  the  former  out,  as  he  was  subject  to  fits.  Abraham 
was  taken  from  the  guard-house  to  the  prison  ship,  "Jersey," 
where  he  suffered  greatly.  Mrs.  Peter  Woglam  was  put  into 
the  same  guard-house  for  standing  up  for  her  husband,  but 
having  friends  on  the  other  side  who  interceded  for  her,  she 
was  released.  Those  Staten  Islanders  who  were  thus  confined 
were  principally  from  the  west  quarter  (Westfield).  The  guard- 
house mentioned  was  very  dark  and  partly  under  ground. 
General  Skinner  lived  within  or  about  a  hundred  yards  north 
from  the  fort.  The  British  had  redoubts  all  along  the  heights. 
There  were  no  prisoners  kept  at  the  fort  that  was  located  near 
the  site  of  the  pavilion.  The  property  at  the  entrance  of  the 
kills  was  occupied  by  Judge  Ryers  as  a  farm  before  the  war. 
He  sold  it  to  Buskirk.  It  was  not  a  regular  ferry  till  the 
war,  when  one  Mackatee  hired  it. 

Joshua  Mersereau  was  the  first  militia  colonel  on  Staten  Is- 
land. The  old  colonel  was  no  friend  to  the  British,  but  to  his 
country.  The  enemy  were  after  him  two  or  three  times.  He 
had  notice  of  their  coming  and  hid  himself  in  a  swamp.  The 
Hetfields  were  a  rough  set  of  men  "and  feared  neither  God  nor 
Devil."  Cornelius,  their  leader,  held  a  major's  commission 
from  the  British.  They  accused  Ball  of  being  one  of  those  who 
killed  Long.  Ball  was  a  trader  who  brought  things  such  as 
poultry,  beef,  and  the  like  from'  the  Jersey  side.  The  Het- 
field's  caught  him  and  took  him  to  Mackatee' s.  They  took 
him  at  Squire  Merrill's,  and  intending  at  first  only  to  make  a 
prize  of  his  wagon  load  of  beef,  poultry,  etc.,  they  told  him  to 
go  on  and  they  would  follow  with  his  wagon,  but  he  would  not 
leave  it.  They  took  him  to  General  Skinner,  at  the  fort  at  the 
Narrows,  but  he  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  him,  but  told 


244  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

them,  "  He  is  your  prisoner  ;  do  what  you  please  with  him." 
They  took  him  across  the  kills  ;  got  a  table  from  Ham  Britton's 
at  the  mill  on  this  side  ;  placed  the  table  under  a  big  tree  and 
stood  Ball  upon  it;  then,  having  fastened  a  noose  about  his  neck 
and  tied  it  to  a  limb,  they  kicked  the  the  table  from  beneath 
his  feet  and  hiing  him  till  he  was  dead.  Mrs.  Simonson  saw  it 
from  the  Staten  Island  side.  Jake  Hetfield  kicked  the  table 
from  under  the  feet  of  Ball.  They  all  belonged  to  Jersey,  ex- 
cept one  called  "Tow-head  Jim,"  who  was  also  born  in  Jersey, 
but  served  his  time  as  a  ship-carpenter  on  Staten  Island.  Long 
was  the  man  who  was  hove  into  the  hog-pen.  He  was  on  the 
British  side,  and  was  caught  in  Jersey.  John  and  Cornelius 
Hetfield  were  both  afterward  tried  for  the  murder  of  Ball,  but 
neither  was  condemned.  The  Hetfields  were  not  all  brothers. 
Cornelius  was  an  only  son.  He  was  a  fine  looking  man,  with 
dark  hair,  fair  skin,  and  fine,  ivory-like  teeth.  His  father  was 
very  rich,  and  Cornelius  was  either  brought  up  a  minister,  or 
at  any  rate  received  a  fine  education.  He  was  very  active  and 
strong,  and  he  would  preach  and  pray  like  a  minister.  (The 
name  is  spelled  sometimes  Hetfield  and  sometimes  Hatfield.) 
He  had  one  sister,  who  married  a  man  by  the  name  of  Blanchar. 
The  large  property  which  his  father  left  to  Cornelius  Hetfield 
was  transferred  to  his  brother-in-law  to  prevent  its  confisca- 
tion. 

The  night  when  Hetfield  and  his  party  burned  the  church  in 
Elizabethtown  they  came  back  and  had  a  meeting  in  the  large 
mill  at  Port  Richmond.  They  went  in  there  and  Hetfield 
preached  a  sermon,  and  prayed  like  a  minister.  Hilliker  bought 
this  old  mill,  which  was  a  large  building  containing  a  dwelling 
house,  and  had  two  runs  of  stone.  It  afterward  caught  fire  and 
burned  down.  Hilliker  built  a  smaller  one  in  place  of  it,  and 
that  was  burned,  after  which  another  was  built.  Daniel  Selter 
was  a  great  friend  of  the  American  cause.  He  was  almost  the  first 
settler  at  Fayetteville,  and  built  a  public  house  there  and  cleared 
away  the  woods  during  the  revolution.  Col.  Aaron  Cortelyou 
kept  a  store  where  Edward  Taylor  since  Jived.  It  was  this  store 
that  the  negro  Anthony  Neal  broke  into,  or  was  accused  of 
breaking  into  and  was  hung  for  the  offense. 

Prom  an  interview  with  Mr.  Peter  Wandel,  January  8,  1853 : 
When  the  British  first  landed  on  the  island  they  destroyed  all 
the  fences,  and  when  they  went  to  Jersey   proclamation  was 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOlfD  COUNTY.  245 

made  to  put  them  up  again,  but  when  they  returned  they  de- 
stroyed them  again.  The  forts  abandoned  by  the  British  were 
never  occupied  by  American  soldiers.  The  buildings  that  were 
in  them  were  afterward  gradually  removed.  There  were  bar- 
racks, and  in  the  fort  at  the  Narrows  there  was  a  magazine  un- 
der ground,  made  of  timbers  laid  very  close  together,  like  a 
wall.  This  was  built  a  year  or  two  before  the  end  of  the  war. 
After  the  evacution  of  New  York  city  by  the  British  they  made 
no  stay  on  the  island.  They  left  things  here  in  a  very  damaged 
state.  All  was  commons  about  the  quarantine  grounds.  Cor- 
nelius Hetfield  was  a  noble  looking  fellow,  but  capable  of  do- 
ing almost  anything.  He  was,  probably,  not  under  General 
Skinner's  command,  but  a  kind  of  commander  himself.  He 
ought  to  have  been  hung.  He,  however,  went  to  Nova  Scotia 
after  the  war.  Smith  Hetfield  was  a  great  bully.  The  refugee 
post  on  Bergen  Point  was  opposite  to  Port  Eichmond.  There 
was  a  whole  company  there.  Wandel  once  came  near  being 
made  a  prisoner  by  Hyler.  He  was  with  others  on  the  banks 
fishing  when  Hyler,  with  his  party  in  three  boats,  came  upon 
them  and  took  several  of  them.  He  probably  would  have  taken 
the  whole  fleet  of  twenty-two  fishing  boats  had  it  not  been  for 
the  interference  of  an  armed  schooner  that  happened  to  pass. 

An  appeal  was  afterward  made  to  the  governor,  and  he  sent 
down  a  gun  boat,  and  the  next  time  they  went  down  to  fish  the 
gun  boat  kept  Hyler  off.  When  Stirling  came  upon  the  island 
Peter  Wandel,  then  a  youth,  served  in  the  fort  that  stood  back 
of  Dr.Westervelt's,  as  a  volunteer  for  the  occasion.  For  this  his 
father  gave  him  a  good  whipping.  Stirling  could  have  taken 
all  the  forts  in  half  an  hour  had  he  known  their  weakness  and 
scantiness  of  provisions  and  ammunition.  But  instead  of  doing 
this  he  strung  his  troops  all  over  the  islai^d.  They  were  ex- 
tended all  along  the  heights,  the  snow  being  four  feet  deep,  and 
the  weather  intensely  cold.  The  light  horse  went  along  the 
north  shore  in  pursuit  of  them,  and  took  some  prisoners,  but 
not  many.  No  reinforcements  came  to  the  forts  that  day,  but 
subsequently  two  hundred  sleighs  came  down,  and  Ned  Beattie, 
one  of  the  Hetfield  gang,  availed  himself  of  the  opportunity 
to  bring  down  a  barrel  of  rum.  The  route  they  followed  in 
coming  down  from  the  city  was  first  to  cross  from  the  Battery 
to  Powle's  hook,  and  then  come  down  over  the  flats  and  along 


246  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

the  Jersey  shore,  and  cross  the  kills  from  Bergen  Point,  taking 
Shooter's  island  on  the  way. 

The  village  of  Richmond  in  the  time  of  the  war  was  generally 
called  Cuckold's  town.  Todt  hill  was  not  so  called  before  the 
war,  but  the  name  began  to  be  used  during  the  latter  part  of 
the  war.  Decker's  ferry  was  afterward  called  Ryers',  and 
still  later  Mersereau's.  Opposite  to  it  was  a  house  called  Duf- 
fy's ferry,  on  the  Bergen  Point  side.  The  wood  cut  by  the 
British  during  the  war  was  chiefly  from  the  hills  behind  quar- 
antine, which  were  covered  with  all  kinds  of  timber.  Between 
Old  Town  and  ISIew  Dorp  it  was  very  wild,  with  scattered  trees 
and  huckleberry  bushes.  There  was  heavy  timber  all  around 
Fresh  pond.  The  riflemen  from  Virginia  were  very  fond  of 
fresh  water  fish,  and  would  make  a  raft  of  rails  upon  which 
they  would  go  out  on  the  pond  and  catch  cat  fish  and  very 
large  eels.  The  cat  fish  sometimes  weighed  eight  or  ten  pounds 
apiece. 

Wandel,  when  a  boy,  went  to  school  to  Mr.  Rogers,  in  a 
small  one-story  house  that  stood  just  above  the  Port  Richmond 
church  ;  afterward  taught  by  Mr.  Riley,  and  moved  to  a  point 
near  the  dock.  His  father's  house  was  a  short  distance  east  of 
the  Snug  Harbor  site.  He  stood  at  the  door  of  his  father's 
house  and  saw  Hetfield's  party  engaged  in  hanging  Ball  on  a 
tree  on  Peter  Buskirk's  farm.  The  night  the  British  arrived 
his  family  was  up  in  the  clove,  his  father  having  removed  them 
all  thither  through  fear  of  the  troops,  but  being  assured  of 
safety  they  all  returned  the  next  day.  The  British  turned 
their  horses  in  upon  the  growing  crops  on  the  farm.  ISTo  com- 
pensation was  ever  received  for  it.  At  that  time  then  there 
were  not  over  nine  houses  between  Van  Duzer's  and  Richmond. 
When  the  fleet  came  up  to  Prince's  bay  the  children  all  went 
up  into  the  garrets  to  look  out  to  see  the  ships  come  in.  All 
the  people  in  the  neighborhood  immediately  got  fresh  provisions 
ready  and  killed  great  numbers  of  their  young  cattle.  The 
English  came  ashore  to  purchase  these  articles. 

After  the  ships  had  come  to  at  quarantine,  the  sailors  took 
the  sails  ofl',  and  made  tents  of  them  for  some  of  the  soldiers. 
The  encampment  extended  from  New  Brighton  to  Stapleton. 
In  all  the  space  occupied  by  them,  in  a  short  time  there  was 
not  a  blade  of  grass  to  be  seen.  Everything  was  trodden  down 
by  the  troops,  who  were  kept  "forever  marking  time."    Before 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  247 

the  arrival  of  the  main  body  of  troops  three  vessels  kept  cruis- 
ing in  the  waters  aboat  Staten  Island.  These  were,  in  the  or- 
der of  their  size,  the  "Asia,"  the  "Phoenix"  and  the  "Sav- 
age," the  last  being  a  sloop.  At  this  time  there  were  on  the 
island  a  body  of  New  England  troops  stationed  at  the  Narrows 
and  another  of  Virginia  riflemen,  among  whom  were  some  men 
sixty  years  of  age.  These  were  billeted  among  the  farmers  on 
the  north  side.  The  British  vessels  stopped  at  the  watering 
place  to  get  water  one  day,  the  "Savage"  lying  quite  close  to 
the  shore,  while  six  or  seven  of  her  men  were  engaged  in  get- 
ting water.  The  Virginia  riflemen  heard  of  it,  and  taking  Peter 
Wandel's  father  for  a  guide,  started  for  the  spot.  They  rushed 
upon  the  sentinel  so  suddenly  that  he  had  not  time  to  fire  be- 
fore he  was  seized  and  made  a  prisoner.  As  they  continued 
their  course  down  the  hill  they  were  seen  from  the  sloop  and 
fired  upon  by  those  on  board.  The  riflemen  protected  them- 
selves behind  rocks  and  trees  as  well  as  they  could,  and  none 
were  hurt  by  the  fire.  The  men  who  were  getting  water  ran 
into  the  stream  up  to  their  chins,  but  being  ordered  to  come 
out  under  pain  of  death,  they  obeyed,  and  all  were  taken 
prisoners.  One  of  the  men  on  board  the  "Savage"  went  up 
into  her  "round  top"  with  a  blunderbuss,  but  the  riflemen 
shot  him  off.  Tlie  British  were  prevented  from  getting  w^ater 
on  this  occasion.  This  was  the  first  blood  shed  in  the  war  in 
this  quarter.  On  the  American  side  none  were  injured  except 
Neddy  Beattie,  who  heard  the  firing  and  took  a  walk  over  the 
hill  to  see  what  was  going  on.  He  was  struck  by  a  spent  ball, 
but  without  receiving  any  serious  wound. 

There  were  three  forts  during  the  war  near  the  Watering 
Place,  one  near  where  the  pavilion  now  stands,  one  at  the 
"  Marble  house,"  and  one  behind  Dr.  Westervelt's.  Colonel 
Billop  was  accounted  very  clever,  a  large,  stout,  noble  looking 
man.  He  pretty  much  governed  the  island  during  the  war. 
Some  robbers  from  Jersey  plundered  a  Mrs.  Marshall  who  lived 
near  Rossville.  She  had  a  mare  and  colt.  They  took  the 
former  but  left  the  latter.  The  next  morning  the  mare  came 
home  again,  swimming  across  the  sound.  During  the  war  little 
"  bush  shops"  were  frequent  all  over  the  island.  Their  whole 
stock  in  trade  consisted  of  rum  and  a  gill  cup.  The  latter  hav- 
ing no  handle  the  dealer  would  put  his  thumb  in  it  to  hold  on 
by  and  at  the  same  time  lessen,  the  quantity  required  to  fill  it. 


248  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

From  a  conversation  with  Mr.  Dissosway,  December  26,  1850: 
There  was  an  encampment  of  British  soldiers  in  Edwards' 
orchard,  on  the  Shore  road  corner  toward  New  Brighton.  In 
making  excavations  while  erecting  one  of  the  buildings  on  this 
property  an  entire  skeleton  was  dug  up.  From  time  to  time 
several  baskets  full  of  bones  have  been  uncovered  at  the  same 
place.  It  was  the  custom  to  send  the  invalid  soldiers  of  the 
British  army  to  Staten  Island.  There  was  another  encampment 
at  Belmont's  hill,  where  the  Hessians  lived  underground.  The 
Port  Richmond  hotel,  or  the  building  that  occupied  its  site  and 
was  the  property  of  Judge  Ryers,  a  leading  tory,  was  the  scene 
of  a  great  deal  of  fun  during  the  revolution.  Ryers  was  the 
grandfather  of  Dissosway.  He  made  a  fortune  out  of  the 
British.  He  was  a  contractor  for  supplies  to  the  British  troops. 
The  Americans  would  drive  their  cattle  over  from  Jersey  to  be 
sold.  These  would  be  kept  at  the  slaughter-house,  which  was 
near  Bard's.  The  Americans  would  come  over  at  night,  steal 
the  cattle  and  sell  them  again  to  Ryers,  who  never  said  any- 
thing. He  was  a  man  of  large  size  and  great  business  tact. 
His  first  wife  was  killed  by  fright  at  the  landing  of  the  British. 

From  a  conversation  with  a  Mrs.  Blake,  who  had  been  a  Miss 
Merrill:  She  was  born  near  Bull's  Head.  There  were  a  number 
of  Americans  who  came  over  from  the  Jersey  shore  one  day  and 
were  making  merry  at  a  drinking  house.  An  English  oflScer 
who  was  staying  at  her  father's  house  appeared  at  dinner  with 
his  ruffles  all  bloody.  He  explained  that  he  had  killed  half  a 
dozen  drunken  Americans.  She  recollected  seeing  a  negro 
woman  covering  one  dead  body  with  brush. 

Captain  Blake  said:  Bodine's  mill  was  the  third  one  erected 
on  that  spot.  During  the  war  the  Scotch  Forty- second  regi- 
ment was  quartered  in  Dongan's  orchard.  The  Hessians  lived 
near  about  the  "  marble-hotise,"  in  caves.  He  had  visited  them 
in  their  underground  habitations  to  get  the  money  for  a  beef 
which  had  been  run  through  by  them.  They  were  fed  on  slices 
of  pork,  and  rum  with  sugar  shaken  up  in  it,  which  later  they 
called  "  Schnaps." 

From  a  conversation  with  Mr.  Peter  Jacobsen,  October  18, 
1851:  His  grandfather,  Christian  Jacobsen,  was  killed  in  his 
own  house  by  the  British.  Four  soldiers  came  at  night,  when 
he  was  in  bed.  They  entered  the  kitchen  and  aroused  the 
blacks,  demanding  to  know  where  their  master  kept  his  money. 


HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  249 

aud  threatened  to  kill  them  if  they  did  not  tell.  An  old  black 
woman  passed  by  a  secret  route  to  the  room  of  Mr.  Jacobsen  and 
aroused  him.  He  opened  the  kitchen  door  and  asked  what  the 
noise  was  about,  whereupon  one  of  the  soldiers  returned  some 
insolent  reply  and  at  the  same  time  fired  upon  him.  The  ball 
entered  his  side  and  he  died  in  a  few  hours.  The  soldiers  were 
made  known  to  the  ofiicers,  and  the  man  who  did  the  firing  was 
hung. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


UNDER    THE    REPUBLIC— 1783  TO   1883. 


Condition  at  close  of  Eevolution. — Population. — County  Buildings. — Manners 
and  Customs. — ^War  of  1813. — Extracts  from  the  Records. — The  Militia. — 
Growth  and  Improvement. — Earthquakes. — Quarantine. — The  Civil  War. — 
Some  Notable  Events. 


WE  come  now  to  the  history  of  a  period  of  almost  uniform 
prosperity  and  advancement,  with  perhaps  varying 
degrees  at  different  times,  but  with  no  more  such  eras  of  de- 
vastation as  that  which  we  have  been  reviewing.  Retarning 
peace  found  the  island  in  a  demoralized  state  of  desolation. 
But  the  sunshine  of  peace  quickened  its  capabilities  into  new 
life.  We  see  it  now  as  a  new  era  of  prosperity  has  dawned 
upon  the  land.  The  clouds  have  rolled  away  and  the  vigorous 
youth  of  a  new  government,  set  out  to  run  the  race  of  Its  exist- 
ence, fills  the  prospect  with  cheering  promises. 

The  whigs  who  had  left  their  homes  and  property  at  the  be- 
ginning of  the  war  now  returned  and  began  the  work  of  rebuild- 
ing the  places  that  had  been  laid  waste.  The  condition  in 
which  they  found  their  property  need  not  be  described.  It  was 
what  may  readily  be  imagined  as  the  result  of  seven  years'  oc- 
cupancy by  a  lawless  military  force  and  frequent  raids  of  plun- 
derers from  abroad.  But  the  town  organizations  were  re-estab- 
lished and  the  wheels  of  government  gradually  set  in  motion. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  note  the  manner  of  doing  this,  but 
the  records  are  too  scanty  to  give  us  much  knowledge. 

On  the  26th  day  of  September,  1775,  there  was  a  court  of 
common  pleas  and  general  sessions  held  at  the  court  house,  in 
Richmond  town,  after  which  there  is  no  record  of  any  court 
having  been  held  in  the  county  until  Monday,  the  3d  day  of 
May,  1784,  "  being  the  first  Court  held  after  the  Declaration  of 
Independence  being  published."  This  court  was  held  at  the 
house  of  Thomas  Frost,  the  court  house  having  been  burned  by 
the  British,  David  Mersereau,  Esq.,  being  judge. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  251 

The  lirst  case  on  the  record  is  entitled,  "  The  State  m.  Thomas 
Frost:'  The  grand  jury  brought  in  a  bill  of  indictment  against 
the  defendant  for  profanity,  "  and  the  Deft,  being  in  Court  was 
called  and  the  Indictment  Read  to  him.— Whereupon  he 
pleaded  not  guilty  and  entered  into  recognizance  himself  in 
twenty  pounds  and  Peter  Mersereau  his  security  in  ten  pounds 
to  appear  at  the  next  Session  to  Try  the  Traverse."  Unfortun- 
ately there  is  no  record  of  the  result  of  this  indictment.  The 
next  court  whose  proceedings  are  recorded  was  held  in  Septem- 
ber, 1794. 

It  may  be  a  matter  of  interest  to  know  the  names  of  the 
officers  of  the  first  court  held  under  the  new  government ;  they 
are  as  follows  :  David  Mersereau,  Esq.,  judge  ;  Cornelius  Mer- 
sereau, Hendrick  Garrison,  Peter  Rezeau,  Anthony  Fountain, 
John  Wandel,  Gilbert  Jackson  and  Lambert  Merrill,  associate 
judges;  Abraham  Bancker,  Esq.,  sheriff;  Jonathan  Lewis,  cor- 
oner ;  Daniel  Salter,  James  McDonald,  John  Baker  and  Abra--, 
}iam  Bur>^g"^ki  ■"""ai-aVyioa  The  first  act  was  to  read  the  com- 
missions of  the  several  officers.  The  first  civil  suit  on  the  cal- 
endar was  Richard  Housman  against  Henry  Perine.  Trespass, 
damages  £50. 

Subsequent  to  this  the  courts  of  this  county  were  regulated 
by  the  following  act  of  the  state  legislature  passed  February  6, 
1787: 

"Beit  enacted,"  &c. 

"  That  the  Courts  of  Common  Pleas  and  General  Sessions  of 
the  Peace,  in  and  for  the  County  of  Richmond,  shall  be  held  at 
the  Court-House  in  the  same  County,  on  the  fourth  Monday  in 
January,  the  first  Monday  in  May,  and  the  fourth  Monday  in 
September,  in  every  year,  and  may  continue  and  be  held  until 
the  several  Saturdays  next  following,  inclusive." 

It  is  probable  that  in  the  work  of  restoring  order  and  improve- 
ment to  the  desolated  farms  and  homesteads  the  surplus  ener- 
gies of  the  people  were  so  much  engaged  that  they  had  little 
time  for  unnecessary  litigation.  A  paper  of  May  9,  1788,  con- 
tains the  following  item  : 

"  A  correspondent  observes,  much  to  the  credit  of  the  inhab- 
itants of  Staten-Island,  that  the  courts  of  general  session,  and 
common  pleas,  on  that  Island,  county  of  Richmond,  held  on 
the  5Lh  instant,  in  four  hours  after  their  convening,  adjourned 
to  September  term,  not  having  found  a  single  bill  of  indictment. 


252  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

or  a  recognizance,  presented.— Who,  except  lawyers^  would  not 
wish  to  become  a  resident  in  so  virtuous  a  community?" 

A  record  under  date  December  1, 1789,  contains  the  following 
accounts: 

"  To  Richard  Scarret  for  digging  a  Grave  £0.  10.  0 

"To  Lewis  Dey  for  Boarding  the  Carpenters  when  repairing  the 
County  House  &  Building  the  Gallows  &  Furnished  100  shingles 
1  Bushel  of  Lime  a  pair  of  hinges  &  For  fetching  Anthony 
Cornish  from  New  York  Goal  fees  &c  &c  £6.  0.  0 

"  To  Lewis  Eyerss  [then  sheriff]  for  two  locks  for  the  Goal,  for 
going  to  New  York  for  to  Report  Anthony  Cornishes  Escape 
from  Goal,  for  Going  to  New  York  when  he  was  apprehended, 
for  Fetching  him  from  New  York,  Making  the  Gallows  &  Exe- 
cuting of  Anthony  Cornish,  for  Expence  of  Apprehending  of  sd 
Cornish  at  New  York,  Goal  costs  £16.  16.  0" 

"We  have  been  unable  to  find  a  more  detailed  account  of 
this  case.  A  very  aged  man,  living  when  this  was  written 
(1875)  and  nine  years  old  at  the  time  of  the  execution,  and  who 
remembered  it  well,  said  that  the  prisoner  was  known  as  '  Black 
Antony,'  being  a  negro  ;  he  had  committed  a  murder  on  board 
of  a  vessel  in  the  sound.  The  place  of  execution  was  near  the 
site  of  the  present  school  house  in  Richmond  village." 

The  explanation  above  is  that  made  by  Mr.  Clute.  We  have 
in  another  chapter  given  an  account  of  the  execution  of  a 
negro,  which  corresponds  so  nearly  in  some  points  with  the 
above  as  to  make  it  quite  probable  that  it  was  the  same  case. 
But  if  such  is  true,  there  are  differences  enough  to  make  one  or 
the  other  inaccurate.  As  we  have  not  the  means  at  hand  to  de- 
cide which  is  the  correct  one,  we  leave  them  both  for  the  judg- 
ment of  others  to  decide. 

"Oct.  19:  1790.  The  following  is  the  amount  of  the  In- 
habitants of  the  county  of  Richmond  as  numbered  by  the 
Supervisors  and  Assessors  of  said  county  Agreeable  to  an  Act 
of  the  Legislature  passed  the  18th  day  of  February  1790. 

Males.  Females.  Slaves. 
Town  of  Southfield  309  330  258 
Town  of  Westfield  440  451  267 
Town  of  Northfield  463  409  167 
Town  of  Castleton  381  340  127 
Souls  in  Richmond  Co.  

In  all  3942  1593      1530        819" 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 


253 


The  growth  of  the  county  in  population  during  the  decades 
from  that  time  to  the  present  is  as  follows  :— 1790,  3,838 ;  1800, 
4,564;  1810,  5,347;  1820,  6,135;  1830,  7,082;  1840,  10,965; 
1850,  15,061;  1860,  25,492;  1870,  33,029;  1880,  38,991. 

The  following  extract  from  the  records  tells  its  own  story  of 
the  preliminary  steps  toward  building  a  new  court  house. 

"July  7:  1792  At  a  meeting  of  the  Supervisors  Together 
with  the  Judges  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  the  County 
of  Richmond  the  26th  of  June  1792  Lawrence  Hillyer,  Joseph 
Barton  Jun.  were  unanimously  appointed  Commissioners  to 
Superintend  the  Building  of  a  Court  House  in  the  Town  of 
Richmond  on  a  Lott  of  ground  given  by  Doctor  Thomas  Frost, 


HOUSE  OF  ISAAC  M.   MABSH,  FORMERLY  USED  AS 
THE  COURT  HOUSE. 

and  Thomas  Frost  having  since  been  appointed  a  Commissioner 
to  be  with  the  said  Lawrence  Hillyer  and  Joseph  Barton  to 
Superintend  Said  Court  House  and  to  Advertise  for  Undertakers 
&  to  receive  proposals  that  may  be  Consistent  with  seconomy 
and  the  Interest  of  the  County. 

"Richard  Conner  Clk  Supervisors." 

In  1792  a  tax  of  £315  ($787.50)  was  levied  upon  the  county  for 
building  the  court  house,  and  the  sum  of  £15  (137.50)  was  paid 
to  Dr.  Thomas  Frost  in  payment  for  the  "Lott"  which  the 
previous  entry  says  he  had  given  for  the  purpose.     The  record 


254  HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

does  not  give  the  name  of  the  "  undertaker"  to  whom  the  con- 
tract was  awarded. 

This  building  is  still  standing  opposite  the  hotel  known  as  the 
Richmond  County  hall.  When  the  present  court  house  was 
built,  the  old  court  house  property  was  sold  to  Walter  Betts, 
who  converted  it  into  a  dwelling.  It  is  now  (1876)  owned  and 
occupied  by  Isaac  M.  Marsh,  Esq.  While  this  building  was 
used  for  a  court  house,  the  brick  building  on  the  opposite  cor- 
ner was  the  prison. 

The  same  year,  1792,  another  tax  of  £84  ($210)  was  levied  for 
hnishing  the  court  house.  The  completion  of  it  was  delayed 
for  nearly  two  years,  for  under  date  of  October,  1794,  we  are 
informed  that  the  supervisors  met  in  it  for  the  first  time. 

The  lot  on  which  the  present  court  house  stands  was  con- 
veyed to  the  supervisors  by  Henry  I.  Seaman  and  wife,  by 
deed  bearing  date  April  19,  1837,  at  a  nominal  price,  for  the 
purpose  of  erecting  a  court  house  thereon;  according  to  the 
terms  of  the  conveyance,  when  the  property  shall  cease  to  be 
used  for  that  purpose,  it  shall  revert  to  the  said  Seaman  or  his 
heirs. 

On  the  22d  December,  1847,  Farnham  Hall  and  wife,  in 
consideration  of  fifty  dollars,  conveyed  to  the  supervisors 
the  lot  in  the  rear  of  that  on  which  the  court  house  now 
stands. 

In  one  of  the  old  record  books  containing  minutes  of  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  supervisors,  is  the  following  entry: 

"1827,  May  5th,  At  a  meeting  held  this  day,  present  Har- 
manus  Guyon,  John  Totten  &  Nicholas  Crocheron,  Supervisors, 
also  Richard  Crocheron,  Esq.,  James  Guyon,  Esq.,  and  Walter 
Betts,  Esq.,  Commissioners  appointed  according  to  a  law  passed 
April  10th,  1826,  an  act  to  provide  for  Building  a  Fire  proof 
Clerk  and  Surrogate's  office  in  the  County  of  Richmond, 
whereby  it  was  made  the  duty  of  the  Supervisors  at  their  an- 
nual meeting  to  cause-to  be  levied  and  collected  a  sum  not  ex- 
.ceeding  One  Thousand  five  hundred  Dollars,  over  and  above 
the  expense  of  Collecting  the  same,  for  the  purpose  of  building 
a  fireproof  Clerk  and  Surrogate's  Office  for  Said  County,  to  be 
located  in  such  part  of  Said  County  as  the  Judges  of  the  Said 
County,  or  a  majority  of  them  shall  direct,  and  in  which  all 
the  public  Records  and  Papers  belonging  as  well  to  the  Clerk 
as  the  Surrogate  of  the  Said  County  shall  be  kept,  and  the  said 


HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  255 

Judges  have  fixed  Upon  the  Cite  of  the  Old  County-house  on 
the  East  side  of  the  Goal  for  the  locating  the  same. 

"  Whereupon  resolved  y^j  the  Said  Supervisors  Present  that 
the  county-house  be  sold  and  removed  without  delay  to  make  a 
clear  Cite  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  Said  Clerk  and  Surro- 
gate's ofiice,  and  also  that  the  proceeds  of  such  sail  be  paid  to 
the  County  Treasurer,  subject  to  the  order  of  the  Supervisors, 
and  also  that  the  said  Commissioners  be  and  hereby  are  em- 
powered to  sell  Said  County  house  for  the  best  price  that  can 
be  got  for  the  same  at  public  Vendue,  notice  to  be  given  of  the 
sime.  (sic)  of  such  sale.  And  the  Supervisors  having  caused  to 
be  raised  and  paid  into  the  Treasury  of  Said  County  the  sum  of 
six  hundred  dollars  for  and  towards  the  Building  Said  Clerk 
and  Surrogate's  office.  Also  resolved  by  the  Supervisors  that 
they  will  in  'case  the  six  hundred  dollars  raised  for  the  purpose 
of  building  Said  Clerk  and  Surrogate' s  office  should  be  Insuffi- 
cient to  pay  for  building  the  same;  In  such  case  they  will  Bor- 
row as  much  as  will  be  sufficient  to  complete  the  same.  Pro- 
vided however  that  the  whole  cost  of  building  such  office  shall 
not  exceed  one  thousand  five  hundred  dollars. 

Signed     Herms  Gtjyon, 

Nicholas  Crocheron, 
John  Totten. 

"Whereupon  it  was  ordered  by  the  Supervisors  that  their  01k 
shall  Imlnediately  give  to  said  Commissioners  an  order  on  the 
County  Treasurer  for  the  said  sum  of  six  hundred  Dollars. 

' '  Which  said  order  was  in  due  form  made  out  and  delivered  to 
one  of  the  said  Commissioners  for  the  Payment  of  the  said  six 
hundred  Dollars  as  aforesaid. 

Richard  Conner,  Clk  )      $      C. 

of  the  board  of  Supervisors  f    600    00." 

The  above  document  is  given  in  full,  as  a  specimen  of  the 
verbose  and  exceedingly  precise  style  in  which  Col.  Richard 
Conner,  as  clerk  of  the  supervisors,  kept  all  the  county  records 
under  his  official  care. 

The  "  Groal  "  herein  alluded  to  is  that  building  which  stands 
on  the  corner,  north  of  the  old  dilapidated  hotel  called  the 
"Richmond  County  Hall,"  and  the  clerk  and  surrogate's  fire- 
proof offices,  built  on  the  "cite"  of  the  former  county  house 
is  the  brick  building  adjoining  it  on  the  east.      The  cost  of 


256 


HISTOKY  OF  KICIIMOND  COUNTY. 


erecting  it  is  not  known,  but  bills  for  material  and  labor  to  the 
amount  of  $941.08  were  audited  that  year.  The  building  was 
completed  during  that  and  the  following  years,  as  will  be  seen 
by  the  following  record  dated  October  7,  1828. 

"It  is  Resolved  by  a  Majority  of  the  Supervisors  of  the 
County  of  Richmond  that  three  men  be  appointed  to  take 
charge  of  the  records  of  the  County  of  Richmond,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  111  health  of  the  present  County  Clerk,  Jonathan 
Lewis,  Esq.,  and  that  they  make  an  Inventory  of  such  Books 
and  Papers  as  they  shall  find  in  the  office  ^  Said  Clerk,  and 
shall  deposit  such  Books  and  Papers  in  the  office  now  erected 


BUIIiDINQ  FORMERLY  USED  AS  A  CLERK'S  OFFICE 
AND   JAIL. 

in  the  Village  of  Richmond  for  that  purpose.  Resolved  that 
Walter  Betts,  Esq.,'  Richard  D.  Littell,  Esq.,  and  Abraham 
Auten,  Deputy  Clerk,  is  hereby  appointed  to  take  an  Inven- 
tory of  said  Books  and  Papers  and  deliver  them  to  the  said 
Abraham  Auten,  Deputy  Clerk,  on  his  giving  a  receipt  for 
such  Books  and  Papers  on  the  Schedule  or  Inventory, 
and  deliver  such  Schedule  so  signed  to  the  Supervisors  of  Said 
County." 

The  old  court  house  and  the  lot  in  which  it  stands  was  sold 
at  auction  to  Isaac  M.  Morris  December  17,  1837.  That  build- 
ing still  stands  on  the  west  side  of  the  street,  nearly  opposite 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 


257 


a  point  midway  between  the  old  Dutch  Reformed  church  and 
the  old  jail  above  referred  to.  It  is  a  two-story-and-basement 
building,  and  is  now  devoted  to  private  uses. 

The  present  jail,  in  the  yard  in  the  rear  of  the  present  court 
house,  was  built  in  1860.  A  new  county  clerk's  office,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  street  from  the  court  house,  is  now  being 
completed. 


PRESENT  COURT  HOUSE  AND  JAIL. 

We  have  but  little  evidence  of  the  use  of  the  whipping-post 
and  stocks  in  this  county.  All  that  we  have  at  hand  is  the 
record  of  the  supervisors  under  date  of  October  26,  1801,  when 
a  bill  was  audited  for  the  amount  of  $12  to  Lawrence  Hillyer 
"for  Erecting  a  Public  Stocks  according  to  Law." 

In  giving  a  glimpse  of  the  domestic  and  social  customs  of 
the  early  years  of  the  republican  period  we  condense  from  an 
interview  made  years  ago  with  one  whose  personal  recollection 

17 


258  IlISTOEY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

extended  back  to  that  time.  Most  articles  of  home  consump- 
tion were  then  made  at  home.  Each  member  of  the  family 
had  one  new  pair  of  shoes  every  year,  made  by  a  shoemaker 
who  came  to  the  house  in  the  fall.  It  was  the  custom  of  that 
craft  to  go  from  house  to  house  in  annual  rounds  of  repairing 
and  newly  fitting  shoes  for  the  feet  of  the  family.  There  was 
little  money  on  the  island.  People  were  paid  in  articles  of  pro- 
duce. A  girl  who  could  spin  at  the  rate  of  seven  hundred 
strands  to  the  pound  was  considered  a  good  spinner.  The 
young  ones  spun  tow.  It  was  customary  for  the  negroes  to 
raise  tobacco  for  their  own  use.  All  people  drank  a  great  deal 
of  cider.  It  was  oflEered  to  every  neighbor  or  stranger  on  ar- 
riving. It  was  a  custom  to  put  into  the  pitcher  of  cider  a  piece 
of  hot  toasted  bread  or  a  doughnut,  to  warm  the  beverage. 
This  hospitality  was  indulged  on  the  occasions  of  the  people 
assembling  at  some  neighbor's  house  for  a  religious  service. 

The  conveyance  then  in  use  was  the  farm  wagon,  with  a  pair 
of  clean  sides  to  be  put  on  it  after  it  had  been  all  the  week  used 
for  carting  manure  or  other  dirty  substances.  The  old  fash- 
ioned rush-bottom  chairs  were  placed  in  it  for  seats.  To  this 
the  horses  were  hitched  and  their  movements  were  guided  by 
means  of  a  single  rope  rein  on  the  outside  of  each  horse  and  a 
connecting  rope  running  across  from  one  bit  to  the  other. 
These  were  called  "  couple-towse."  Men  of  somewhat  wealthy 
or  aristocratic  pretensions  wore  knee-buckles.  A  silver- 
mounted  riding  whip  was  considered  a  great  acquisition  to  the 
make-up  of  an  aspiring  man.  Two-wheeled  gigs  were  some- 
times used.  They  had  no  tops,  but  had  wooden  springs,  called 
"  grasshopper  springs." 

It  is  said  that  John  C.  Dongan  brought  to  his  wife,  from 
Europe,  the  first  silk  dress  ever  seen  on  Staten  Island.  He 
pronounced  it  only  a  "middling  good  one,"  having  cost  but 
fifty  pounds,  when  for  one  hundred  pounds  he  could  have  ob- 
tained a  really  good  one.  A  schoolmaster,  by  the  name  of 
Pritchett  was  remembered  as  coming  to  the  employer  to  get  his 
pay  for  teaching.  He  took  it  in  fresh  meat  and  other  articles. 
After  spending  the  evening,  chatting  and  drinking  cider,  he 
went  home,  having  prepared  for  his  lonely  walk  through  the 
woods  by  having  a  stout  hickory  stick  burned  to  a  live  coal  at 
one  end.     By  brandishing  this  stick  in  the  air  he  kept  the 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  259 

wolves,  with  which  the  woods  abounded,  and  which  would  be 
attracted  by  the  smell  of  the  meat,  from  attacking  him.  It 
was  customary  for  the  most  respectable  persons  to  go  to  taverns. 
One  of  the  highest  repute  was  the  "Bull's  Head,"  then  kept 
by  a  man  named  Johnson,  and  later  by  one  Grarrison.  The 
"Black  Horse"  was  of  rather  inferior  tone,  being  frequented 
by  those  who  ran  horses  on  the  road  there. 

Flax  was  raised  in  considerable  quantities,  not  only  for  the 
linen  fibre  it  yielded,  but  for  the  seed,  large  quantities  of  which 
were  shipped  to  Ireland,  where  it  brought  a  good  price.  John 
V.  D.  Jacobsen,  who  lived  at  New  Dorp,  and  was  accounted 
one  of  the  three  richest  men  on  the  island  in  his  time  (Judge 
Seguine  and  Jacob  Mersereau  being  the  others),  died  in  1826, 
his  property  being  valued  then  at  seventeen  thousand  five  hun- 
dred dollars.  In  those  times  the  price  of  a  drink  at  a  tavern 
was  three  cents,  but  in  the  time  of  the  war  of  1812  this  was  in- 
creased to  four  cents  when  sugar  was  taken.  Cigars  cost 
twenty-five  cents  a  hundred,  and  were  frequently  kept  by  land- 
lords to  be  given  away  whenever  asked  for. 

The  war  of  1812  passed  without  leaving  any  considerable 
traces  upon  this  island  that  are  now  discernable.  Fortifications 
were  thrown  up. for  defense  in  case  the  British  fleet  should 
come  into  the  bay.  One  of  these  was  located  on  the  summit  of 
the  "hill  at  Prince's  bay,  a  little  north  of  the  light-house.  The 
em-ba-nkmentwas-on- the- seaward  margin  of  the  height,  and  part 
of  it  has  evidently  been  washed  away  by  rains  and  the  tide  un- 
dermining the  bank.  It  is  said  that  the  fort  contained  a  block 
house,  the  stones  of  which  were  afterward  used  in  the  con- 
struction of  the  light-house  and  keeper's  house  adjoining. 
Another  earthwork  was  at  Little  Fort  hill,  near  the  site  of  the 
present  fort  that  commands  the  narrows. 

The  general  laws  of  the  state  from  time  to  time  enacted  for 
the  gradual  extinction  of  slavery  were  the  same  in  their  appli- 
cation to  this  county  as  elewhere.  The  records  of  the  differ- 
ent towns  show  some  interesting  relics  of  the  custom.  We 
have  only  space  for  a  few.  Here  is  a  transcription  from  the 
Westfield  town  records  : 

"I  Winant  Winants  of  the  County  of  Richmond  and  State 
of  New  York  and  Town  of  Westfield,  Yeoman  Doth  Certify 
that  I  have  Had  a  Female  Negroe  Child  Born  of  a  Slave  the 


260  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

26th  July  1799  Named  Befct  from  its  Birth  to  this  Date  is  Six 
months  and  Twenty  Four  Days  old. 

"  WlNANT  WiNANTS. 

"  Recorded  this  19th  February,  1800. 
"Henry  Parlee,  Town  Clerk." 

This  is  also  from  the  records  of  Westfield  : 

"This  is  to  Certify  that  on  the  third  Day  of  February  1800 
the'  Negro  wench  a  Slave  Belonging  to  Benjamin  Larzelere, 
Yeoman  of  the  Town  of  Westfield  in  the  County  of  Richmond 
and  State  of  New  York  was  Dilivered  of  a  male  Child  wich  is 
now  Living  by  the  Name  of  Tom. 

"  Given  under  my  hand  the  7th  Day  of  April  1800. 

"  Benjamin  Larzelere. 

"  Recorded  this  seventh  Day  of  April  one  thousd  Eight 
Hundred  1880 

"  Henry  Parlee,  Town  Clerk." 

The  following  are  from  the  records  of  the  town  of  Castleton: 
"  I  do  hearby  certify  that  a  male  negro  child  named  Nicholas 
the  Father  of  whom  named  Sam  belongs  to  me,  and  the  mother 
named  Bett  belongs  to  Cornelius  Cruser,  was  born  In  my  House 
at  Castle  Town  the  eight  day  of  may  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
one  thousand  Eight  hundred,  and  I  request  that  this  return  of 
the  Birth  of  the  Said  Child  may  be  Entered  agreeable  to  the 
directions  Contained  In  a  late  Act  for  the  gradual  Abolition  of 
Slavery. 

"  John  Mergereau." 
"Castletown  January  15th,  1801." 

"Richmond  County  30th  wit : 

"Personally  came  &  appeared  before  me  John  Garretson, 
first  Judge  of  the  said  County,  the  Rev.  Peter  I.  Vanpelt,  who 
being  duly  sworn  deposeth  and  saith,  that  he  has  a  coloured 
boy  named  Harry  born  February  1803— also  that  he  has  a  col- 
oured Girl  named  Eliza  born  August  1810 — also  a  coloured  girl 
named  Dian  born  June  29th  1814 — also  a  coloured  boy  named 
Ned— born  Febry  28th  1818  And  further  this  deponent  saith 
not. 

"Peter  I.  Vanpelt 
"  Sworn  before  me 
this  6tii  day  of  april  1818 

"John  Garretson 


HISTORY  OF  KIOHMOND  COUNTY.  261 

"  To  be  recorded  by  the  Town  Clerk  of  Castletown  as  the  Law 
directs." 

"This  is  to  Certify  that  my  Woman  of  Colour  named  Mary 
had  a  female  child  born  the  fifteenth  day  of  December  in  the 
Year  1814  named  Mary  and  also  same  Woman  had  a  male  child 

born  the    Second    day    of    March    1817    named    harry  

and  also  my  woman  of  Colour  named  Jane  had  a  male  child 
born  the  tenth  day  of  July  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
sixteen  named  Murry  which  Certificate  I  hereby  request  the 
Clerk  of  Castletown  to  record.  Dated  at  Castletown  the  9th 
day  of  May,  1817. 

"James  Guyon" 
"  To  the  Clerk  of  Castle  Town.  I  hereby  certify  to  you  that 
a  female  negro  Child  named  Mary,  born  of  my  slave  Jane  the 
fifth  day  of  February  last,  which  was  given  up  to  be  recorded, 
I  do  hereby  Manumit  and  give  up  all  my  right  &  title  to  the 
service  thereof  given  under  my  hand  at  Castle  Town  the  third 
day  of  February,  1804 

"Jacojb  Loziee" 
"  Richmond  County  [ 

Town  of  Northfield  )  To  whom  it  may  Concern  know  ye  that 
on  the  24  day  of  April  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 
Eight  hundred  &  Eleven  T  Joseph  Ryers  a  free  Black  Man  do 
by  thease  presence  Manumit  and  abandon  all  My  Rite  and  title 
to  the  service  of  my  son  Harry  and  he  is  hereby  pronounced  By 
me  to  be  a  free  man  agreable  to  the  Laws  of  the  State  of  New 
York  as  witness  My  hand 

his 
"Joseph  X  Ryerss" 
mark 
During  the  years  of  the  first  half  of  this  century,  as  well  as 
those  of  the  eighteenth  century  that  followed  the  revolution, 
the  people  paid  attention  to  the  training  of  their  able  bodied 
citizens  in  the  manipulation  of  weapons  of  defense  and  military 
movements.     Years  afterward,  when  the  settled  condition  of 
peace  seemed  to  lull  the  public  mind  into  indifference  in  regard 
to  preparations  for  war,  the  custom  fell  into  disuse.     The  mil- 
itia system  was  under  similar  regulations  in  this  as  in  other 
counties  of  the  state.     It  was  held  as  the  bulwark  of  that  con- 
fidence which  the  people  had  in  their  own  dominant  might ;  the 
dearest  feature  and  safeguard  of  freedom  ;  the  life  guard  of  a 


262  HISTORY  OF  EIOHMOND  COUNTY. 

nation,  drawn  out  yearly  before  the  view  of  its  rulers,  showing 
them  their  own  proper  orbits  by  a  display  of  numerical  strength 
which  it  would  be  madness  to  oppose,  and  at  the  same  time 
showing  to  the  eyes  of  foreign  powers  the  muscle  of  the  nation, 
against  which  it  would  be  folly  to  make  conquest. 

Reviews  of  the  militia  were  held  on  the  broad  plain  which 
was  spread  out  on  either  side  of  New  Dorp  lane.  Here  the  re- 
view by  the  officers  annually  took  place,  and  those  occasions 
were  gala  days  to  the  people  who  witnessed  them,  as  well  as  to 
those  who  took  part  in  the  parade.  OflBicers  and  men  were  on 
the  alert  to  make  the  best  possible  exhibition,  for  critical  eyes 
were  upon  them,  as  well,  as  was  often  the  case,  the  eyes  of  loved 
ones,  the  fair  and  the  beautiful.  A  sumptuous  dinner  and  gen- 
eral merry-making,  often  accompanied  by  the  perverted  good 
cheer  that  flowed  from  the  old  decanters  and  made  discord 
where  harmony  was  intended,  usually  followed  the  military 
review. 

The  militia  of  Staten  Island  in  1837  composed  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Forty-sixth  regiment,  which  was  a  part  of  the  Sixty- 
fifth  brigade,  in  the  Second  division  of  New  York  state  in- 
fantry. The  division  was  then  in  command  of  Major-General 
VanBuren,  the  brigade  was  under  Brigadier-General  D.  Denyse, 
and  the  regiment  was  commanded  by  Colonel  Tompkins.  The 
"  Mirror,^''  a  local  paper  of  the  time,  in  its  issue  of  September 
7,  1837,  contains  the  following  picture  of  one  of  these  militia 
parades. 

"  On  Friday  last  we  were  witness  to  a  parade  of  the  officers 
of  the  146th  regiment.  Major  Tompkins  o-f  the  staff  of  Major 
General  Van  Buren,  has  lately  been  promoted  to  the  command 
of  this  regiment,  and  this  was  his  first  parade,  or  drill  of  offi- 
cers. We  unexpectedly  met  the  battalion  on  its  way  to  Rich- 
mond village;  the  sounds  of  martial  music  reverberated  along 
the  hills,  and  prickled  up'the  hairs  on  our  horse' s  ears,  his  whole 
frame  quivered  with  alarm;  steed  threatened  steed  with  high 
and  boastful  neighings;  cows  scampered  off  like  militiamen  at 
the  clarion's  sound;  our  own  impatient  nag  turned  tail  upon 
the  army,  bearing  safely  away  his  interesting  burthen;  the  very 
mud-turtles,  that  inhabit  the  ponds  in  the  neighborhood, 
plunged  headlong  into  the  tide  and  hid  their  coward  heads;  but 
all  this  consternation  and  dismay  was  occasioned  by  the  rascally 
exotics  who  were  hired  for  the  occasion  to  make  a  racket  with 


HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  263 

their  drams  and  trumpets.  The  detachment  themselves  were  as 
peaceable  a  set  of  men  as  ever  shouldered  arms;  and  we  were 
much  better  pleased  with  their  manual  exercise  than  we  have 
been  with  like  exhibitions  in  New  York.  The  officers  of  the 
Tompkins  Guards  looked  well  in  their  new  uniforms,  and  the 
non-commissioned  officers  behaved  like  soldiers.  One  thing  we 
have  to  commend  Col.  Tompkins  for— his  orders  were  given  cor- 
rectly and  in  good  time;  but  on  the  march  his  guides  of  the  left 
were  poorly  covered  —this  is  a  matter  of  some  importance,  and 
should  be  attended  to.  We  understand  that  the  field  and  staff 
are  about  adopting  the  United  States  infantry  uniform — good. 
Old  Richmond  begins  to  pick  up  spirit  on  every  hand — she'll  do 
presently.     Go  it  fellow  sogers." 

A  statute  fixed  the  first  Monday  in  September  of  each 
year  as  the  day  for  annual  military  parade,  for  all  the 
enrolled  militia  of  the  state  to  parade  by  companies  in 
each  company  district.  This  occasion  was  frequently  denom- 
inated the  "September  training  day."  Those  "September 
training  days"  were  remarkable  occasions,  landmarks  in  the 
lives  of  the  sturdy  yeomanry.  To  get  the  crowd  into  shape 
was  a  task  indeed  for  the  officers,  and  the  line  would  often 
be  a  marvel  of  curvature — straight  as  a  new  moon.  This 
might  be  accounted  for  in  a  measure  by  the  fact  that  it 
was  the  only  time  in  each  year  when  the  privates  were  drilled 
by  companies,  and  was  also  the  day  when  the  corporal  would 
bring  in  his  new  recruits,  and  report  their  enrollment.  Those 
new  recruits,  the  boys,  were  not  required  to  be  equipped  at 
their  first  appearance,  but  simply  to  answer  at  roll  call,  and 
when  any  of  them  remained  in  the  ranks  during  the  drill,  it 
was  only  to  have  a  good  time  generally.  If  those  young  sol- 
diers appeared  with  anything  less  crude  than  a  hoe  handle  or 
a  flail  staff  instead  of  a  musket,  the  officers  were  to  be  con- 
gratulated. 

The  regimental  parade,  or  "general  muster,"  as  it  was  called, 
was  neither  boys'  play  nor  a  drill  with  wooden  guns  in  a  half 
circle.  Upon  the  adjutant,  who  was  chief  of  the  colonel's  staff, 
devolved  the  duty  of  forming  the  companies  into  one  regimen- 
tal line  and  to  equalize  the  divisions,  then  the  whole  was  turned 
over  to  the  colonel  commanding,  and  after  drill  and  evolutions 
in  his  discretion  the  regiment  was  reviewed  by  the  division  and 
brigadier  generals,  each  with  his  staff  officers  all   mounted. 


264  HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

After  passing  in  review,  the  field  officers  and  the  colonel's 
mounted  staff  were  all  inspected  in  the  saddle  by  the  brigade 
inspector.  Then  followed  the  inspection  of  the  officers  and 
privates  in  the  line,  the  inspector  having  dismounted.  Every 
sword,  musket,  lock  and  flint,  cartridge-box  and  bayonet,  as 
well  as  the  uniform  of  the  officers,  must  pass  the  ordeal,  and 
the  belt  or  buckle  that  betrayed  any  sign  of  weakness  was  at 
the  risk  of  being  sundered  by  a  little  extra  force  of  the  inspec- 
tor's arm.  The  confusion  and  loose  discipline  of  the  "  Septem- 
ber training  day  "  had  no  place  in  the  "  general  muster." 

The  colonel  commanding  was  required  by  law  to  issue  an 
order  annually,  summoning  the  regimental  and  staff  officers, 
the  commissioned  and  non-commissioned  officers  and  musi- 
cians of  the  whole  island  to  rendezvous  at  some  place  designated 
by  him  in  the  order,  three  successive  days,  for  drill  and  in- 
struction, which  was  conducted  by  the  regimental  officers 
under  the  supervision  of  the  colonel.  To  be  buttoned  to  the 
chin  in  the  regulation  coat,  and  exposed  to  the  rays  of  the 
hot  summer  sun,  under  a  brimless  beaver  chapeau,  was  an 
ordeal  that  was  dreaded  by  those  who  had  to  pass  through 
it,  but  the  blasts  of  the  sun  on  the  parade  field  were  not  to 
be  compared  in  their  destructive  effects  with  the  blasts  of 
gunpowder  on  the  field  of  battle.  About  forty  years  ago  the 
state  laws  were  materially  changed,  and  all  those  old  military 
organizations  were  disbanded. 

An  era  of  improvement  seemed  to  open  upon  the  island 
about  the  year  1836,  In  the  following  year  it  was  said  that 
more  buildings  were  then  in  process  of  erection  or  had  just 
been  completed  than  at  any  previous  time  since  the  revolution. 
In  Eichmond  village  a  new  street  had  jnst  been  opened  and 
seven  new  houses  had  been  built  upon  it.  The  village  had 
grown  dormant,  but  this  dash  seemed  like  the  pushing  forth 
of  a  new  life.  Tompkinsville  was  estimated  to  have  doubled 
its  population  within  a  short  space  of  time,  a  rapid  growth  de- 
veloping toward  Stapleton.  New  Brighton  was  unusually 
full  of  life  and  bustle.  Factoryville  had  suffered  somewhat 
from  the  decreased  activity  in  its  manufactures,  yet  the 
recent  erection  of  many  new  homes  gave  it  a  cheering  glow  of 
promise.  Improvements  were  also  noticeable  at  Rossville,  the 
name  of  which  had  not  long  before  been  changed  from  the  old 
cognomen,  "  Blazing  Star." 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  265 

That  there  are  two  sides  to  every  question  of  public  policy, 
and  that  there  was  a  strong  sentiment  against  some  enterprises 
that  are  generally  welcomed,  is  seen  by  the  action  of  the  people 
of  this  county  taken  in  regard  to  the  establishment  of  a  bank, 
a  whaling  company  and  a  steam  ferry  company  in  1838.  These 
three  enterprises  were  projected  here  in  1838,and  notice  was  duly 
given  that  applications  would  be  made  to  the  legislature  for 
acts  to  incorporate  them.  A  public  meeting  was  called  at  Pac- 
toryville,  at  the  "Shakespeare  Hotel,"  January  11,  1838,  in 
which  call  the  "  citizens  of  Richmond  County,  without  dis- 
tinction of  party,  opposed  to  all  monopolies,"  were  invited  to 
join  in  opposing  the  granting  of  charters  to  the  aforesaid 
companies.  The  meeting,  which  was  said  to  be  "large  and 
respectable,"  was  presided  over  by  Hon.  Samuel  Barton, 
while  Paul  Mersereau  acted  as  secretary.  Animated  discus- 
sions followed,  and  a  number  of  resolutions  were  passed,  the 
result  of  which  was  to  decide  upon  a  remonstrance  to  the 
legislature  against  granting  charters  to  any  of  the  proposed 
incorporations.  The  sentiments  prevailing  in  these  expressions 
declared  that  "  we  view  the  application  for  a  bank  at  the  pres- 
ent as  a  most  flagrant  and  daring  insult  to  the  good  of  the 
People  *  *  *  *  and  that  we  will  use  all  honorable 
means  to  bring  into  contempt  our  present  odious  banking  sys- 
tem;" that  they  regarded  the  incorporation  of  a  steamboat  com- 
pany as  entirely  unnecessary;  and  in  general  that  all  acts  of 
special  incorporation  come  from  the  people  and  that  the  people 
have  a  just  right  to  inquire  into  the  necessity  of  such  acts, 
"  and  if  found  wanting  in  the  balance  of  justice,  to  instruct 
our  representative  to  veto  the  applications  in  the  bud,  and 
thereby  save  ourselves  a  vast  amount  of  money  which  is  ex- 
pended in  payment  of  legislatures  for  discussing  topics  which 
they  of  right  have  no  business  to  meddle  with."  In  the  re- 
monstrance the  following  passage  appears,  which  we  think 
worthy  of  notice  here: 

"  Your  petitioners  think  it  preposterous  in  any  government 
to  lend  its  aid  to  carry  into  effect  the  mad  schemes  of  specu- 
lators, to  permit  them  by  the  aid  of  their  corporate  privileges 
to  appropriate  all  the  profits  arising  therefrom  to  their 
private  use,  as  long  as  successful,  by  which  they  often  ac- 
quire princely  fortunes,  and  then  by  their  private  property 
being  exempt  from  the  payment  of    their   corporate  debts, 


266  HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

enable  them,  when  unsuccessful,  to  throw  the  burthen  of  their 
losses  on  the  community.  It  is  no  longer  a  novelty  to  see  the 
individual  stockholders  of  a  bankrupt  institution  living  in 
splendor  and  rolling  in  wealth,  while  from  the  poor  mechanic 
and  laborer  they  withhold  the  amounts  justly  due  to  them, 
and  thereby  deprive  them  of  the  means  of  supporting  their 
destitute  and  unhappy  families.  It  is  also  a  bitter  reflection 
that  such  cruelty  and  injustice  is  sanctioned  by  the  laws 
of  our  beloved  country,  from  which  there  is  no  earthly 
appeal." 

As  we  follow  the  chronological  order  of  our  history  circum- 
stances invite  our  attention  for  a  moment  to  the  remarkable 
peculiarities  of  the  season  of  1843.  The  early  part  of  the 
preceding  winter  had  been  quite  mild,  but  it  became  very 
severe  about  February,  and  so  continued  until  near  May, 
when  the  weather  became  suddenly  warm.  Extremes  of  heat 
and  cold  followed  in  frequent  alternations.  But  little  spring 
weather  was  developed.  On  the  3d  of  June  ice  formed  in  the 
Clove  road  an  eighth  of  an  inch  thick.  All  vegetation  was 
stunted.  Early  in  that  month  extreme  heat  commenced,  accom- 
panied with  drought  which  extended  into  July.  The  seventeen- 
year  locusts  appeared  early  in  June,  doing  a  great  amount  of 
mischief  to  young  trees.  They  remained  about  six  weeks.  On 
the  2d  of  July  the  thermometer  marked  94°  in  the  shade,  and 
in  the  afternoon  of  that  day  a  terrific  tornado  passed  over  the 
island,  adding  to  the  damage  of  frost,  drought  and  locusts. 
Early  in  August  a  deluge  of  rain  followed  the  drought.  Early 
in  September  a  remarkably  cold  week  necessitated  fires  to  keep 
warm  by,  and  this  was  followed  by  a  spell  of  extreme  heat. 

The  island  has  several  times  felt  the  shock  of  earthquakes. 
On  the  21st  of  February,  1845,  between  7  and  8  o'clock  in  the 
evening,  a  shock  was  felt.  Persons  seated  at  the  time  could  feel 
the  chairs  oscillating  beneath  them.  The  same  impression  was 
perceptible  in  different  parts  of  the  island.  On  the  25th  of  the 
following  October,  another  shock  was  sensibly  felt  on  the  island, 
this  one  moving  from  east  to  west.  February  4,  1846,  still 
another  similar  shock  was  felt.  The  preceding  summer  was 
one  of  great  heat  and  extreme  dryness.  On  the  8th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1848,  about  11  o'clock  at  night,  an  earthquake  was  felt 
on  the  island.  One  who  remembers  it,  thus  describes  his  im- 
pressions.   "I  was  in  bed  at  the  time,  and  in  an  imperfect  sleep 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  267 

and  was  awakened  by  it.  It  shook  the  house  and  was  accom- 
panied by  a  noise  as  of  many  carriages  passing  over  the  paved 
streets  of  a  city.  Its  course  seemed  from  southwest  to  north- 
east, and  it  continued  several  seconds.  But  perhaps  the  most 
severe  earthquake  shock  ever  felt  here  was  that  which  visited 
the  island,  in  common  with  some  other  parts  of  the  country,  on 
the  afternoon  of  Sunday,  August  10,  1884.  It  passed  at  10  min- 
utes past  2  o'clock,  and  was  preceded  by  a  deep  rumbling 
sound,  which  increased  in  volume  till  every  house  on  the  island 
trembled,  shaking  sashes,  doors  and  shutters,  throwing  dishes 
from  tables  and  shelves  and  jostling  bricks  off  the  tops  of  chim- 
nies.  Some  supposed  that  the  Standard  oil  works  on  Bergen 
point  had  exploded.  At  the  Pavilion  hotel  the  guests  were  at 
dinner.  Great  confusion  prevailed,  men  and  women  rushing 
into  the  halls  and  about  the  house,  while  some  ladies  fainted. 
More  or  less  confusion  prevailed  in  other  houses,  but  no  serious 
damage  was  done. 

We  come  now  to  notice  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  barriers 
to  the  prosperity  and  growth  of  Staten  Island  that  its  history 
can  show.  That  "barrier"  was  indeed  long  since  "burned 
away,"  We  refer  to  tlie  quarantine  hospitals,  which  were 
located  at  Tompkinsville,  and  the  removal  of  which  is  one  of 
the  most  striking  examples  of  the  determination  to  which  a 
community  may  in  very  desperation  be  driven  by  a  persistent 
course  of  oppression,  even  when  pursued  under  the  cloak  of 
state  authority. 

As  the  commerce  of  the  port  of  New  York  extended  itself) 
and  vessels  from  all  parts  of  the  world  visited  its  harbor,  and 
sometimes  brought  infectious  diseases  with  them,  it  became  an 
imperative  necessity  that  the  authorities  should  establish  a 
quarantine  for  the  protection  of  the  people  dwelling  within  its 
limits.  Accordingly,  the  colonial  legislature,  in  1758,  enacted 
a  law  creating  a  quarantine  establishment,  and  located  it  upon 
Bedloe's  island,  where  it  remained  thirty-eight  years,  and  from 
which  it  was  removed  to  Nutten,  or  Governor's  island.  In  1799, 
the  yellow  fever  was  brought  to  New  York,  and  it  was  decided 
that  the  establishment  was  altogether  too  near  the  metropolis  to 
be  of  any  service  in  protecting  the  people,  by  preventing  the 
spread  of  malignant  diseases.  Commissioners  were  then  ap- 
pointed by  aci  of  legislature  to  procure  a  site  on  Staten  Island. 
They  selected  a  parcel  of  land  containing  thirty  acres,  belong- 


268  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 


ing  to  St.  Andrew's  church,  beautifully  located  on  the  northeast 
shore  of  the  island.  Strong  opposition  was  made  not  only  by 
the  owners  of  the  land,  but  by  the  people  of  the  island  gener- 
ally, to  its  location  among  them,  but  it  was  taken,  notwith- 
standing, by  what  in  law  is  termed  "  the  right  of  eminent 
domain."  Hospitals  and  other  necessary  buildings  were  erected, 
and  during  the  first  year  of  its  existence  on  the  island,  twenty- 
five  cases  of  yellow  fever  occurred  among  the  people  residing 
outside  of  its  boundaries,  all  but  one  of  which  proved  fatal. 
Almost  every  year  thereafter  contagious  diseases,  in  some  form, 
found  victims  among  the  people.  In  1848,  the  number  of  per- 
sons sick  from  infectious  diseases  outside  of  the  quarantine 
amounted  to  one  hundred  and  eighty.  In  that  year  an  earnest 
petition  for  relief  was  presented  to  the  legislature  by  the  people 
of  the  island,  supported  by  powerful  influences  from  New  York 
and  Brooklyn,  and  a  committee  was  appointed  by  the  legisla- 
ture to  examine  into  the  matter,  and  report  at  the  following 
session.  This  committee  at  once  proceeded  to  the  performance 
of  the  duty  assigned  them,  and  in  1849  "  unhesitatingly  recom- 
mended the  immediate  removal  of  the  quarantine."  While  the 
committee  were  engaged  in  performing  their  duty,  the  yellow 
fever  again  broke  out,  and  extended  itself  to  various  other 
places.  In  April  an  act  was  passed  for  the  removal  of  the  quar- 
antine establishment  from  Staten  Island  to  Sandy  Hook.  The 
measure  had  its  opponents  among  the  shipping  merchants  and 
others  in  New  York,  who  were  not  idle  ;  the  state  of  New  Jer- 
sey also  interposed  its  objections,  and  the  jjersons  appointed  by 
the  legislature  of  New  York  to  carry  out  its  intentions,  took  no 
action  whatever,  so  that  the  removal  act  remained  a  dead  letter 
on  the  statute  books. 

The  fearful  visitation  of  yellow  fever  in  1856  once  more 
aroused  the  i)eople  of  the  island,  and  another  application  for 
relief  was  made.  In  March,  1857,  another  act  was  passed  for 
the  removal  of  the  quarantine  from  Staten  Island,  but  the  op- 
position of  the  commissioners  of  emigration,  the  board  of 
underwriters  of  New  York,  and  the  shipping  interests  of  that 
city,  again  thwarted  the  beneficent  designs  of  the  legislature. 
Tlie  precautions  adopted  by  the  local  authorities  to  protect  the 
citizens  and  their  families  from  infection,  were  opposed  by 
the  health  officer,  and  every  possible  obstacle  was  thrown  in  the 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTy.  269 

way  of  the  local  officers  to  embarrass  them  in  the  performance 
of  their  duties. 

The  largest  hospital  building  in  the  enclosure  was  three 
stories  high,  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  by  twenty-eight  feet, 
and  had  wings  thirty-seven  by  twenty-eight  feet  at  each  end. 
A  hospital  building  near  the  water  was  three  stories  high,  fifty 
by  forty-five  feet,  with  wings  at  each  end  sixty-six  by  twenty- 
six  feet.  These  two  buildings  were  designed  to  accommodate 
four  hundred  patients.  The  small-pox  hospital  was  two  stories 
high,  eighty  by  twenty-eight  feet,  with  a  piazza  running  along 
the  front  and  rear.  It  was  designed  to  accommodate  fifty 
patients.  There  were  twelve  other  buildings  on  the  grounds, 
viz.  :  health-officer's  residence,  deputy  health-officer's  residence, 
assistant  physician's  house,  steward  and  farmer's  house,  work- 
house, house  for  barge-men,  boat  house,  office,  carpenter's  shop, 
ice  and  coal  house,  wagon  house  and  barn. 

The  board  of  health  of  the  town  of  Castleton  was  organized 
August  2,  1856,  with  Kichard  Christopher  as  chairman  and  Dr. 
Isaac  Lea  as  health  officer.  Frequent  meetings  were  held,  and 
the  health  of  the  villages  of  the  town,  and  the  effect  of  the 
quarantine  upon  them  frequently  considered.  Carelessness  was 
prevalent  in  the  management  of  that  institution,  and  diseases 
were  frequently  propagated  from  the  hospitals  among  the  people 
living  in  the  town.  These  diseases  were  communicated  by  em- 
ployees of  the  quarantine  going  out  among  the  people,  and  by 
miasmatic  transmission  through  the  atmosphere.  The  history 
of  the  action  of  this  board  and  the  progress  of  the  popular 
sentiment  which  kept  pace  with  it  would  be  interesting  to  those 
who  have  time  to  read,  but  space  forbids  following  it  in  any 
detail  during  the  three  years  of  its  growth  up  to  the  culminat- 
ing point.  Dr.  E.  C.  Mundy  was  appointed  health  officer  dur- 
ing this  time,  and  at  times  a  guard  was  employed  to  keep  sur- 
veilance  over  the  enclosure,  to  prevent  as  far  as  possible  the 
commerce  of  its  employees  with  the  people  outside. 

At  a  meeting  July  15, 1858,  health  officer  Doctor  Mundy  stated 
that  a  persistent  determination  was  manifest  to  thwart  the  ac- 
tion of  the  board  by  misrepresentation  and  ridicule.  In  order 
to  counteract  in  some  measure  the  influence  of  such  efforts  he 
made  a  statement  as  follows  : 

"  We  have  located  in  our  midst  a  lazaretto,  whence  emanates 
those  noxious  effliivia  which  produce  disease  and  death.     This 


270  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

monstrous  nuisance,  it  seems,  from  tlie  result  of  the  efforts 
made  for  the  accomplishment  of  its  removal  by  the  people  of 
the  county  for  several  years  past,  we  are  doomed  still  to  bear 
with  and  submit  to,  and  hence  it  becomes  necessary  to  adopt 
such  measures  as  the  law  authorizes  to  mitigate  as  far  as  pos- 
sible the  evils  of  its  presence  and  protect  our  citizens  from  the 
influence  of  its  deadly  miasmata.  For  this  purpose  and  no 
other,  the  Board  of  Health  was  organized,  and  at  its  last  meet- 
ing adopted  rules  and  regulations  by  which  all  persons  engaged 
off  shore  or  on  board  of  any  infected  or  quarantined  vessels,  and 
all  passengers  and  luggage  landed  from  such  vessel  shall  be 
prohibited  from  comingoutside  of  the  quarantine  enclosure  and 
from  going  to  the  City  of  New  York  upon  any  of  the  boats  of 
the  Staten  Island  Ferry  Company." 

Though  the  approval  of  the  quarantine  health  ofiicer,  Doctor 
Thompson,  seems  to  have  been  secured,  harmony  did  not  exist 
with  the  commissioners  of  health  of  ISTew  York  city.  Notwith- 
standing all  efforts  of  the  health  officers  he  reports  July  23 — 
"  Stevedores  and  lightermen,  passengers  and  luggage  from  in- 
fected vessels,  continue  as  previously  to  pass  from  the  quarantine 
enclosure  to  other  parts  of  the  town  and  on  board  our  public  ferry 
boats."  The  spirit  of  discord  between  the  quarantine  authorities 
and  the  local  board  of  health  increased  until  Doctor  Mundy 
decljaredhis  conclusion  "  that  the  health  authorities  of  the  port 
of  New  York  look  upon  the  health  and  lives  of  the  people  of 
Richmond  county  as  matters  of  secondary  importance,  and 
hardly  worthy  their  consideration."  Several  cases  of  yellow 
fever  occurred,  all  of  which  were  directly  traceable  to  viola- 
tions of  the  board  of  health  rules.  It  was  also  evident  that 
great  laxity  existed  in  the  administration  of  quarantine  rules, 
men  being  allowed  to  pass  to  and  from  infected  vessels  where- 
ever  they  pleased. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  board  August  19th  it  was  reported  that 
seventeen  cases  of  yeUow  fever  had  occurred  outside  of  the 
quarantine  walls.  A  district  at  Tompkinsville  was  then  infected 
with  yellow  fever.  Power  was  given  to  Doctor  Mundy,  as  health 
officer  of  the  board,  to  make  and  attend  to  the  enforcement  of 
such  rules  and  regulations  as  he  thought  proper,  and  the  pen- 
alty affixed  for  the  violation  of  such  rules  in  the  name  of  the 
board  was  limited  at  one  thousand  dollars  fine  or  two  years  im- 
prisonment.    August  27th  the  board  met  again.     The  infection 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  271 

of  yellow  i'ever  which  was  spreading  into  the  town,  was  clearly- 
caused  by  the  presence  of  a  fleet  of  infected  vessels  lying  at 
quarantine.  Doctor  Mundy  in  his  report  at  that  meeting  said  : 
"But  over  this  source  of  evil  I  am  aware  that  your  honorable 
Board  has  no  control,  and  therefore  I  have  no  suggestions  to 
make  in  relation  to  it."  Subsequent  events,  however,  showed 
that  suggestions  were  alive  from  another  source,  of  which  we 
have  no  written  record  to  tell  us  of  their  growth.  The  same  re- 
port gives  another  cause  of  the  transmission  of  disease  by  in- 
fected articles  being  conveyed  to  the  home  of  one  of  the  em- 
ployees whose  duty  it  was  to  burn  them.  He  did  not  do  so, 
but  carried  the  clothing  to  his  residence  and  there  washed  it. 
The  whole  district  lying  in  the  triangle  surrounded  by  the  bay, 
the  hospital  buildings  and  Grriffin  s,treet  was  infected.  The 
doctor  recommended  prompt,  decisive  action  to  prevent  a  re- 
currence of  the  offense. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  board  on  the  1st  of  September  the  follow- 
ing resolutions  were  unanimously  passed,  and  ordered  to .  be 
published : 

'•'■Resolved,  that  the  whole  Quarantine  Establishment,  located 
as  it  is,  in  the  midst  of  a  dense  population,  has  become  a  pest 
and  a  nuisance  of  the  most  odious  character,  bringing  death 
and  desolation  to  the  very  doors  of  the  people  of  the  Towns  of 
Castleton  and  Southfield. 

'■'■  Resolved,  that  it  is- a  nuisance  too  intolerable  to  be  borne 
by  the  citizens  of  these  towns  any  longer. 

'■'■Resolved,  that  this  Board  recommend  the  citizens  of  this 
Town  and  County  to  protect  themselves  by  abating  this  abom- 
inable nuisance  without  delay." 

•  On  the  night  of  that  and  the  following  day,  September  1  and 
2,  1858,  about  thirty  men  entered  the  quarantine  enclosure, 
and  after  removing  the  patients  from  the  several  hospitals,  set 
fire  to  and  burned  down  every  building  connected  with  the 
establishment.  That  some  excesses  should  be  committed  by  an 
exasperated  populace,  was  to  be  expected.  There  was  so  much 
system,  however,  in  their  mode  of  operation,  that  it  was  evi- 
dent everything  had  been  previously  arranged,  and  that  the 
people  were  carrying  out  instructions  previously  received. 
During  the  continuance  of  this  intense  excitement,  it  was  re- 
markable that  not  a  single  life  was  sacrificed,  nor  was  any  one 
seriously  injured. 


272  HISTORY  OF  EIOHMOlSrD  COUNTY. 

These  summary  proceedings  of  the  people  of  Staten  Island 
produced  great  excitement,  not  only  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
but  throughout  the  state,  and  indeed  throughout  the  country. 
The  people  engaged  in  them  were  termed  in  the  public  prints 
barbarians,  savages,  incarnate  fiends,  sepoys,  and  in  fact  no 
epithets  were  considered  too  vile  to  be  applied  to  them.  But 
they  were  all  borne  with  equanimity,  sustained  by  the  con- 
sciousness that  sooner  or  later  there  would  be  a  revolution  in 
public  opinion.  After  all  the  mischief  had  been  done,  the  gov- 
ernor of  the  state  declared  the  island  to  be  in  a  state  of  revolt, 
and  sent  over  several  regiments  of  militia,  who  were  for  some 
time  encamped  upon  the  grounds  immediately  north  of  the 
quarantine. 

A  matter  of  a  character  so  serious,  could  not,  of  course,  be 
passed  over  in  silence.  Legal  proceedings  were  at  once  insti- 
txited,  and  Messrs.  John  C.  Thompson  and  Kay  Tompkins,  who 
were  regarded  as  the  instigators  and  ringleaders  of  the  incend- 
iaries, were  arrested  on  a  charge  of  arson,  and  arraigned  before 
the  county  judge,  Hon.  H.  B.  Metcalfe,  for  examination.  His 
opinion,  which  was  extensively  copied  and  read,  had  great  in- 
fluence in  changing  public  opinion.  His  closing  remarks  merit 
repetition  and  preservation. 

"  Undoubtedly  the  city  of  New  York  is  entitled  to  all  the 
protection  in  the  matter  that  the  State  can  give,  consistently 
with  the  health  of  others  ;  she  has  no  right  to  more.  Her  great 
advantages  are  attended  by  correspondent  inconveniences ; 
her  great  public  works,  by  great  expenditures  ;  her  great  for- 
eign commerce,  by  the  infection  it  brings.  But  the  legislature 
can  no  more  apportion  upon  the  surrounding  communities  her 
dangers,  than  her  expenses ;  no  more  compel  them  to  do  her 
dying,  than  to  pay  her  taxes  ;  neither  can  be  done." 

Thus  ended  the  charges  brought  against  the  prisoners  ;  no 
person  was  punished  for  any  complicity  in  the  matter,  but  the 
county,  very  unjustly  in  the  opinion  of  many,  was  compelled 
to  pay  for  the  value  of  the  property  destroyed,  both  public  and 
private  ;  nevertheless,  the  people  consoled  themselves  with  the 
reflection,  that  even  at  that  price,  they  had  cheaply,  as  well  as 
effectually,  rid  themselves  of  a  grievous  nuisance,  which  had 
not  only  depreciated  the  value  of  their  property,  and  exposed 
themselves  and  their  families  to  contagion  in  its  worst  forms 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  273 

but  had  actually  been  the  direct  cause  of  the  death  of  hundreds 
of  their  relatives  and  neighbors. 

The  board  of  health  employed  a  force  of  special  police,  twen- 
ty-five by  day  and  an  equal  number  by  night,  to  keep  a  con- 
stant guard  around  the  quarantine  enclosure,  to  allow  no  com- 
munication between  it  and  the  town.  The  infected  district  at 
Tompkinsville  was  more  effectually  quarantined,  and  the  health 
officer  was  instructed  to  prevent  all  intercourse  with  the  dis- 
trict, even  by  fencing  it  in  if  he  should  deem  it  necessary. 
Meetings  of  the  board  were  held  daily,  and  all  physicians  were 
required  to  report  daily  all  cases  of  infectious  diseases.  On  the 
14th  of  September  the  board  passed  unanimous  resolutions  that 
immediate  steps  be  taken  to  prevent  the  re-establishment  of  the 
quarantine  buildings,  and  appointed  a  committee  to  legally  re- 
strain the  board  of  health  of  the  city  of  New  York  and  the 
health  commissioners  and  commissioners  of  emigration  "from 
re-erecting  the  said  hospitals,  buildings  and  shanties— or  in  do- 
ing any  act  by  which  the  said  nuisance  may  be  re-established, 
continued  or  maintained  in  the  Town  of  Castleton." 

The  quarantine  establishment  was  never  rebuilt  here.  A 
floating  hospital  was  arranged  and  anchored  in  the  Lower  bay 
in  1860,  and  later  hospitals  were  erected  on  two  small  islands  in 
the  Lower  bay  nearly  opposite  'New  Dorp,  but  far  enough  from 
the  island  shore  to  give  freedom  from  any  apprehensions  of  in- 
fectious communications. 

Under  an  act  of  April  16,  1860,  a  commission  was  authorized 
to  investigate  the  damage  sustained  by  the  state  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  old  quarantine  hospitals.  The  commission  met  in 
June,  and  after  an  extended  inquiry,  made  their  award,  fixing 
the  whole  amount  at  $121,598.39.  The  supervisors  of  Richmond 
county  in  December  accepted  the  award,  and  soon  after  issued 
bonds  of  the  county  to  meet  the  same.  These  were  given  to  the 
commissioners  of  emigration,  who  sold  them  as  occasion  re- 
quired and  appropriated  the  proceeds  to  the  expenses  of  their 
work.  By  an  act  of  the  legislature,  passed  in  1870,  the  bonds 
then  remaining,  to  the  amount  of  $10,725,  were  ordered  to  be 
surrendered  and  cancelled  by  the  comptroller. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  year  1861  clouds  of  discord  and  po- 
litical strife  began  to  darken  the  sky  and  obscure  the  prospects 
of  the  island  in  common  with  other  parts  of  the  land.  Fanat- 
icism and  hot  headed  indiscretion  had  accomplished  their  work 

18 


274  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTy. 

and  the  direful  results  were  then  hidden  behind  the  veil  which 
was  about  to  remove  and  disclose  the  horrors  of  four  years  of 
civil  war.  As  the  opening  events  developed,  the  people  in  some 
measure  were  able  to  lay  aside  party  spirit  and  join  with  some 
show  of  unanimity  in  the  work  of  sustaining  the  government  in 
its  efforts  to  contend  with  a  gigantic  rebellion.  In  accordance 
with  the  recommendation  of  the  president,  Wednesday,  Jan, 
uary  4th  was  observed  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer,  that  the 
threatened  war  clouds  might  pass  away. 

One  of  the  first  acts  of  hostility  in  which  Staten  Island  was 
directly  concerned  was  the  seizure  early  in  that  month,  of  the 
schooner  "  S.  W.  Lutrell"  of  Staten  Island,  at  Norfolk,  Va., 
for  violation  of  the  inspection  laws  of  that  state  for  preventing 
the  escape  of  fugitives  and  slaves. 

A  large  and  enthusiastic  Union  meeting  said  at  the  time  to 
be  the  largest  mass  meeting  that  had  ever  convened  on  the  is- 
land, was  held  at  Tottenville  on  Saturday  the  26th  of  January. 
A  banner  was  raised,  bearing  upon  it  the  motto,  "  The  Consti- 
tution and  the  Union,"  and  the  most  enthusiastic  expres- 
sions of  loyalty  and  devotion  to  the  country  of  our 
fathers  were  indulged  in.  Guns  were  fired  for  the  states  of  the 
Union,  for  General  Scott  and  for  Major  Anderson,  and  resolu- 
tions were  adopted,  among  which  was  the  following  : 

"  Resolved,  That  the  peace  and  happiness  of  this  country 
depend  not  on  mere  amendments  to  the  Constitution,  nor  con- 
cession to  the  slave  power,  but  upon  a  strict  adherence  to  the 
Constitution,  and  a  wise,  firm  and  determined  execution  of  the 
federal  law." 

In  April  preparations  were  made  to  meet  the  expected  call 
for  troops  to  defend  the  nation.  The  island  began  thus  early 
to  assume  a  martial  appearance.  Uniformed  men  might  be  seen 
hurrying  to  and  fro,  and  recruits  from  almost  every  household 
were  answering  to  the  call,  and  making  ready  to  go  into  camp. 
On  the  20th  of  the  month  a  number  of  young  men  who  had 
joined  the  Seventy-first  N.  Y.,  embarked  with  the  regiment  on 
board  the  steamer  "  R.  R.  Cuyler."  Others  enlisted  in  the 
Seventy-third  and  other  regiments.  The  flames  of  patriotism 
burned  high,  and  party  feeling  was  forgotton  in  the  desire  to 
maintain  the  integrity  of  the  nation.  An  editorial  in  a  local 
paper  said— "We  know  that  the  soldiers  of  Staten  Island  go 
with  no  vindictive  feelings  towards  the  South  to  gratify.    They 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  275 

go  with  the  sword  in  one  hand,  and  the  olive  branch  in  the 
other  ;  and  the  secession  traitors  South,  as  well  as  the  abolition 
traitors  North,  are  the  objects  of  their  special  abhorrence." 

The  community  now  began  to  be  greatly  agitated  in  regard  to 
the  war  in  prospect.  Handbills  were  posted  throughout  the 
county  calling  for  recruits  in  the  Scott  Life  Guard  in  New 
York  ;  sign  boards,  bearing  the  words  "  Death  to  all  Traitors," 
were  nailed  up  on  trees  along  the  shore  roads  ;  in  one  instance 
an  effigy,  with  protruding  tongue,  was  hung  by  the  neck  from  a 
stake  in  the  center  of  a  mill  pond,  while  on  his  breast  the  figure 
bore  a  placard,  on  which  were  the  words  "The  Traitor's  Doom;" 
a  secret  combination  was  said  to  have  been  formed  on  the  island, 
whose  members  assumed  the  duty  of  learning  who  were  pos- 
sessed of  traitorous  sympathies  and  inclinations,  and  warning 
them  against  manifesting  those  sympathies  too  freely;  recruit- 
ing officers  frequently  visited  the  island  from  the  city  and  drew 
away  large  numbers  of  the  young  men ;  flags  were  raised  on 
vessels  in  the  i-iver  and  bay,  on  house  tops  and  public  build- 
ings, on  horses  and  vehicles  in  the  street,  and  were  even  worn 
upon  the  persons  of  ladies  and  gentlemen,  some,  however,  sub- 
stituting rosettes  instead  of  flags.  Daring  the  month  the  Sev- 
enty third  was  engaged  in  recruiting  its  ranks,  and  tendered 
their  services  to  the  governor.  The  regiment  was  under  com- 
mand of  Colonel  Ray  Tompkins.  At  the  close  of  the  month  it 
was  under  marching  orders.  The  Middletown  guard,  an  inde- 
pendent organization  commanded  by  Captain  Stahl,  also  pre- 
pared to  take  an  active  part  in  the  war.  The  ministers  in  the 
different  parts  of  the  island  made  reference  on  Sunday  to  the 
national  troubles.  The  arrival  of  Major  Anderson  and  his  com- 
mand in  New  York,  after  the  evacuation  of  Fort  Sumter,  set 
free  a  blaze  which  swept  over  the  whole  northern  states;  and 
Staten  Island,  so  closely  connected  with  New  York,  could  not 
but  feel  a  double  portion  of  the  patriotic  enthusiasm  that 
glowed  already  with  such  a  fervid  heat.  A  mass  meeting  of 
the  citizens  of  the  county  was  called  at  the  old  quarantine 
grounds  in  Tompkinsville,  on  Saturday  the  27th,  "to  take 
measures  for  the  prompt  action  of  Richmond  County  at  this 
crisis."  This  meeting,  though  not  large,  was  enthusiastic.  It 
was  addressed  by  Mr.  Clark  and  Henry  J.  Raymond.  The  vig- 
orous prosecution  of  the  war  was  urged,  and  the  following  reso- 
lutions offered  by  Mr.  Gr.  W.  Curtis  were  adopted  : 


276  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY, 

"  Whereas,  The  people  of  the  United  States  within  the 
Union,  and  under  their  own  Government,  have  for  three- 
quarters  of  a  century  enjoyed  an  unparalleled  prosperity  and 
progress,  for  the  continuance  of  which  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  is  the  perpetual  guarantee  ;  and, 

"  Whereas,  That  Constitution  provides  for  a  constant  refer- 
ence of  every  disputed  political  policy  to  the  peaceful  decision 
of  the  people  at  the  polls,  and  of  every  question  arising  under 
the  Constitution  and  laws  to  the  judgment  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  United  States,  thereby  removing  all  conceivable 
occasion  for  forcible  resistance  to  the  laws  ;  and, 

"  Whereas,  An  armed  rebellion  now  threatens  the  very  ex- 
istence of  that  Government,  seizing  the  forts,  arsenals,  navy- 
yards,  vessels  and  hospitals  which  belong  to  the  people  of  the 
United  States,  and  consummating  its  crime  by  firing  upon  the 
flag  of  the  nation,  the  glorious  symbol  of  our  unity,  our  liberty, 
and  our  general  welfare. 

"  Resolved,  That  it  was  the  duty  of  all  persons  in  the  country, 
who  felt  themselves  aggrieved,  to  resort  to  the  peaceful  and 
legal  means  of  redress  provided  by  the  Constitution  ;  and  that 
when,  instead  of  so  doing,  they  took  up  arms  and  organized 
resistance  to  the  Government  of  the  country,  they  struck  at  the 
very  heart  of  organized  civil  society. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  Government  of  the  United  States  has 
properly  sought,  by  every  kind  of  forbearance,  to  avoid  the 
sad  necessity  of  asserting  its  authority  by  force  of  arms,  but 
that  it  is  at  length  manifest  to  the  whole  world  that  it  must  now 
subdue  or  be  subdued. 

"  Resolved,  That  in  forcibly  maintaining  that  authority  every- 
where within  its  dominions,  and  at  every  cost,  the  Government 
wages  no  war  of  invasion  or  conquest,  but  simply  does  its  duty, 
expecting  every  citizen  to  do  the  same,  and  to  take  care  that 
the  doom  of  the  rebels  and  traitors  who  would  ruin  the  most 
beneficent  Government  in  the  world,  and  so  destroy  the  hope 
of  free  popular  institutions  forever,  shall  be  swift,  sudden  and 
overwhelming. 

"  Resolved,  That  when  the  supreme  authority  of  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  people  of  the  United  States  shall  have  been  complete- 
ly reestablished,  we,  with  all  other  good  citizens,  will  cheerfully 
cooperate  in  any  measures  that  may  be  taken  in  accordance 
■with  the  Constitution,  fully  to  consider  and  lawfully  to  redress 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  277 

all  grievances  that  may  anywhere  be  shown  to  exist,  yielding 
ourselves,  and  expecting  all  others  to  yield  to  the  will  of  the 
whole  people,  constitutionally  expressed. 

'^'^  Resolved,  That  we,  loyal  citizens  of  Richmond  County 
hereby,  before  God  and  man,  take  the  oath  of  fidelity  to  the 
sacred  flag  of  our  country,  and  to  the  cause  of  popular  liberty 
and  Constitutional  Grovernment  which  that  represents,  pledging 
ourselves  to  each  other,  that  by  the  love  we  bear  our  native 
land,  and  our  unfaltering  faith  in  the  principles  of  our  Govern- 
ment, we  will  transmit  to  our  children,  unimpaired,  the  great 
heritage  of  blessings  we  have  received  from  our  fathers. 

"  Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three  from  each  town  in  the 
County  be  appointed  by  the  Chair,  to  solicit  subscriptions  for 
the  benefit  of  the  families  of  residents  of  the  County,  who  may 
be  absent  upon  actual  service,  and  for  the  equipment  of  volun- 
teers; and  that  this  fund  shall  be  distributed  by  a  Committee 
consisting  of  the  Supervisors  of  the  County. 

' '  Resolved,  That  it  be  recommended  to  the  citizens  to  form 
companies  in  their  various  neighborhoods,  to  elect  their  own 
officers,  to  drill  regularly,  and  to  hold  themselves  ready  to  an- 
swer the  call  of  their  country. 

"  Resolved,  That  knowing  the  readiness  of  the  women  of  this 
country  to  take  their  part  in  the  holy  struggle,  we  invite  them, 
by  the  immediate  formation  of  local  societies  of  relief,  to  pre- 
pare bandages  and  lint  for  husbands,  sons,  brothers  and  lovers, 
that  all  hands  may  work,  as  all  hearts  are  beating,  for  God  and 
and  our  native  land." 

Several  regiments  of  soldiers,  among  whom  were  Wilson's 
Zouaves,  were  encamped  in  the  quarantine  enclosure  at  that 
time.  They  were  marched  out  and  drawn  up  in  line  at  this 
meeting  and  much  of  the  speaking  was  addressed  to  them. 
To  the  question  put  to  them,  "Are  you  ready  to  march  through 
Baltimore?"  they  gave  a  hearty  response  expressive  of  their 
determination  and  earnest  readiness  to  face  the  conflict  which 
was  before  them. 

An  unpleasant  feature  of  the  presence  of  these  troops  tempo- 
rarily stationed  here  soon  began  to  manifest  itself.  These  re- 
cruits, fresh  from  the  low  haunts  of  New  York  city  and  unused 
to  the  restraints  of  military  discipline,  were  not  held  by  the 
orders,  however  strict,  forbidding  them  to  leave  the  enclosure 
of  the  quarantine  grounds.     They  frequently  scaled  the  walls 


278  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

and  in  parties,  sometimes  as  many  as  thirty,  roamed  along  the 
shores  and  over  the  country,  visiting  the  houses  and  annoying 
the  inhabitants.  Many  petty  depredations  and  thefts  were  com- 
mitted by  them.  A  few  were  arrested  and  taken  back  to  the 
encampment. 

The  island  now  became  a  rendezvous  for  many  regiments  and 
parts  of  regiments  while  waiting  to  fill  their  ranks  with  recruits 
or  for  orders  to  move  forward  toward  the  seat  of  war. 

The  ladies  also,  acting  on  the  suggestions  contained  in  the 
resolutions  alreadj^  quoted,  formed  associations  in  the  different 
villages  of  the  county,  and  while  the  sterner  sex  were  drilling 
and  equipping  for  the  hard  experiences  of  the  battle-field  they 
were  preparing  lint  and  bandages  and  other  conveniences  and 
comforts  for  the  disabled,  the  sick  and  the  dying. 

The  supervisors,  in  response  to  the  people's  resolutions,  met 
at  Tompkinsville  on  April  27th  and  appointed  W.  S.  Pendleton 
as  treasurer  to  hold  the  fund  that  might  be  raised  for  the 
equipment  of  volunteers  and  the  support  of  their  families 
during  their  absence.  They  also  authorized  him  to  dispense 
the  fund,  with  the  concurrence  of  one  or  more  supervisors. 

A  number  of  young  men,  constituting  an  organization  known 
as  the  "Young  American  Gruards,"  began  drilling  at  the  Conti- 
nental hotel  at  Port  Kichniond,  under  the  direction  of  Abraham 
C.  Wood. 

When  the  first  recruits  were  equipping  themselves  for  the 
war,  great  difficulty  was  experienced  in  finding  a  sufficient 
supply  of  uniforms  and  equipments.  The  market  in  such 
things  was  soon  run  dry,  and  men  who  were  anxious  to  be  oflE 
for  the  seat  of  war  were  delayed  until  the  necessary  equip- 
ments could  be  obtained  or  manufactured. 

After  the  first  installment  of  Staten  Island  boys  had  gone 
out  in  the  Seventy-first  and  other  regiments,  their  friends 
looked  anxiously  for  tidings  from  them.  And  as  their  ac- 
quaintances and  even  strangers  on  the  island  were  desirous  of 
hearing  from  them,  their  letters  were  often  published  in  the 
local  papers  and  were  read  with  great  interest. 

During  the  following  summer  the  popular  feeling  must  have 
been  agitated  to  a  fever  heat.  Besides  the  commotion  caused 
by  the  exciting  news  from  the  war,  and  the  presence  of  large 
numbers  of  soldiers  in  the  midst,  and  the  recruiting,  flag-rais- 
ing, speech-making  and  other  work  for  the  cause  of  the  nation, 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  279 

ttere  were  other  causes  generating  agitations  that  helped  still 
further  to  inflame  the  public  mind.  In  partisan  politics  the 
outbreak  of  the  war  and  other  influences  had  greatly  disturbed 
the  lines  of  the  old  political  parties,  and  a  new  organ- 
ization called  the  Citizen's  Union  party,  which  was  favorable 
to  sustaining  the  Union  arms  and  reforming  some  local  abuses, 
was  growing  up  amid  a  vast  amount  of  partisan  friction.  The 
unsettled  condition  of  the  quarantine  management  also  was  a 
cause  of  frequent  alarm  for  fear  that  the  occupation  of  the  old 
grounds  might  be  renewed,  or  the  floating  hospitals  in  the  bay 
might  be  drifted  near  enough  to  bring  infectious  diseases  to 
the  island.  The  frequent  disturbances  created  by  drunken 
soldiers  and  the  consequent  insults  and  annoyances  that  the 
people  suffered  from  them,  together  with  the  discord  generated 
by  the  efforts  that  were  made  to  suppress  liquor  selling  to  the 
soldiers,  and  the  resistance  of  a  numerous  and  determined  band 
of  liquor  dealers  who  were  tempted  by  the  unusual  profits  to 
continue  in  the  business,  all  conspired  to  add  more  fuel  to  the 
flames  of  popular  passion. 

The  petty  depredations  frequently  committed  by  soldiers  en- 
camped here,  and  the  fear  of  still  greater  insecurity  from  that 
source  led  to  the  organization  of  a  "Home  Guard,"  and  a 
vol  unteer  police  force,  to  be  called  out  by  the  supervisors  in 
case  of  any  general  disturbance  that  might  be  caused  by  the 
lawlessness  of  men  from  the  encampments.  Reasonable  means 
were  taken  by  the  authorities  of  the  camps  to  prevent  the  men 
going  out  to  obtain  liquor  or  to  prey  upon  the  peace  of  the 
community. 

At  the  circuit  court  held  in  November,  1861,  the  grand  jury 
delivered  to  the  court  the  following  presentment,  which  is  sug- 
gestive. 

"  The  Grand  Jury  of  the  County  of  Richmond,  upon  the  ter- 
mination of  their  duties,  respectfully  present,  that  they  are 
gratified  that  no  serious  violations  of  law  have  demanded  their 
investigation  during  the  present  session  of  this  court,  and  re- 
gard that  as  a  gratifying  evidence  of  the  peaceable  and  law- 
abiding  character  of  the  citizens  of  this  County.  Such  cases, 
however,  as  have  fallen  under  their  notice  disclose  the  fact  that 
many  violations  of  public  order  may  be  traced  to  the  indulgence 
and  use  of  intoxicating  liquors,  and  they  would  recommend 
that  the  Commissioners  of  Excise  should  stringently,  and  with 


280  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

energy,  prosecute  all  persons  who  are  engaged  in  the  sale  of 
strong  and  spirituous  liquors  without  license,  and  collect  the 
penalties  prescribed  for  such  violations  of  the  law.  In  this  con- 
nection, the  Grand  Jury  would  intimate  that  inasmuch  as  those 
penalties  are  directed  by  the  statute  to  be  appropriated  when 
collected  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor  of  the  County,  that  no  com- 
promise of  any  suits  instituted  for  their  recovery  can  be  legally 
authorized." 

Some  idea  of  the  extent  to  which  the  people  responded  to 
the  calls  of  the  nation  may  be  gained  from  the  fact  that  up  to 
the  end  of  November,  1861,  in  the  town  of  Castleton,  there  had 
been  subscribed  three  thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
for  the  families  of  volunteers.  There  had  volunteered  from 
this  town  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  men,  leaving  sixty- 
four  dependent  families  to  be  cared  for. 

At  a  meeting  held  at  the  court  house  on  the  evening  of  No- 
vember 13th,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  obtain  blankets,  mit- 
tens, stockings,  and  other  useful  articles  for  the  soldiers  in  the 
field.  Other  meetings  were  held  in  other  villages  to  further  the 
same  object,  which  was  the  work  of  the  sanitary  commission. 
All  through  the  years  of  the  war  the  ladies  were  not  lacking  in 
their  readiness  to  engage  in  labors  of  love  and  mercy  in  doing 
what  they  could  for  the  comfort  of  those  on  the  field  of  battle 
and  in  hospitals. 

After  the  first  recruits  who  went  out  in  the  spring  of  1861  had 
served  their  three  months  in  the  war,  the  work  of  recruiting  for 
the  war  settled  down  to  actual  business.  Meetings  were  now 
held  at  different  places  to  arouse  the  enthusiasm  and  patriotic 
devotion  of  the  strong-armed  men  of  the  county  to  go  forth  to 
fight  the  battles  of  their  country.  At  a  meeting  held  in  Demp- 
sey's  hall,  Factory ville,  September  2,  1861,  for  the  purpose  of 
organizing  a  company  of  young  men  of  the  island,  James  Bo- 
dine  made  a  patriotic  address,  and  at  its  close  about  fifty  young 
men  signed  the  roll.  A  station  was  opened  during  that  month, 
in  a  large  carpenter's  shop  that  had  been  previously  owned  by 
James  G.  Burger.  Unusual  inducements  were  offered  to  re- 
cruits to  join  a  company  which  was  to  be  transferred  to  Colonel 
Tompkins'  regiment  (Second  New  York  state  militia)  already  at 
the  seat  of  war.  Forty-two  of  these  recraits,  belonging  to  Com- 
pany A,  left  Port  Richmond  on  the  23d  to  join  the  regiment  at 
Poolsville,  Md.    Recruiting  was  now  said  to  be  more  lively  than 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  281 

it  had  been  before.  The  following  are  the  names  of  those  of 
this  company  who  were  from  the  island  :  Peter  Pero  (corpo- 
ral), Lewis  D.  Johnson  (corporal),  John  E.  Johnson,  Joseph  B. 
Johnson,  John  J.  Simonson,  James  H.  Munson,  Daniel  Mallett, 
Eugene  Daily,  Henry  D.  Spong  (corporal),  Alexander  Pitz  Sim- 
mons, Edward  M.  Sharrott,  Jeremiah  Leary,  Charles  Steers, 
Thomas  J.  Gushing,  George  P.  Burbank,  James  H.  Simonson, 
Jacob  T.  Selzer,  Cornelius  Degraff,  William  D.  Maskell,  Charles 
H.  King,  William  Eccles,  Joseph  K.  Plant,  Henry  Sharp,  Jos- 
eph B.  Barnes,  Joseph  L.  Thompson,  James  Post,  Isaac  Lock- 
man,  C.  P.  B.  Slaight,  Jr.^^enry-^fercereaij,  Cornelius  Mar- 
tineau,  Jacob  Lockman^(^_Jataes  B.  Burban^,  Simon  V.  N. 
Decker,  Albert  Mason,  Matthius  B.  Stew&rt^  James  B.  Halli- 
day,  Albion  Noble,  John  Keynolds,  Abraham  Turner,  Francis 
M.  Tarsney,  William  H.  Fullagar,  Arthur  Haughian,  George 
Conner,  Thomas  Conner,  Joseph  Simonson,  Henry  T.  Paulson, 
Henry  Decker,  Samuel  Warrender,  John  W.  Tynan,  James 
Simonson,  Thomas  Flanelly,  Frigero  Gassq,  John  R.  Green. 

The  Seventy-third,  under  Colonel  Tompkins,  composed  of  the 
citizen  soldiers  of  Staten  Island,  was  by  a  resolution  of  its  of- 
ficers at  a  meeting  held  at  Tompkins'  Lyceum,  June  9th,  1862, 
offered  to  the  government  for  three  years  or  the  war.  It  was 
expected  that  it  would  be  attached  to  Spinola's  brigade. 

In  accordance  with  the  direction  of  the  governor,  the  super- 
visors, in  July,  appointed  men  to  meet  with  others  to  form  a 
committee  for  this  senatorial  district  to  superintend  the  raising 
of  troops  for  the  army.  The  men  appointed  from  Richmond 
county  were  Col.  Nathan  Barrett,  Richard  Christopher,  William 
H.  Vanderbilt,  J.  Bechtel,  William  Corry,  Henry  L.  Norris  and 
Edward  Banker. 

During  July  a  number  of  Staten  Island  men  enlisted  in  the 
Seventy-ninth  (Highlanders),  which  was  already  in  the  field. 
The  raising  of  recruits,  however,  proceeded  slowly,  and  the 
authorities  seemed  backward  about  taking  earnest  hold  of  the 
matter  of  raising  troops.  It  seemed  necessary  that  some  means 
should  be  taken  to  arouse  the  public  mind  to  the  importance 
of  action.  Accordingly,  one  of  the  largest  and  most  enthusi- 
astic war  meetings  ever  gathered  in  the  county  was  held 
at  Port  Richmond  on  the  evening  of  August  11th.  Its  object 
was  to  encourage  enlistments  to  fill  the  calls  for  six  hundred 
thousand  men  which  had  recently  been  made  by  the  president. 


282  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY, 

The  quota  of  Richmond  county  under  these  calls  amounted  to 
seven  hundred  and  eighty-four  men.  The  meeting  assembled 
at  the  steamboat  wharf,  near  Oriental  hall,  where  more .  than 
fifteen  hundred  people  were  present. 

Resolutions  were  passed,  heartily  approving  of  the  call  for 
troops,  declaring  it  to  be  the  imperative  duty  of  men  enjoying 
the  protection  and  benefits  of  the  government  to  do  all  in  their 
power  to  sustain  it  ;  declaring  for  the  perfect  union  of  the  states 
and  the  maintenance  of  the  authority  of  the  government  at 
whatever  cost ;  calling  for  immediate,  prompt,  constant  and 
energetic  action  until  the  cause  for  such  action  should  cease  ; 
branding  as  enemies  all  who  should  refuse  to  speak  or  act  when 
occasion  required  for  the  preservation  of  the  country,  and  fi- 
nally that  "we  have  come  here  to-night  to  act,  and  that  we  will, 
without  delay,  contribute  liberally  of  our  means  to  forward  en- 
listments and  carry  out  the  great  measures  now  being  instituted 
for  the  earnest  and  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war,  well  as- 
sured that  the  greater  the  sacrifices  we  now  make  the  more 
speedily  we  shall  see  our  country  rejoicing  in  the  blessings  of 
peace,  and  the  whole  constellation  of  stars  in  our  political 
heaven  restored  to  their  accustomed  brilliancy  and  beauty,  never 
again  to  be  dimmed  nor  obscured." 

Hon.  Erastus  Brooks  then  made  an  eloquent  and  stirring  ad- 
dress, during  the  delivery  of  which  he  was  frequently  inter 
rupted  by  applause.  A  bounty  of  fifty  dollars  each  was  offered 
to  volunteers,  and  the  chairman  was  appointed  to  receive  sub- 
scriptions to  a  fund  for  that  purpose.  The  list  was  headed  by 
a  subscription  of  five  hundred  dollars,  and  several  others  of  one 
hundred  dollars  each,  and  enlistments  and  subscriptions  flowed 
in.  Other  meetings  were  held  in  other  parts  of  the  county  and 
efforts  made  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  hour,  but  the  results 
were  not  sufficiently  rapid  to  prevent  apprehensions  that  a  draft 
might  be  resorted  to. 

The  possibilities  of  a  draft  in  the  future  developed  a  peculiar 
feature  in  the  eagerness  with  which  some  endeavored  to  evade 
those  possibilities.  Like  the  invited  guests  of  a  certain  great 
supper  of  old,  they  began  to  make  excuses.  Men  who  had 
never  thought  of  complaining  of  any  ailment  now  assumed, 
with  the  best  possible  grace,  the  role  of  invalids,  or  found,  often 
by  hard  stretches  of  truth,  perhaps,  that  some  good  reason  ex- 
isted to  relieve  them  of  military  duty.     One  has  the  bronchitis. 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  283 

another  an  affection  of  the  jaw,  another  finds  his  eyesight  very 
poor  and  bought  spectacles  after  the  order  for  a  draft  was  made, 
another  has  one  leg  shorter  than  the  other,  another  is  "  thick 
of  hearing,"  another  has  a  sick  wife,  another  gets  out  of 
breath  very  soon,  and  many  others  are  over  forty-five  years  old 
or  hold  some  office  that  exempts  them. 

Mass  meetings  were  held  in  the  different  towns  in  August,  for 
the  purpose  of  encouraging  enlistments  and  raising  subscrip- 
tions from  which  to  pay  a  bounty  of  $50  to  volunteers  and  to 
furnish  aid  to  take  care  of  their  dependent  families  during  their 
absence.  Such  a  meeting  for  Northfield  was  held  at  Elm  Park 
on  the  16th,  at  which  some  two  thousand  persons  were  present, 
and  resolutions  were  passed  expressing  the  same  sentiments  as 
those  of  the  previous  meeting  and  calling  on  the  supervisors  to 
raise  by  taxation  on  the  towns  of  the  county  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars to  be  appropriated  to  the  relief  of  the  families  of  volunteers. 
Voluntary  subscriptions  for  the  same  purpose  were  also  received. 
In  New  Brighton  a  similar  meeting  was  held  on  the  18th,  at 
which  over  three  thousand  dollars  was  subscribed  for  a  relief 
and  bounty  fund  for  the  town,  and  a  committee  appointed  to  at- 
tend to  dispensing  it  and  collecting  more.  Another  meeting  of 
the  people  of  Castleton  was  held  on  the  21st,  at  Factoryville. 
Speeches,  resolutions,  subscriptions  and  enthusiasm  flowed 
freely  on  these  occasions.  This  relief  fund,  which  had  been 
established  in  1861,  had  already  received  and  dispensed  above 
five  thousand  dollars,  and  at  this  time  had  more  than  one  hun- 
dred families  dependent  on  it.  The  citizens  of  Middletown 
held  a  meeting  on  the  20th,  at  which  resolutions  were  passed 
expressive  of  a  full  determination  to  sustain  the  government  in 
carrying  on  the  war  and  calling  on  the  supervisors  of  the  county 
to  appropriate  twenty  thousand  dollars  to  be  distributed  to  the 
families  of  volunteers  who  had  or  should  enlist  from  this  county. 
One  of  these  resolutions  is  in  the  following  language  : — 

'■'■Resolved,  That  much  as  we  may  differ  as  to  questions  of 
policy  in  minor  matters,  we  are  one  in  the  conviction  that  it  is 
our  individual  duty  to  stand  by  the  government  of  our  fathers, 
and  to  swear  eternal  hostility  to  treason  and  its  abettors  whether 
at  home  or  abroad."  The  meeting  adjourned  in  a  full  blaze  of 
enthusiasm,  and  several  enlisted  at  once. 

A  meeting  at  Southfield  was  held  on  the  21st,  at  which  some 
two  thousand  persons  were  present.     Patriotic  resolutions,  ex- 


284  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

pressive  of  full  sympathy  with  the  war,  were  passed,  among 
which  were  the  following : 

"That  the  people  of  the  town  of  Southfield  are  heart  and  soul 
devoted  to  the  national  cause  at  the  present  vital  crisis,  and  that 
they  will  make  any  sacrifice  to  preserve  our  national  existence, 
which  is  now  menaced  by  a  band  of  lawless  traitors." 

"That  while  differences  of  opinion  exist  among  us  on  politi- 
cal questions,  we  are  satisfied  that  this  is  no  time  to  agitate 
them — when  the  life  of  the  nation  hangs  trembling  in  the  bal- 
ance, and  foreign  despots  look  on  exultingly,  expecting  and 
hoping  to  see  the  failure  of  democratic  institutions  thoroughly 
demonstrated  by  this  war." 

"  That  we  now  call  upon  the  supervisor  of  this  town  to  co- 
operate with  the  other  supervisors  of  this  County  in  appropri 
ating  a  sum  of  $20,000  as  a  bounty  for  volunteers,  and  for  the 
support  of  their  wives  and  children,  trusting  to  the  legislature 
to  legalize  the  act." 

Westfield  was  not  behind  her  sister  towns  in  answering  the 
country's  call.  Two  meetings  were  held,  and  the  enthusiasm 
generated  was  sufficient  to  excite  the  resolution  to  raise  a  com- 
pany of  seventy-five  men,  which  should  be  officered  from  the 
town. 

The  supervisors  of  Richmond  county  met  on  the  27th  of 
August  and  resolved  to  issue  the  bonds  of  the  county  to  the 
amount  of  twenty  thousand  dollars,  the  proceeds  of  which 
should  be  used  for  the  payment  of  extra  bounties  and  relief  for 
the  families  of  volunteers.  Though  this  action  was  at  the  time 
contrary  to  law,  yet  it  was  deemed  expedient  in  view  of  the  ex- 
treme circumstances,  and  the  loud  call  for  it  which  the  popular 
meetings  in  the  different  towns  had  made  on  the  board.  It  was 
presumed  that  the  legislature  would  sanction  it,  which  was 
done  when  that  body  met  in  the  following  winter. 

Enlistments  were  now  very  brisk,  the  war  spirit  having,  by 
the  enthusiastic  speeches  and  action  of  the  people,  become 
thoroughly  aroused.  A  new  company  mostly  from  the  town  of 
Castleton  was  formed,  with  Louis  Schaffner,  captain  ;  Orville 
D.  Jewett,  first  lieutenant,  and  Clarence  Barrett,  second 
lieutenant.  Recruiting  offices  were  opened  at  Dempsey'  s  hotel, 
Factoryville,  and  at  the  white  lead  works  of  John  Jewett  & 
Sons  at  Port  Richmond.  An  extra  bounty  of  fifty  dollars  each 
was  paid  volunteers.     John  C.   Green  of   Castleton,  gave  one 


HLSTOBY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  285 

thousand  dollars  toward  paying  these  bounties.  Barracks  were 
erected  for  the  use  of  this  company  on  the  corner  of  Broadway 
and  Church  street,  in  Port  Kichmond.  It  was  decided  to  attach 
the  company  to  the  regiment  of  Colonel  Minthorne  Tompkins. 

A  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  the  county  was  held  at  Clifton 
park,  August  30th,  amid  the  flaunting  of  banners,  the  strains 
of  stirring  music,  and  the  cheers  of  the  multitude.  Enthusias- 
tic speeches  were  made  by  Judge  H.  B.  Metcalfe,  who  presided, 
George  William  Curtis,  General  Busteed,  Honorable  Erastus 
Brooks,  and  others.     The  following  resolutions  were  passed  : 

"  Whereas,  The  County  of  Richmond  has  not  been  hitherto, 
and  will  not  be  hereafter  behind  any  county  in  the  State  in  loy- 
alty ;  that  her  sons  are  fighting  in  regiments  in  almost  every 
division  of  the  national  army,  and  that  among  the  men  who 
still  remain  at  home  there  are  scores  who  will  be  proud  to  face 
the  foe  for  the  sake  of  the  Union.     Therefore, 

^'■Resolved,  That  we  will  relieve  the  Government  from  the 
necessity  of  making  a  draft  in  this  County  by  providing  volun- 
teers to  fill  our  quotas  under  both  calls. 

"  Resolved,  That  it  is  the  duty  of  every  man  to  support  the 
Government  by  every  means  in  his  power,  by  his  voice,  his  ex- 
ample, his  money  and  his  good  right  arm. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  schemes  of  the  unscrupulous  traitors 
who  have  dared  to  raise  their  fratricidal  hands  against  their 
brethren  are  deserving  the  most  extreme  punishment,  and  that 
the  Government  is  justified  in  adopting  any  and  all  measures 
known  to  civilized  warfare  to  suppress  this  infernal  and  wicked 
rebellion  at  any  and  every  cost. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  action  of  the  Supervisors  of  the  County 
in  appropriating  the  sum  of  $20,000  for  the  relief  of  the  fami- 
lies of  volunteers  meets  with  our  hearty  approval,  and  we  here- 
by endorse  the  same,  and  call  upon  the  next  Legislature  to 
legalize  the  said  acts  of  the  Supervisors. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  local  Committees  thoroughly  canvass 
each  Town  and  procure  all  the  subscriptions  they  can  in  aid  of 
the  enlistment,  and  the  support  of  the  families  of  volunteers." 

The  governor  at  this  time  had  appointed  two  citizens  in  each 
town,  who,  with  the  aid  of  the  supervisor  and  assessors,  were 
charged  with  the  duty  of  enrolling  all  persons  liable  to  mili- 
tary duty,  which  they  proceeded  to  do. 

The  war  committee  of  the  First  senatorial  district  was  held 


286  .HISTORY  OF  KICHMOTSTD  COUNTY. 

at  Jamaica,  on  Thursday,  the  4th  of  September,  for  the  purpose 
of  aiding  in  the  organization  of  a  regiment  of  volunteers  and  to 
equalize  the  quotas  of  the  several  counties  of  the  district  and 
apportion  any  deficiencies  in  those  counties  among  the  towns 
that  compose  them.  In  this  committee  Richmond  county  w^as 
represented  by  Hon.  Smith  Ely,  William  Correy,  Nathan  Bar- 
rett, William  H.  Vanderbilt  and  Henry  Lee  Norris,  the  latter 
of  whom  was  one  of  the  secretaries  of  the  meeting.  Among 
other  business  done  it  was  resolved  to  recognize  and  adopt  the 
regiment  being  formed  by  Colonel  Minthorne  Tompkins  as  the 
regiment  of  the  district,  and  the  committee  pledged  itself  to 
spare  no  effort  to  fill  up  the  regiment  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and 
to  organize  it  so  as  to  make  it  most  efficient  in  the  field  and  a 
credit  to  the  district  as  well  as  the  country. 

Recruiting  stations  for  this  regiment  were  opened  in  all  parts 
of  the  island,  it  was  said  that  the  officers  at  these  rendezvous 
wore  smiling  countenances  and  made  encouraging  reports  of  the 
progress  of  the  work.  Fears  of  a  draft  were  imminent,  and  this 
stimulated  some  to  volunteer  and  others  to  contribute  to  the 
fund  for  extra  bounties  and  relief  for  the  families  of  volunteers. 
Up  to  the  6th  of  September  there  remained  three  hundred  and 
ten  of  the  quota  of  the  county  to  be  made  up,  but  little  more 
than  half  of  the  quota  under  the  two  last  calls  being  filled. 

About  this  time  several  deserters  were  captured  on  the  island 
and  returned  to  their  regiments.  The  freedom  of  speech  and  of 
the  press  were  shown  to  be  capable  of  abuse,  to  the  injury  of  the 
common  interest.  At  this  time  it  seemed  imj^ortant  to  guard 
against  such  abuses.  Occasionally  a  man  was  arrested  and  con- 
fined in  Fort  Lafayette  for  disloyal  expressions,  but  they  were 
not  held  in  such  confinement  for  any  considerable  length  of 
time. 

A  large  number  of  Staten  Island  men  about  this  time,  Sep- 
tember, 1862,  enlisted  in  Spinola's  brigade,  which  was  encamped 
at  East  New  York.  As  the  months  wore  along  recruits  came 
in  so  that  by  the  middle  of  the  month  fears  of  an  immediate 
draft  subsided,  the  quotas  being  nearly  full.  Southfield  had  ex- 
ceeded hers,  and  Westfield  and  Northfield  had  filled  theirs. 
The  volunteer  fund  of  Castleton  was  receiving  liberal  contribu- 
tions. Of  those  which  up  to  September  11th  amounted  to  $100 
or  more  the  following  is  a  list :  Barrett,  Nephews  &  Co.,  $300; 
Wm.  S.  Pendleton,  $300;  John  S.  Westervelt,  $300;  Daniel  G. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  287 

Eacon,  $300;  Crabtree  &  Wilkinson,  $200;  Francis  G.  Shaw, 
$300;  Lucius  Tuckerman,  $100;  Edward  F.  Davison,  $100; 
Bodine  Brothers,  $100;  George  C.  Ward,  $300;  John  Martin, 
Jr.,  $150;  J.  Freeman  Tyson,  $100;  Cornelius  Du  Bois,  $100; 
New  York  Dyeing  and  Printing  Co.,  $500;  Thomas  M.  Rian- 
hard,  $100;  John  C.  Green,  $1,000;  Ernest  Fielder,  $100;  John 
M.  Pendleton,  $100;  Edward  Bement,  $200;  C.  C.  Taber,  $300; 
Mrs.  William  Bard,  $200. 

Under  the  famous  internal  revenue  act,  which  went  into  effect 
about  this  time,  the  following  persons  were  appointed  assistant 
collectors  for  the  towns  of  this  county,  which  composed  col- 
lection districts,each  numbered  as  indicated:  Westfield,  No.  16, 
William  A.  Brown;  Castleton,  No.  17,  Robert  Rakestraw; 
Middletown,  No.  18,  Henry  Mendell;  Northlield,  No.  19,  Daniel 
Zeluff;  Southfield,  No.  20,  John  B.  Jacobson. 

By  the  latter  part  of  October  the  material  of  the  island  had 
become  so  much  exhausted  by  recruiting  that  the  regiment 
which  was  intended  to  represent  Staten  Island,  and  be  under 
command  of  Colonel  Minthorne  Tompkins,  filled  up  slowly. 
The  prospect  of  filling  it  soon  became  so  faint,  and  the  need  of 
men  in  the  field  was  so  urgent  that  an  order  was  issued  by  In- 
spector-General Van  Vechten  to  consolidate  three  of  its  com- 
panies with  the  One  hundred  and  Fifty-sixth  which  had  left 
Kingston,  Ulster  county,  with  seven  hundred  men,  and  was 
then  in  the  barracks  in  NewYork  city  hall  park.  Accordingly, 
on  the  13th  and  14th  of  November,  the  companies  of  Captains 
Schaffner,  Shelton  and  Vaughn  were  transferred  to  that  regi- 
ment. This  gave  rise  to  great  dissatisfaction,  and  great  excite- 
ment prevailed,  amounting  almost  to  a  riot.  In  the  midst  of 
the  tumult  one  man  was  stabbed  in  the  back  with  a  bayonet. 
The  remaining  island  companies  of  Tompkins'  regiment  became 
disordered  and  took  to  the  woods  and  hills,  leaving  the  camp 
at  Pactoryville  almost  deserted,  being  occupied  by  only  about 
forty  officers  and  men.  While  in  this  condition,  on  Monday 
morning,  the  17th,  the  barracks  took  fire  and  were  nearly  de- 
stroyed. The  fire  was  supposed  to  be  the  work  of  an  incendiary. 
The  Richmond  county  regiment,  which  numbered  (with  a  com- 
pany of  one  hundred  men  from  Flushing  which  was  expected 
to  join  it),  six  hundred  and  fifty  men,  was  now  broken  up. 
The  remaining  companies  were  transferred  to  the  One  hundred 
and  Fifty-seventh,  then  encamped  at  East  New  York.  Of  these, 


288  HISTORY  01"  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

two  companies,  under  Captains  Mark  Cox  and  William  Hilde- 
brandt,  were  mainly  composed  of  Staten  Island  men.  Colonel 
Tompkins  was  offered  a  position  as  lieutenant-colonel  in  the 
One  hundred  and  Fifty-eighth,  but  declined.  His  adjutant  Avas 
retained  and  his  senior  captain  was  made  major  of  the  One 
hundred  and  Fifty-sixth. 

In  this  sluggish  condition  of  the  work  of  recruiting  the  pros- 
pect of  a  draft  again  began  to  rise.  The  day  was  appointed  for 
the  drawing  to  take  place,  and  Judge  H.  B.  Metcalfe  was  ap- 
pointed commissioner  for  superintending  it,  and  William  Gr. 
Eadie  examining  surgeon.  These  ofBcials  sat  daily  at  the  sur- 
rogate's office,  at  Richmond,  from  October  22d  till  the  day  be- 
fore the  draft  was  to  take  place,  to  hear  any  claims  of  persons 
liable  to  military  duty  for  exemption.  But  the  efforts  which 
were  made  here, by  enthusiastic  public  meetings  and  other  means, 
were  sufficient  to  push  forward  the  work  so  that  no  draft  was 
required  in  Richmond  county.  At  a  meeting  of  the  senatorial 
district  committee  at  Jamaica  on  the  6th  of  JSTovember,  the 
county  was  able  to  show  the  following  encouraging  report: 

Towns.  Quota.         Enlisted. 

Middletown 193  211 

Castleton 209  241 

Northfield 150  127 

Southfield 113  123 

Westfiedd 123  94 

County 788  796 

List  of  men  recruited  on  Staten  Island  by  Charles  Gr.  Smith, 
First  Lieutenant  Company  B,  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-second 
regiment,  up  to  .N"ovember  19,  1862. 

From  Southfield:  William  Church,  Edward  Henkel,  Bryan 
Carney,  Edward  Jaspart,  Peter  Schmidt.  From  Middletown: 
Caspar  Elmer,  William  Elmer,  James  Foley,  Patrick  Gorman, 
Smith  W.  Higgins,  Robert  Huston,  William  L.  Ludlum,  George 
Lambert,  Conrad  Liebacher,  Edward  B.  Murray,  Thos.  McKee, 
Charles  Ockhert,  Bernard  Schmit,  Theodore  Simonson,  Fred- 
erick W.  Taxter,  Addison  White,  John  Williams. 

The  following  list  was  recruited  at  Port  Richmond,  by  David 
Stothers,  first  lieutenant,  afterward  captain  of  Company  K, 
the  same  regiment. 

Nortlifield:  Charles  H.  Jones,  Jacob  V.   P.   Long,  Cornelius 


HISTORY  OF  lUCHMOND  COUNTY.  289 

Jones,  sergeants;  Charles  J.  Elms,  Freeman  W.  Jones,  corpo- 
rals; Charles  Applebee,  Wm.  G.  E.  Decker,  John  R.  Patter- 
son, Joseph  Emery,  William  Durrua,  George  W.  Smith,  James 
W.  Houseman,  John  H.  Leonard.  Qastleton:  James  Ma- 
honey,  David  McConnell,  George  Turner.  Southfield:  Gilbert 
H.  Randolph. 

The  above  were  honorably  discharged  at  the  disbandment  of 
the  regiment.     The  following  were  discharged  previously: 

Hiram  C.  Decker,  John  A.  Taylor,  Hyacinth  Burke,  Michael 
Valliere,  Andrew  P.  Van  Pelt,  John  B.  Corsen,  and  Garrett  E. 
Van  Pell,  ]S"orthfieId;  William  C.  Dunn,  Southfield,  and  Joseph 
H.  Caine,  Castleton,  for  disability;  Richard  C.  Johnson,  Nich- 
olas Cubberly,  Vreeland  Johnson,  Bedell  Jones,  John  Brinly, 
and  Peter  S.  Brinly,  Northfield,  transferred  to  the  navy;  Henry 
Valliere,  Northfield,  to  be  Hospital  Steward;  Henry  B.  Tibbetts, 
Northfield,  to  U.  S.  Signal  Corps;  Charles  E.  Smith,  Castleton, 
to  Ninety-ninth  regiment  N".  Y.  V.;  Jacob  Bowman,  Northfield, 
killed  at  Bachelor's  Creek,  N.  C;  Edward  V.  Ford,  sergeant, 
Northfield;  Benjamin  B.  Kinsey,  sergeant,  Northfield;  Abram 
B.  Houseman,  Castleton;  George  Davis,  Northfield;  James 
Wilson,  Castleton,  and  Aaron  Beatty,  died  in  Andersonville 
prison;  Jacob  R.  Decker,  and  William  W.  Stilwell,  Northfield; 
Isaac  B.  Lewis,  and  James  G.  Woglom,  Westfield,  died  of 
disease  contracted  in  service,  and  James  Shaunessy,  Castleton, 
deserted. 

We  have  the  following  particulars  in  regard  to  the  Staten 
Island  men  who  were  in  company  B,  of  Tompkin's  regiment, 
which  after  the  consolidation  with  the  One  Hundred  and  Fifty- 
sixth  became  company  K,  of  that  regiment. .  Captain  Shelton 
resigned  at  Long  Island,  on  account  of  sickness.  The  officers 
then  became  James  J.  Hoyt,  of  Castleton,  captain;  Magnus 
Bouscher,  first  lieutenant,  and  Edward  Openshaw,  second 
lieutenant.  The  first  and  second  served  through  the  war,  the 
third  till  June,  1864.  First  Sergeant  Charles  Westren,  of  Mid 
dletown,  was  promoted  to  be  a  captain,  and  remained,  being 
now  a  captain  in  the  regular  army.  William  Seaton,  of  Cas- 
tleton, sergeant,  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  a  captain.  John 
J.  Farrell,  of  Castleton,  sergeant,  returned  from  a  rebel  prison 
at  the  close  of  the  war,  having  been  taken  at  Cedar  Creek.  John 
Peterson,  private,  became  a  first  sergeant.  Isaac  Fullagar,  Cas- 
tleton, corporal,  served  through  the  war;  Evan   Riley,  Castle- 

19 


290  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

ton,  served   through  the  war;  Michael   Cotter,  Castleton,  dis 
charged  for  physical  disability;  William   Gill,  Castleton,  and 
Cornelius  Sullivan,  drummer,  served    through  the  war, — were 
members  of  this  company. 

Early  in  January,  1863,  the  supervisors  passed  a  resolution, 
authorizing  an  additional  loan  of  twenty  thousand  dollars  on 
the  bonds  of  the  county,  for  the  payment  of  bounties  and  re- 
lief, trusting  to  the  action  of  the  legislature  to  sanction  the 
same.  The  bill  legalizing  this  action,  as  well  as  that  previously 
had  in  raising  money  for  war  purposes  passed  the  legislature 
February  21,  1863.  Most  of  the  towns  drew  upon  this  fund. 
The  town  of  Sonthfield  was  the  only  one  in  the  county  that  did 
not,  but  filled  its  quota  under  the  calls  of  July,  1862,  and  paid 
its  bounties  entirely  by  voluntary  contributions.  These  contri- 
butions in  that  town  amounted  to  seven  thousand  four  hundred 
and  sixty-two  dollars.  Bounties  were  paid  to  one  hundred  and 
twenty-two  recruits,  amounting  to  seven  thousand  three  hundred 
and  twenty  dollars,  and  the  balance  was  used  for  other  pur- 
poses. In  Northfield  eighty-eight  recruits  received  fifty  dollars 
each,  and  ten  dollars  each  additional  was  paid  for  recruiting 
them,  making  five  thousand  one  hundred  and  thirty  dollars 
paid  in  that  town  for  filling  these  calls.  In  Westfield  five 
thousand  one  hundred  and  forty  dollars  was  expended  for  the 
same  purpose.  Meanwhile,  the  energies  of  the  benevolent  were 
constant  in  contributing  to  the  relief  and  support  of  the  fami- 
lies of  those  who  had  gone  to  the  scenes  of  war,  and  to  works 
of  love  and  tender  regard  in  the  preparation  of  articles  of  ne- 
cessity, comfort  and  luxury  for  the  soldiers  in  the  army  and  in 
the  hospitals. 

That  some  fear  of  opposition  to  the  proposed  draft  of  1863, 
and  to  the  plans  of  the  government,  was  entertained  thus  early 
is  shown  by  the  following  newspaper  paragraph,  printed  in 
April,  though  what  grounds  there  were,  or  to  what  extent  they 
were  manifest,  does  not  appear.  The  opposition  was  not,  how- 
ever, of  sufficient  magnitude  to  bring  about  any  serious  results: 
"A  United  States  Detective  paid  a  visit  to  the  North  Shore 
last  week,  to  ascertain  whether  any  anti-conscription  meetings 
had  been  held  in  that  quarter  ;  and,  if  so,  to  get  the  names  of 
the  officers  and  speakers,  what  was  said  and  done,  and  who  at- 
tended the  meetings.  He  states  that  he  has  the  names  of  thir- 
ty-three individuals  who  require  lookiag  after  ;  also  that  their 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  291 

places  of  rendezvous  are  watched,  and  that  the  government  has 
established  a  reliable  telegraph  station  in  the  midst  of  them,  or 
in  other  words,  a  spy  to  report  their  movements.  The  detective 
is  said  to  favor  grave  stones  as  convenient  places  of  observa- 
tion." 

The  names  of  persons  appointed  to  make  the  enrollment  un- 
der the  conscription  act  of  1863,  which  was  made  in  June,  were 
as  follows  :  For  Castleton,  Edward  Jones  ;  Middletown,  J.  J. 
Clute  ;  Northfield,  Simon  Haughwout ;  Southfield,  John  Jacob- 
son  ;  Westfield, . 

The  quota  of  Richmond  county  in  the  call  of  1863,  was  for 
four  hundred  men,  who  were  to  be  taken  from  those  enrolled 
between  the  ages  of  twenty  and  thirty-iive,  unless  a  deficiency 
in  that  class  should  necessitate  drawing  upon  the  class  beyond 
that  age.  While  the  question  of  enforcing  the  draft  was  being 
discussed,  and  its  execution  appeared  as  a  probability  of  the 
near  future,  events  developed  which  gave  this  localitj'^  a  sudden 
and  undesirable  notoriety. 

From  its  proximity  to  New  York  city  this  county  could  not 
but  feel  every  pulsation  of  popular  emotion  that  disturbed  the 
bosom  of  that  city,  and  when  the  celebrated  draft  riots  of  July, 
1863,  tilled  it  with  the  horrors  of  an  inferno  it  is  perhaps  no 
more  than  a  reasonable  consequence  that  some  kindred  spirit 
should  find  expression  here.  On  the  island  the  public  mind 
was  in  a  state  of  high  fermentation.  Riot  was  in  the  air,  and 
it  would  seem  that  men  hardly  knew  what  they  did.  For  two 
years  the  public  mind  here  had  been  almost  constantly  wrought 
up  to  fever  heat,  and  now  the  prospect  of  a  draft  being  made  to 
fill  the  quota  of  four  hundred  men  in  this  county  under  the 
recent  call,  but  few  of  whom  were  already  enlisted,  made  a 
strain  upon  the  public  nerve  which  it  was  in  a  poor  condition 
to  bear  with  tranquility.  For  a  moment  the  steady  arm  of 
patriotism  seemed  to  falter,  weakened  as  it  had  been  by  the 
drain  upon  it  caused  by  the  withdrawal  of  hundreds  from  the 
community  to  the  field  of  the  war.  Sober  counsels  wavered 
and  the  influence  of  men  of  means  was  weak,  because  of  the  ob- 
noxious clause  in  the  conscription  act  which  promised  to  ex- 
empt all  drafted  men  who  should  pay  three  hundred  dollars. 
In  this  weak  moment  the  baser  elements  of  society  gathered 
strength,  and  disorder  attempted  to  block  the  wheels  of  organ- 
ized government. 


292  HiSTOEr  OF  Richmond  county. 

In  this  critical  moment  the  innocent  colored  population  were 
among  the  first  to  receive  the  demoniacal  thrusts  of  unchained 
hatred.  In  McKeon  street,  Stapleton,  a  large  number  of  this 
class  resided,  and  there  was  located  their  African  church.  On 
Tuesday  evening,  July  14th,  crowds  began  to  gather  and  indica- 
tions of  trouble  appeared  that  alarmed  the  people  of  this  neigh- 
borhood with  fears  that  an  attack  upon  them  and  upon  this 
church  was  about  to  be  made.  Kumors  were  circulated  that  a 
mob  was  about  to  burn  the  houses  of  the  negroes  and  their 
church,  but  the  night  passed  without  any  such  demonstration 
being  made. 

About  the  same  time  a  large  crowd,  variously  estimated  to 
number  from  fifty  to  two  hundred  persons,  a  large  number  of 
whom  were  boys,  proceeded  to  the  Tompkins  Lyceum,  in  Van 
Duzer  street,  and  with  the  noisy  demonstrations  of  a  band  of  wild 
Indians,  forced  the  outer  door,  and  took  all  the  muskets  that 
were  stored  there  in  the  drill-room  of  the  Tompkins  cadets. 
Another  drill-room  near  Stapleton  landing  was  similarly  robbed 
of  muskets.  Different  estimates  placed  the  number  of  guns 
thus  seized  by  this  mob  at  from  thirty  to  three  hundred. 

The  mob,  gathering  numerical  strength  as  it  went,  reached 
the  Vanderbilt  landing  railroad  station  at  about  midnight, 
where  they  set  fire  to  a  building  used  as  a  car  house,  and 
burned  it  to  the  ground.  Two  engine  companies  who  came  to 
the  scene  were  forbidden  to  interfere,  but  they  were  permitted 
to  direct  their  efforts  toward  saving  the  dwelling  of  Mrs.  Cor- 
son, whose  house  stood  near  by,  and  in  this  they  succeeded. 

The  nucleus  of  another  mob  was  formed  on  the  same  evenino- 
at  Factoryville,  which  proceeded  eastward,  gathering  strength 
us  it  proceeded,  making  night  hideous  with  shoutings  of  "No 
Draft"  and  many  other  violent  and  threatening  expressions, 
too  odious  to  be  repeated.  At  New  Brightpn  they  proceeded 
to  the  ice  cream  saloon  of  a  colored  man  by  the  name  of  Grreen 
who  fortunately  had  been  apprised  of  their  coming,  and  had 
closed  his  place  and  fled.  They  then  entered  the  drug  store  of 
Mr.  Christie  with  such  noisy  demonstrations  that  the  propri- 
etor fled  to  the  cellar  for  safety.  But  being  assured  that  he 
was  not  the  object  of  their  search  he  returned,  and  the  mob  sat- 
isfied themselves  that  the  negro  Green  was  not  there,  and  de- 
parted. While  they  were  thus  drifting  about  the  streets  of 
New  Brighton   the  Rev.  Mr.  Conron,   of  St.  Peter's  church 


HISTOET  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  293 

gained  their  ears,  and  by  his  influence  they  were  pacified  and 
induced  to  disperse  and  go  to  their  homes. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  following  day  a  mob,  consisting  of 
nearly  fifty  men,  made  an  attack  upon  the  houses  of  the  negroes 
living  in  McKeon  street,  Stapleton.  These  were  mostly  small 
one-story  houses.  One  after  another  the  windows  were  broken 
in,  the  doors  torn  down  and  the  furniture  and  materials  inside 
were  broken  up  and  thrown  into  the  street.  The  inmates  of 
these  houses  had  fled  to  the  woods  on  the  previous  evening, 
and  this,  no  doubt,  saved  some  of  their  lives.  One  house,  be- 
longing to  one  Wormsley,  who  was  particularly  obnoxious, 
and  whom  rumors  had  credited  with  advocating  arming  the 
blacks  to  assist  in  enforcing  the  draft,  was  burned  to  the  ground. 
A  three-story  brick  house  occupied  by  families  in  the  upper 
stories  and  a  grocery  store  below,  was  completely  "gutted," 
the  mob  helping  themselves  to  groceries  as  they  were  thrown 
into  the  street.  In  one  of  the  houses  a  lame  man  had  remained. 
He  was  dragged  from  his  house  and  heartlessly  beaten,  and 
others  were  kicked  and  beaten  as  they  were  met  on  the  high- 
ways. A  few  colored  persons  who  remained  quietly  in  their 
houses  were  unmolested,  doubtless  escaping  the  notice  of 
or  not  being  known  to  the  leaders  of  the  mob.  An  attempt 
was  made  to  burn  the  church,  but  the  fire  was  extinguished  by 
a  friendly  hand  before  much  damage  was  done.  A  colored 
coachman  was  attacked  as  he  was  driving  his  coach  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  13th,  at  Vanderbilt  landing.  Several  men 
seized  the  horse,  while  others  leaped  upon  the  seat  and  com- 
menced beating  the  driver.  By  the  timely  interference  of  a 
gentleman  the  negro  was  rescued  and  sent  in  a  small  boat  to 
Fort  Hamilton  for  safety. 

On  the  north  side  of  the  island  rumors  of  intended  attacks 
upon  the  leading  republicans  and  negroes  were  flying  about  and 
creating  great  alarm.  Many  families  packed  up  their  valu- 
ables and  left  their  houses.  In  some  the  male  members  only 
remained  to  guard  their  homes  while  the  female  members  went 
to  some  place  of  supposed  safety.  The  negroes  fled,  some  to 
the  woods,  and  some  to  the  Jersey  shore.  Private  meetings  of 
citizens  were  held,  and  guards  were  set  at  various  points  along 
the  shore,  and  the  streets  were  patrolled  for  several  nights.  No 
serious  outbreak  occurred  there. 

At  Richmond,  the  sheriff,  suspecting  that  an  attempt  would 


294  HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

be  made  to  seize  a  negro  prisoner  who  was  in  the  jail  on  a  cliarge 
of  rape,  obtained  a  military  force  from  the  camp  at  New  Dorp 
and  had  the  jail  guarded  for  a  day  or  two,  and  then  had  the 
prisoner  referred  to  conveyed  to  the  Tombs  in  New  York  city. 

In  this  highly  excited  condition  of  the  public  mind  a  mass 
meeting  was  held  at  Clifton  on  Wednesday,  the  15th.  This 
was  presided  over  by  Messrs.  William  Shaw,  D  wight  Townsend, 
and  Mr.  Fellows,  and  was  attended  by  many  respectable  citi- 
zens, the  bulk  of  the  meeting  being  made  up  of  the  laborers  at 
the  fortifications.  The  Rev.  Father  Lewis  addressed  the  meet- 
ing with  conciliatory  language,  exhorting  respect  to  law  and 
assuring  them  that  no  unjust  demands  would  be  made  upon 
them.  Speeches  were  also  made  by  Messrs.  Dwight  Townsend, 
Robert  Christie,  Jr.,  and  Mr.  Hull,  after  which  the  following 
preamble  and  resolutions  were  passed  : 

"  WTiereas^  In  the  sense  of  this  meeting  the  Conscription  Act 
sought  to  be  enforced  by  the  Government  is  oppressive  and  un- 
jiist  in  its  enactments,  and  under  present  circumstances  un- 
called for  ;  be  it  therefore 

"  Resolved,  1.  That  we  call  upon  the  Grovernor  of  the  State 
of  New  York  to,  without  delay,  have  the  constitutionality  of 
this  Conscription  Act  tested  before  our  State  courts,  by  whose 
decision  we  pledge  ourselves  to  abide. 

"  2.  That  in  case  our  State  Courts  should  decide  the  Con- 
scription to  be  constitutional,  we  will,  under  the  $300  clause, 
procure  a  substitute  for  every  drafted  man  in  the  town  of  South- 
field  who  is  not  able  or  not  willing  to  leave  his  home  and 
family. 

"  3.  That  we  pledge  ourselves,  one  and  all,  to  support,  with 
all  our  might,  the  Government  in  its  great  efforts  to  restore  the 
Union  and  the  full  force  of  the  Constitution  in  all  the  States  ; 
and  to  uphold  everywhere,  by  word  and  example,  the  principles 
of  law  and  order." 

Handbills  were  also  distributed,  signed  by  the  town  officers, 
announcing  that  the  draft  had  been  stopped.  This  action 
probably  averted  any  uprising  of  rioters  that  might  have  been 
brewing  in  that  section  of  the  island. 

But  it  would  appear  that  riot  was  in  the  atmosphere  and  as 
though  violence  had  a  free  license  for  the  time.  On  Thursday, 
the  16th,  two  ruffians  attacked  John  Ryan,  of  Cherry  lane, 
Castleton,  as  he  was  going  home  from  work,  and  brutally  beat 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  295 

Mm  and  robbed  him  of  his  clothes  which  he  wore,  leaving  him 
only  a  shirt  on  his  person.  They  had  stolen  a  horse  and  wagon 
at  Port  Richmond,  and  continued  their  evening's  riot  by  knock- 
ing another  man  down,  smashing  a  vehicle  and  "cleaning  out" 
a  tavern,  after  which  they  were  secured  and  committed  to  Jail. 

But  a  still  more  serious  affray  occurred  at  Vanderbilt  land- 
ing on  the  20th.  In  the  early  evening  two  or  three  soldiers  were 
in  a  drinking  saloon,  when  one  of  them  fired  his  musket  at  a 
boy.  This  enraged  some  others  who  were  present  to  such  an 
extent  that  they  set  upon  the  soldiers  and  beat  them  so  badly 
as  to  leave  them  for  dead.  A  train  of  cars  came  up  just  then, 
having  on  board  a  company  of  soldiers,  who  came  out  and  com- 
menced firing  upon  the  crowd  that  had  by  this  time  collected. 
They  no  doubt  took  the  crowd  to  be  a  mob  gathering  and  de- 
termined to  scatter  it.  In  doing  so  their  shot  took  effect  in  the 
body  of  one  Charles  Murphy  with  such  force  that  he  died 
shortly  after.  About  ten  men  were  arrested  by  the  soldiers  and 
taken  to  camp.  One  or  both  of  the  soldiers  who  began  the 
disturbance  died  within  a  few  days. 

The  county  subsequently  paid  damages  for  property  de- 
stroyed in  these  riots  as  follows,  to  which  expense  may  be  ad- 
ded about  ten  thousand  dollars  incurred  in  contesting  several 
of  the  claims  in  the  courts  :  John  B.  Smith,  $61.00;  S.  I.  R.  R. 
Co.,  $1,336.00;  J.  M.  Evans  &  Son,  $222.38;  Henrietta  Corson, 
$91.50;  William  Wilson,  $3,697.96;  Sarah  Cornish,  $585.21; 
Jacob  Grunsett,  $216.46;  Rosetta  Grraves,  $791.97;  Mary  Brown, 
$197.95;  Abraham  Wilson,  $352.08;  Aaron  Dunn,  $297.18;  Pat- 
rick Sullivan,  $900.00;  M.  Tool,  $382.50;  John  Lewis,  $17.00; 
Levi  Purnell,  $700.98;  Edward  Felix,  $888.94;  Charles  Worms- 
ley,  $330.18;  Oliver  Wilson,  $354.40;  J.  J.  Galligher,  $120.95; 
Daniel  A.  Lewis,  $798.87;  Eleanor  S.  Wormsley,  $1,187.08; 
David  Wormsley,  $3,638.44:  total,  $17,207.99. 

On  the  25th  of  August  the  supervisors  passed  resolutions  au- 
thorizing the  county  treasurer  to  raise,  on  the  bonds  of  the 
county,  fifty  thousand  dollars  to  be  appropriated  as  might  be 
necessary  in  providing  for  those  who  might  be  drafted  and  were 
not  able  to  pay  the  exemption  fee  of  three  hundred  dollars,  un- 
der the  conscription  act  which,  it  was  expected,  would  be  en- 
forced in  the  First  congressional  district.  The  enrollment  had 
been  revised  and  corrected  throughout  the  county  preparatory 
to  such  a  draft. 


296  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

The  draft  took  place  at  Jamaica,  on  Monday,  August  30th, 
under  the  supervision  of  Provost  Marshall  Edwin  Rose.  The 
day  passed  without  any  disorderly  demonstrations.  The  num- 
ber enrolled  from  this  county  was  2,205,  which  was  distributed 
among  the  towns  as  follows:  Castleton,  559 ;  Southfield,  463; 
Northfield,  444;  Westfield,  438;  Middletown,  301.  The  number 
to  be  drawn  from  these  was  five  hundred  and  ninety-four,  which 
included  an  addition  of  fifty  per  cent,  to  make  up  the  deiiciency 
which  should  result  from  exemptions. 

After  the  draft  was  made  notices  were  served  on  the  drafted 
men,  requiring  them  to  appear  before  the  provost  marshall  at 
Jamaica  by  a  certain  time  or  be  accounted  as  deserters.  The 
officer  whose  duty  it  was  to  serve  these  notices,  while  so  en- 
gaged in  Wood  road  was  set  on  by  the  women  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, armed  with  brickbats  and  hot  water,  and  so  fierce  was 
their  onslaught  that  the  officer  fled  before  them  Later  he  se- 
cured the  assistance  of  a  squad  of  men  from  a  neighboring 
camp  and  completed  the  fulfillment  of  his  duties.  But  few  men 
were  actually  gained  for  the  service  by  this  draft,  the  majority 
of  those  who  were  held  paying  the  commutation  fee  of  three 
hundred  dollars.  The  supervisors  meantime  raised  the  proposed 
loan  for  this  purpose  from  fifty  thousand  dollars,  as  it  had  been 
fixed  by  their  vote  of  August  25,  to  seventy- five  thousand  dol- 
lars. This  action  was  approved  by  resolutions  passed  at  a  mass 
meeting  of  the  citizens  and  tax-payers  of  the  county  held  at 
the  pagoda  at  Clifton  park  on  the  19th  of  September.  The 
bonds  issued  for  this  purpose  were  disposed  of  in  a  very  few 
days.  The  five  hundred  and  ninety-four  drafted  men  were  ac- 
counted for  October  14th,  in  the  following  manner:  Seventy-four 
were  aliens  ;  ten  furnished  substitutes  ;  ninety-four  were  exempt 
for  physical  disability  ;  one  hundred  and  three'were  exempt  for 
other  causes  ;  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  commuted,  and  one 
hundred  and  fifty-one  failed  to  report. 

Under  the  call  of  the  president  for  three  hundred  thousand 
men  made  in  October,  1863,  which  was  to  be  filled  by  January 
5,  1864,  the  quota  from  each  town  of  this  county  was:  Castleton, 
seventy-seven  ;  Southfield,  sixty-five ;  Northtield,  sixty-two  ; 
Westfield,  sixty-two ;  Middletown,  forty-two.  Two  months 
passed  seeing  but  little  done  toward  meeting  it.  A  mass 
meeting  was  called  by  the  supervisors,  which  convened  at 
the  court  house  on  the  19th  of  December,  to  give  popular  ex- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTS.  297 

pression  to  the  means  to  be  adopted  to  meet  the  call.  Resolu- 
tions were  passed  calling  on  the  supervisors  to  raise  one  hundred 
and  twentj'  thousand  dollars,  or  as  much  of  that  sum  as  might  be 
necessary,  and  to  pay  to  each  volunteer,  drafted  man  or  substi- 
tute, counting  in  the  quota,  four  hundred  dollars,  and  to  open 
a  recruiting  office  in  each  town  and  to  appoint  suitable  persons 
to  attend  to  the  same.  About  the  1st  of  January,  1864,  re- 
enlistments  were  taking  place  in  the  field,  and  these  were 
allowed  to  count  to  the  credit  of  localities  as  though  they  had 
taken  place  at  home,  when  so  specified  and  arranged.  By  this 
and  other  means  the  supervisors  were  able  to  fill  the  quota  and 
so  avoid  a  draft.     The  quota  was  completed  early  in  March. 

We  may  remark  in  passing,  that  the  early  months  of  1864, 
witnessed  an  unusual  degree  of  activity  in  business  on  the 
north  shore  of  the  island.  Real  estate  seemed  unusually  active 
there  and  also  on  other  parts  of  the  island,  especially  on  the 
western  shore. 

Another  call  for  troops  was  made  in  March,  1864.  To  provide 
for  it  the  supervisors  met  on  the  18th  and  determined  to  con- 
tract with  some  responsible  party  to  fill  the  quota  of  one  hun- 
dred men  which  belonged  to  this  county  to  furnish.  They 
published  an  advertisement  on  the  following  day  inviting  par- 
ties wishing  to  contract  for  filling  the  quota  to  present  themselves 
with  their  sureties  at  a  meeting  appointed  for  the  22d  instant. 
A  draft  was  ordered  for  April  15th,  if  the  quota  was  not  other- 
wise filled  before  that  time.  The  supervisors  on  the  11th 
preceding,  offered  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  each  for  men 
— two  hundred  dollars  of  which  was  to  be  paid  to  the  recruit, 
and  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  to  the  party  who  should  pro- 
cure him.     The  quota  was  filled  during  April. 

A  new  enrollment  of  persons  liable  to  do  military  duty  was 
ordered  in  May,  and  the  work  of  enrolling  began  about  the  1st 
of  June.  The  names  of  all  who  could  prove  causes  of  exemp- 
tion were  stricken  off,  and  those  who  had  been  omitted  or 
had  since  come  within  the  range  of  age  or  residence  were 
added. 

In  July  a  call  was  made  for  500,000  more.  To  arrange  for 
filling  the  quota  under  this  a  mass  meeting  was  held  at  Clifton 
Park  on  the  26th,  when  resolutions  were  passed  placing  the 
entire  business  of  raising  money  and  filling  the  quota  in  the 
hands  of  the  supervisors  and  calling  upon   them  to  exercise 


298  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

those  duties.  On  August  8th  the  committee  which  had  been 
appointed  to  solicit  subscriptions  to  a  loan  reported  to  the 
supervisors  that  they  had  secured  $75,000.  Under  this  call 
■  the  quotas  for  this  county  were:  Middletown,  123;  Southfield, 
70;  Westfield,  77;  Castleton,  154;  Northfield,  119;  making  a 
total  of  543.  The  supervisors,  on  the  22d  of  August,  resolved 
to  establish  a  recruiting  office  on  the  island,  and  offered  $200 
for  each  recruit  and  $200  additional  to  the  agent  or  broker 
procuring  him,  or  $400  to  every  man  liable  to  draft  who  should 
secure  a  substitute  to  be  credited  to  the  county.  Camp  Wash- 
ington, just  outside  the  quarantine  walls,  was  designated  as  the 
recruiting  depot.  For  $600  deposited  with  the  supervisors  by 
any  citizen  liable  to  draft,  before  September  5th,  they  would  un- 
dertake to  procure  a  substitute  for  him,  such  substitutes  to  be 
supplied  in  the  order  in  which  applications  and  deposits  were 
made.  The  prices  mentioned  were  not  sufficient  to  procure  the 
needed  recruits.  The  price  advanced  until  $700  apiece  was  paid 
for  them.  Then  about  the  latter  part  of  September  the  quota  was 
still  one  hundred  and  eighty  men  short,  and  the  county  had  no 
ready  money  with  which  to  pay  for  more.  Arrangements  were 
effected,  however,  by  which  the  county  bonds  were  exchanged 
for  men,  and  the  quoia  was  filled,  though  a  form  of  drafting 
was  begun  on  the  3d  of  October. 

About  this  time  large  sums  of  money  were  made  speculating 
in  recruits.  Human  flesh  was  bought  and  sold  like  cattle  in 
the  shambles.  Fresh  emigrants  from  foreign  countries  and 
others,  whom  circumstances  in  various  ways  had  brought  to  this 
step, were  seized  and  controlled  by  brokers  who  understood  the 
means  of  holding  them,  and  offered  in  the  market  where  they 
would  command  the  highest  price.  The  poor  victims  them- 
selves received  perhaps  a  paltry  hundred  dollars,  more  or  less, 
while  the  greater  part  of  the  money  paid  by  the  people  went 
into  the  pockets  of  brokers,  officials  and  others  who  had  the 
manipulating  of  the  business.  Enormous  sums  of  money  were 
raised  on  corporate  obligations  and  appropriated  with  a  reck- 
lessness that  would  have  been  appalling  at  any  other  time 
than  under  the  exigency  of  the  hour.  Charges  of  complicity 
with  the  brokers  and  sharing  in  the  spoils  were  often  made 
by  popular  gossip  against  the  servants  of  the  people.  It  was 
impossible  at  the  time  and  is  still  more  so  at  this  late  day  to 
reach  the  facts  which  would  decide  in  every  case  whether  those 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  299 

charges  were  true  or  false.  Whilst  the  meagre  and  often  Im- 
perfect records  which  boards  of  supervisors  and  other  ofBcials 
left  sometimes  give  reasonable  ground  for  suspicion  that 
crooked  work  was  being  carried  on  behind  the  scenes,  it  is 
doubtless  true  that  many  an  honest  man,  whose  actions  were 
prompted  by  patriotic  and  unselfish  motives,  has  been  made 
the  object  of  unjust  imputations  in  connection  with  this  busi- 
ness. These  remarks  are  founded  on  observations  made  in  the 
history  of  different  counties.  They  apply  to  Richmond  as  well 
as  to  many  others. 

A  revision  of  the  enrollment  was  made  in  December,  1864, 
under  the  direction  of  an  enrolling  board  in  each  town,  which 
was  composed  of  the  supervisor,  town  clerk  and  one  inspector 
of  election. 

A  mass  meeting  was  held  at  the  court  house,  January  6,  1865, 
to  provide  for  raising  the  quota  under  the  call  of  December  19th, 
for  300,000  men.  The  supervisors  were  instructed  to  fill  the 
quota  and  raise  the  money  necessary  on  the  credit  of  the 
county.  They  later  resolved  to  raise  two  hundred  men.  Fre- 
quent meetings  were  held  by  the  board,  but  the  work  of  filling 
the  quota  progressed  slowly.  A  draft  finally  took  place  on  the 
25th  of  February,  at  which  four  hundred  and  forty-six  names 
were  drawn.  Previous  to  the  drawing  the  supervisors,  Feb- 
ruary 18th,  offered  bounties  of  $300  for  one  year's  men,  $400 
for  two  years'  men,  $600  for  three  years'  men  and  $100 
additional  "  hand  money  "  to  the  person  presenting  the  recruit, 
or  the  same  additional  sum  to  the  recruit  presenting  himself. 
The  same  bounties,  but  not  the  "hand-money,"  were  offered  to 
men  liable  to  draft  who  should  secure  substitutes  before  the 
draft.  The  drafted  men  were  not  required  to  report  as  long  as 
enlistments  were  active. 

Great  dissatisfaction  arose  during  the  latter  part  of  ]864  and 
the  early  part  of  1865  in  regard  to  the  management  of  the 
county  finances.  It  was  charged  that  the  supervisors  and  officials 
acting  under  their  authority  were  using  more  money  in  procur- 
ing recruits  than  was  necessary,  and  intima'tions  were  even  pro- 
mulgated that  those  officials  were  using  their  positions  to  en- 
rich themselves  by  sharing  with  the  brokers  the  enormous 
commissions  that  were  allowed  for  procuring  recruits. 

Whether  much  or  little  foundation  existed  for  this  dissatis- 
faction, it  arose  to  such  a  pitch  that  public  meetings  were  held 


300  HISTORY  OF  EIOHMOND  COUNTY. 

in  some  of  the  towns  to  discuss  measures  for  the  protection  of 
the  tax-payers  against  the  wanton  increase  of  their  burdens. 
The  debt  of  the  county  at  the  beginning  of  1865  had  reache  d 
an  amount  exceeding  $700,000.  Such  a  meeting  was  held  at 
Giesser's  hotel,  Middletown,  on  the  first  of  February,  at  which 
resolutions  were  passed  declaring  that  in  the  opinion  of  the 
majority  of  the  citizens  of  the  town  there  was  great  misman- 
agement in  town  and  county  offices,  owing  to  a  lack  of  capacity 
and  economy  in  public  matters,  resiilting  in  enormous  taxation 
for  which  the  citizens  received  no  due  return;  that  a  new,  in- 
telligent and  economical  administration  of  affairs  must  be  inau- 
gurated; that  to  accomplish  this  end  they  would  lay  aside  party 
considerations  and  put  forth  their  utmost  exertions  to  elect  such 
men  as  by  public  consent  were  without  suspicion  or  reproach; 
and  to  appoint  a  committee  to  aid  in  bringing  before  the  state 
legislature  the  petition  of  the  people  of  the  county  for  a 
thorough  investigation  of  the  accounts  of  the  supervisors.  A 
similar  meeting  was  held  at  Fireman's  hall,  Port  Richmond,  on 
the  8th  inst.,  at  which  similar  resolutions  were  passed. 

The  result  of  this  agitation  was  the  election  of  a  board  of 
supervisors,  nearly  all  of  whom  were  new  members,  and  men 
in  whom  the  people  had  full  confidence  as  to  their  ability  and 
disposition  to  discharge  the  responsible  duties  of  their  office  in 
a  conscientious  and  creditable  manner.  Still  however,  a  change 
in  the  board  of  supervisors  did  not  remedy  all  the  evils  which 
annoyed  the  people.  Abuses  existed  in  the  management  of  the 
recruiting  office,  as  the  following  paragraph  from  the  "  (?a- 
zette,''^  at  the  time  will  illustrate. 

"  A  Swindling  shop.— The  recruiting  office  at  Nautilus  Hall, 
Tompkinsville,  Staten  Island.  The  majority  of  the  persons 
brought  to  this  place,  or  going  there  voluntarily  are  swindled 
out  of  a  large  part  of  the  bounties  they  receive  from  the  County, 
and  the  harpies  who  make  part  and  parcel  of  the  machine 
operated  there,  fill  their  pockets  with  the  plunder.  These 
facts  we  have  from  the  most  credible  witnesses,  from  whom 
we  can  obtain  dates,  names,  amounts  and  particulars  of  trans- 
actions, if  necessary.  The  iniquities  have  become  known  to 
the  Supervisors,  and  they  have  made  strong  efforts  to  prevent 
their  continuance,  but  in  spite  of  all  their  labor  and  remon- 
strances, there  is  but  too  much  reason  to  know  that  thev  have 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  301 

continued  with  unabated  force,  although  possibly  disguised  to 
some  extent." 

By  the  end  of  March,  1865,  the  quota  under  the  last  call 
was  filled,  to  the  number  of  about  two  hundred  and  eighty- 
eight  men.  The  suTroundings  of  the  recruiting  station,  and 
the  management  of  that  work,  as  well  as  the  labors  of  the 
board  of  supervisors  to  reform  its  unrighteous  practices,  are 
graphically  pictured  in  the  following  language  by  a  local  paper 
at  the  time. 

"Col.  Barrett,  Supervisor  of  Castleton,  and  Hon.  Thomas 
Child,  of  Northfield,  visited  the  recruiting  station  almost  daily 
and  remained  several  hours.  The  attention  they  gave  to  the 
matter  and  the  vigilance  they  exercised  considerably  facilitated 
the  operations,  although  we  understand  that  many  men  were 
fleeced  of  their  money  almost  under  their  very  eyes,  and  they 
were  quite  unable  to  prevent  it  in  consequence  of  want  of  power 
over  the  physician  and  the  mustering  officer  in  charge.    *    *    * 

"  A  sight  of  the  cormorants,  vultures,  harpies,  blacklegs, 
loafers  and  swindlers  who  have  held  high  carnival  in  and  about 
the  recruiting  station  ever  since  there  were  men  to  be  gulled 
and  robbed,  and  tricks  to  be  played,  would  have  disgusted  any 
one  but  his  infernal  majesty  himself.  Nor  were  these  vile  char- 
acters all  imported,  but  some  of  our  own  citizens,  slyly  at  first, 
and  then  more  openly,  indulged  in  similar  practices,  and  to 
their  lasting  shame  be  it  said,  greedily  grasped  at  and  got  a 
share  of  the  spoils.  Men  of  mature  years,  men  of  respectability 
as  the  world  defines  the  term,  came  to  look  upon  an  association 
with  the  lowest  grade  of  society,  and  the  reception  of  a  hand- 
ful of  bank  notes  from  unfortunate  wretches  whose  families  at 
that  moment  lacked  bread,  as  a  thing  quite  unobjectionable ! 
As  there  is  now  nothing  left  to  ijick  but  the  bones,  we  trust  the 
creatures  will  disperse,  and  that  such  a  crew  will  never  assem- 
ble again  on  this  side  of  Tophet." 

The  various  sums  authorized  to  be  raised  on  bonds  of  the 
county  for  the  purposes  of  the  war  at  different  times  were  as 
follows,  the  dates  given  indicating  when  the  resolutions  were 
passed  by  the  board  of  supervisors  : 

Aug.  22,  1862,  for  relief  of  volunteers'  families $20,000 

Dec.  16,      "  "  "  "       20,000 

Aug.  25,  1863,  for  relief  of  drafted  men 50,000 

Sept.  9,       "  "  "  "    25,000 


302  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Dec.  29,  1863,  to  obtain  volunteers 125,000 

Feb.  13,  1864,             "                "         180,000 

July  28,      "     bounties  for  volunteers 250,000 

Jan.  28,  1865,  for  filling  the  quota 75,000 

Feb.  16,      "               "                 "      75,000 

Feb.  25,      "                "                 "      75,000 

Total  amount $895,000 

Not  only  in  the  disbursement  of  funds  for  the  relief  of  its 
citizens  and  the  support  of  dependent  families  of  volunteers, 
but  in  supplying  the  strong  arm  of  her  native  citizens  to  fight 
the  battles  of  their  country,  Staten  Island  bore  her  full  propor- 
tion of  the  burdens  of  the  war.    Material  was  furnished  to  forty- 
five  regiments  of  infantry,  six  regiments  of  artillery,  and  four 
of  cavalry,  besides  some  to  the  contingents  of  other  states.  The 
island  was  more  especially  represented  in  the  Empire  brigade, 
where  it  had  nearly  two  companies  ;  in   the  Excelsior  brigade 
of  the  army  of  the  Potomac  ;  in  the  Eighty-second,  One  hun- 
dred and  Thirty-third,   One  hundred  and  Fifty-sixth  and  One 
hundred   and   Seventy-fifth  New  York  infantry  ;  in   Serrell's 
famous  Engineer  regiment  in  the  far  West  ;  in  the  old  Seventy- 
ninth    "Highlanders";   in   the    "Mounted   Rifles";    in    the 
Fourth  artillery  ;  and  in  the  Fifth,   Sixth,  Ninth,   and  Fifty- 
third  "Zouaves."     According  to  careful  estimates  more  than 
eight  hundred  men  joined  the  army  from  this  county.     Of  this 
number,  who  left  their  homes  full  of  health  and  vigor,  it  is  esti- 
mated that  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  fell  on  the  field  or 
died  of  sickness  or  wounds  in  our  camps.     Nearly  forty  were 
brought  back  here  to  be  buried  among  their  kindred. 

The  Seventy -ninth  Highlanders,  N.  Y.  S  M.,  left  New  York 
for  Washington  on  Sunday,  June  2, 1861,  having,  in  one  company 
connected  with  it,  the  following  men  from  Staten  Island  :  John 
W.  Morse,  Herman  C.  Buecke,  Walter  N.  Brown,  Theodore 
Hall,  George  H.  McCready,  William  White,  J.  J.  Thaxter,  A. 
Miranda,  Rheinhart  Snyder,  Richard  Wall,  James  Bancker, 
Edward  Bancker,  John  Coughic,  David  Wilkins,  Benjamin 
Wilkins.  Daniel  Beatty,  William  B.  Lusch,  William  Simon- 
son,  Edward  Barker,  James  Breen,  Edward  Brice,  Michael 
Kirkman,  Robert  Kelly,  Patrick  Carlin,  Bernard  Scanlon, 
Thomas  McAdams,  George  Howarth,  David  Howarth, 
Eugene     Burke,     John    Johnson,    James    Colgan,     William 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  303 

Ross,  John  Racey,  John  Breen,  David  Sands,  Peter 
Tushingham,  William  Smith,  J.  Smith,  Richard  Barrett, 
Charles  Wilhelm,  Charles  Piratzki,  Philip  Daly. 

During  the  war  the  island  was  made  a  rendezvous  for  bring- 
ing together  different  parts  of  organizations  preparatory  to  mov- 
ing forward  to  the  seat  of  war.  A  large  number  of  regiments 
were  encamped  here  for  longer  or  shorter  periods,  while  awaiting 
more  perfect  organization  or  drill,  or  more  definite  orders  for 
moving.  No  complete  record  of  these  can  be  given,  but  we  have, 
at  considerable  pains,  gathered  fragments  from  which  we  are 
able  to  give  the  list  of  camps  and  many  of  the  organizations 
that  occcupied  them,  with  some  indication  of  the  dates  when 
they  were  so  occupied,  and  occasionally  some  other  information 
in  regard  to  them.  This  information  we  condense  in  the  fol- 
lowing paragraphs  : 

Camp  Washington  was  located  at  the  quarantine  grounds, 
partly  inside  and  partly  outside  the  walled  enclosure.  Bar- 
racks were  erected  on  the  outside.  Hfere  were  Wilson' s  Zouaves, 
May  and  June,  1861  ;  Serrell's  regiment  of  artizans  and  en- 
gineers, August  and  September,  1861 ;  Yates'  Rifles,  August, 
1861  ;  the  Empire  Zouaves,  August,  1861  ;  Grerman  Rangers, 
September,  1861;  Siegel  Rifles,  September,  1861;  Swain's  Cav- 
alry, March,  1862  ;  Colonel  Tompkins'  Regiment,  September, 
1862,  whence  it  was  moved  to  barracks  erected  for  it  on  land  of 
Colonel  Barrett  at  Factoryville  ;  Second  Duryea's  Zouaves,  Oc- 
tober, 1862  ;  inside  the  walls  were  Allen's  Regiment,  May,  1861; 
Colonel  Bartlett's  Naval  Brigade,  May,  1861 ;  Third  Irish  Yol- 
unteers,  August,  1861  ;  Union  Rifles,  September,  1861  ;  Scott's 
Nine  Hundred  (Eleventh  N.  Y.  Cavalry),  March,  1862  ;  Eighty- 
first  N.  Y.,  March,  1862  ;  First  National  (Monitors),  August 
and  September,  1862. 

Camp  Arthur  was  located  near  the  quarantine  grounds.  It 
was  established  in  June,  1861  ;  the  British  Volunteers  and  Mc- 
Clellan  Rifles  were  here  in  August,  1861  ;  and  the  Lancers  in 
September,  1861. 

A  camp  was  made  on  the  Dr.  Smith  farm  at  Old  Town  in  May, 
1861.  This  farm  presented  a  level  sward  of  about  one  hundred 
acres,  giving  a  fine  parade  ground.  The  old  stone  house  was 
occupied  by  the  officers. 

Camp  Vanderbilt  was  near  New  Dorp.  Here  the  Washington 
Zouaves  were  encamped  in  September,  1861. 


304  HISTORY  or  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Camp  Yates  was  at  New  Dorp.  Here  were  the  Seventh  regi- 
ment and  the  Thirty-second  cavalry  in  May,  1861.  While  the 
latter  regiment  was  here  the  ladies  of  Staten  Island  presented 
it  with  a  flag.  The  presentation  was  made  with  appropriate 
ceremonies  on  June  5th.  About  seventy-live  ladies  were  present. 
Dr.  Ephraim  Clark  made  the  presentation  with  a  very  happy 
little  speech,  which  was  responded  to  by  Mr.  Matthewson,  the 
officer  in  command.  The  flag  was  then  raised  on  its  staff, 
amid  the  cheers  of  the  assembled  multitude. 

Camp  Lafayette  was  at  New  Dorp.  It  was  occupied  by  the 
Garde  Lafayette  (Fifty-fifth)  in  August  and  September,  1861  ; 
and  by  the  Warren  Kifles  in  March,  1862. 

Camp  Leslie,  at  Clifton  Park,  was  near  Fort  Tompkins.  Here 
were  Col.  Cone's  Clinton  Guard,  August,  1861 ;  and  the 
D'Epeneuil  Zouaves  (Fifty  third  regiment),  September,  1861. 

Camp  McClellan  was  on  land  of  Samuel  Burger,  near  Fac- 
toryville,  on  land  lying  between  the  Shore  road  and  Castleton 
avenue.  A  high,  board  fence  was  built  around  it,  and  a  guard 
house  and  other  buildings  were  erected.  The  McClellan  rifles 
were  here  September  to  November,  1861.  Their  departure  for 
the  front,  on  the  twenty-second,  was,  according  to  a  local  paper, 
"  to  the  great  joy  of  those  who  resided  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
camp.  They  burned  four  hundred  feet  of  Mr.  Edward  De- 
ment's  fence,  had  a  great  liking  for  chickens,  and  some  of  them 
were  not  averse  to  anything  that  hands  could  carry  off." 

Camp  Herndon  was  located  at  Stapleton  flats,  and  here  the  Ira 
Harris  cavalry  was  encamped  in  August  and  September,  1861. 

Camp  Morrison  was  on  A.  Ward's  land,  at  the  base  of  Pa- 
vilion hill.  It  was  occupied  by  the  Cameron  light  infantry  in 
August,  1861. 

Camp  Low,  at  Elm  Park,  after  being  occupied  a  few  weeks  by 
the  Morgan  artillery,  was  broken  up  about  the  middle  of  No- 
vember, 1861.     Of  their  departure  it  was  said  : 

"Such  a  scene  as  ensued  on  Wednesday  night  and  the  suc- 
ceeding morning  baffles  description.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  in 
the  afternoon,  when  preparations  were  being  made  for  the  de- 
parture of  a  portion  of  the  regiment,  a  large  number  of  men 
were  found  with  their  eyes  in  mourning,  holes  in  their  heads, 
bloody  noses,  palsied  legs  and  tongues,  torn  clothes,  and  in  a 
dilapidated  condition  generally.  There  were,  of  course,  many 
honorable  exceptions  to  this  rule.     Companies  A  to  H  left  the 


HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  305 

camp  and  took  their  way  to  the  shore,  and.  were  received  on 
board  of  the  steamboat  Atlas,  and  thence  transferred  to  the 
cars.  Quite  a  number  of  men  were  missing.  Those  whose  legs 
refused  to  support  them  were  carried  down  in  carts  ;  such  as 
had  only  a  small  brick  in  their  hats  managed  to  get  along  pretty 
well  with  a  comrade  supporting  them  on  either  side.  While 
waiting  at  the  wharf  the  soldiers  indulged  in  cheering." 

Camp  Ward  was  at  Port  Richmond;  It  was  occupied  by 
Colonel  Doubleday's  regiment  while  forming  from  November, 
1861,  to  February  10,  1862. 

Camp  Scott,  one  of  the  most  notable  camps  of  the  period, 
was  atStapleton.  Herewere  the  Excelsior  Brigade,  May,  1861; 
Ira,  Harris  Guards,  September,  1861  ;  Second  Ira  Harris  Cavalry 
(Sixth  N.  Y.),  December,  1861  ;  and  Corcoran' s  Irish  Legion, 
September  to  November,  1862.  While  it  was  occupied  by  the 
Excelsior  Brigade  it  was  under  the  command  of  Col  Don.  Wil- 
liamson. In  order  to  preserve  the  peace  and  security  of  the 
neighboring  inhabitants  an  order  given  by  General  Sickles  was 
promulgated  throughout  the  camp  on  the  30th  of  May,  requiring 
field  officers  to  be  present  with  their  regiments  in  camp,  forbid- 
ding officers  or  privates  leaving  camp  without  the  permission 
of  specified  officers  and  in  accordance  with  certain  restrictions, 
requiring  a  regular  system  of  drill,  directing  the  severe  punish- 
ment of  trespassing  on  or  interference  with  the  property  or  per- 
sons of  citizens,  forbidding  the  sale  of  intoxicating  liquors  in 
or  about  the  encampment,  and  calling  upon  the  local  authori- 
ties to  withhold  licenses  from  taverns  in  the  neighborhood.  By 
the  enforcement  of  these  orders  and  improved  discipline,  the 
annoyances  of  drunken  and  marauding  bands  of  men  from  the 
encampments  were  in  a  measure  obviated.  A  picket  was  placed 
at  the  door  of  every  open  liquor  saloon  in  the  neighborhood  to 
prevent  the  men  from  the  camp  getting  liquor.  The  following 
description  of  the  camp  was  given  in  June,  1861  : 

"  Camp  Scott  wears  a  beautiful  and  picturesque  appearance. 
Across  the  broad  plateau  selected  for  the  encampment,  large 
numbers  of  white  tents  gleam  in  the  sunshine.  Among  them  are 
broad  streets  and  avenues,  and  with  their  four  thousand  ten- 
ants the  place  seems  the  site  of  some  bustling  city  sprung  into 
existence  in  a  night.  Stricter  discipline  prevails  than  in  most 
of  the  camps  we  have  seen.  Around  the  edge,  but  in  no  in- 
stance inside  of  the  lines,  men  and  women  with  apples,  candies, 

20 


306  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

oranges,  nuts  and  various  tempting  articles,  ply  their  trade, 
and  do  a  good  business.  On  Sunday  afternoon,  in  the  expec- 
tation of  seeing  a  full  dress  parade,  great  numbers  of  visitors 
w^ere  upon  the  ground.  Carriages,  carts,  and  jaunting  cars  of 
all  sorts  and  sizes  ;  men,  women,  children  and  babies  of  all 
kinds  and  degrees  vrere  there." 

The  condition  of  this  camp  and  its  surroundings  in  the  latter 
part  of  1861  are  set  forth  in  the  published  diary  of  an  army 
surgeon  (Thomas  I.  Ellis,  M.  D.)  who  had  medical-supervision 
over  it  for  a  while,  and  who  writes  as  follows  . 

"  The  wooden  building  used  as  a  guard  house  I  found  one  of 
the  most  wretched  and  filthy  holes  imaginable  ;  the  roof  leaky, 
the  boarded  floors  had  been  torn  up  and  used  for  kindling 
wood  by  the  prisoners  confined  in  it,  and  all  those  who  for 
weeks  had  been  locked  up  there  had  accamalated  a  heap  of 
filth,  composed  of  the  rejected  food  and  oflfal  of  every  kind, 
which  sent  forth  an  intolerable  and  unhealthy  stench.  I  at 
once  determined  on  the  removal  of  the  prisoners  to  better  quar- 
ters, and  on  examining  the  dozen  or  more  unfortunates,  ordered 
four  to  the  hospital,  and  recommended  to  the  commandant 
of  the  post,  who  accompanied  me,  the  discharge  of  four  others. 
The  remainder  being  deserters,  confined  under  written  charges 
preferred  against  them,  who,  at  great  trouble  and  expense,  had 
been  brought  back  from  Boston,  he  had  no  authority  or  desire 
to  liberate.  To  obtain  a  suitable  building  to  use  for  a  guard 
house  was  a  matter  of  no  small  difficulty,  there  being  but  three 
others  near  the  camp  :  one,  the  hospital,  I  had  nearly  full  of 
patients;  another,  the  post  sutler's  establishment,  was  too 
large,  and  was  indispensable  to  the  camp,  as  most  of  the  officers' 
and  all  the  hospital  food  was  cooked  in  it.  I  found,  however, 
a  smaller  wooden  building  which  belonged  to  the  former 
sutler  of  the  Sickles  Brigade  and  recommended  the  command 
ant  of  the  post  to  take  possession  of  it  and  make  the  necessary 
changes  to  adapt  it  for  use  as  a  guard  house. 

"Having  made  these  arrangements,  and  having  had  the  hospi- 
tal building  repaired  and  heated  with  large  stoves,  and  the  bed- 
ding properly  cared  for,  I  was  able  to  control  the  epidemic  then 
raging  ;  and,  before  two  weeks  had  expired,  the  sick  report  de- 
creased from  one  hundred  and  six  to  sixty-four.  There  was 
still  another  fruitful  source  of  disorder  and  disease,  which, 
though  not  in  the  camp,  exercised  a  wonderful  and  pernicious 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  307 

influence  on  the  men.  On  the  roadside  which  led  to  the  steam- 
boat landing,  and  within  an  eighth  of  a  mile,  there  stood  a 
frame  cottage  in  which  the  vilest  liquor  was  sold,  and  from 
whence  it  was  daily  smuggled  into  camp,  causing  drunkenness 
with  all  its  attendant  ill  consequences,  and  sickness  from  ex- 
posure, as  the  men,  on  getting  intoxicated,  would  ramble  off 
into  the  adjoining  woods,  and  there  lie  down  on  the  damp 
ground,  certain  to  awake  in  the  morning  with  a  violent  cold  or 
the  prevalent  sore  throat ;  besides  these  ill  effects  the  officers 
found  this  place  a  source  of  great  annoyance,  and  I  was  not  at 
all  grieved  on  passing  the  place  one  day  where  this  rum-mill  had 
stood,  to  find  it  torn  down.  On  inquiry,  I  learned  that  the 
evening  previous  a  fight  occurred  between  the  keeper  of  the 
place  and  some  of  the  soldiers,  who,  maddened  with  the  vile 
stuff  drank  on  the  premises,  proceeded  to  blows,  and  in  the 
vnelee  which  followed,  the  cottage  was  entirely  gutted,  and  then 
levelled  to  the  ground.  Several  of  the  men  who  participated 
in  this  affair  were,  I  found,  on  my  daily  visit  to  the  guard 
house,  doing  penance  for  it ;  but,  as  a  few  days  showed  that  the 
removal  of  the  groggery  was  a  blessing  to  the  camp,  they  were 
let  off  with  a  lighter  punishment  than  would  otherwise  have 
been  their  lot.  [This  groggery  was  familiarly  known  as  "The 
Canteen."] 

"The  isolated  position  of  the  camp  was  one  of  its  strongest 
recommendations,  and  went  far  in  influencing  the  selection,  in 
spite  of  the  soft,  muddy  nature  of  the  ground,  and  the  difficulty 
in  guarding  it  against  desertion  by  the  men,  and  thieving  by 
the  Staten  Islanders— a  nest  of  whom  from  Rocky  Hollow  made 
nightly  visits,  and  generally  succeeded  in  carrying  off  some 
booty.  One  night  it  would  be  a  government  saddle  ;  another,  a 
sack  of  oats,  or  even  a  horse  ;  the  aggregate  loss  to  the  govern- 
ment, by  these  depredations,  was  considerable,  nor  could  the 
utmost  vigilance  of  the  officers  prevent  it." 

Late  in  December,  1861,  Camp  Scott  was  vacated,  and  it  was 
not  again  occupied  until  the  Corcoran  Legion  occupied  it  in  the 
summer  of  1862.  They  remained  until  the  early  part  of  Novem- 
ber, and  when  they  left,  the  following  article  was  printed  in  a 
local  paper,  giving  us  a  glimpse  of  the  estimation  in  which  they 
were  held  by  the  community  in  whose  neighborhood  they  had 
been  encamped. 

"  The  Corcoran  Legion  has  departed,  and  who  is  sorry  ?    Not 


308  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

the  farmer  whose  hen  roosts  were  robbed  and  whose  fences  were 
carried  away  for  camp  fires — not  the  peaceable  citizen  who 
found  his  safest  place  to  be  within  his  own  house  after  night- 
fall, nor  his  wife  and  daughters  who  were  insulted  in  broad  daj'- 
and  jeered  at  with  foulest  language  by  the  rufiian  soldiery— not 
the  public  oflScers  of  the  county  whose  writs  were  disobeyed 
and  who  dare  not  arrest  a  man  of  their  number  unless  they  run 
the  risk  of  having  daylight  let  through  their  unfortunate  bodies 
by  bayonet  thrusts — not  the  city  police  who  were  paid  for  re- 
turning deserters  by  a  volley  of  stones  at  their  heads,  and  con- 
sidered themselves  lucky  in  escaping  with  whole  bones.  We 
trust  that  the  quiet  of  Camp  Scott  may  never  again  be  disturbed, 
and  night  made  hideous  by  such  a  collection  of  barbarians  as 
the  Corcoran  Legion  for  the  most  part  were.  There  were  good 
men  among  them,  but  they  were  rare.  Should  we  relate  all  the 
well  authenticated  tales  of  horrible  things  connected  with  this 
camp  from  its  organization  to  its  breaking  up  we  would  scarce 
be  believed. 

"Men  have  been  kidnapped  and  taken  to  the  camp  and  made 
to  serve  against  their  will — their  calls  for  help  wasted  upon  the 
wind,  and  the  efforts  of  their  friends  for  their  release  found  to 
be  useless.  Young  boys  and  others,  many  of  them  sickly  and 
unfit  for  duty,  have  been  seduced  by  the  wiles  of  the  recruiting 
officers  from  homes  where  they  were  tenderly  reared  and  where 
affectionate  parents,  when  they  learned  their  loss,  mourned 
their  children  as  dead.  Some  rushed  to  the  courts  and  judges 
for  aid  for  relatives  and  friends,  only  to  learn  with  dismay  that 
even  the  ragged  sentries  who  guarded  the  camp  were  more  pow- 
erful than  the  learned  judge  upon  the  bench,  and  that  the 
colonels  and  captains  defied  the  process  of  the  courts  and  cursed 
all  who  interfered  with  military  rule. 

"  A  gentleman  informed  us  last  week  that  he  saw  one  of  the 
officers  strike  an  unoffending  drummer  boy  in  the  face  with  his 
sword,  cutting  him  through  the  cheek  to  the  bone,  and  break- 
ing loose  several  teeth,  so  that  the  boy  spit  them  out  of  his 
mouth  with  the  blood!  The  boy  was  at  a  distance  from  an 
affray  which  was  taking  place,  and  neither  spoke  nor  acted  with 
regard  to  it,  and  the  blow  could  only  have  been  caused  by  the 
desire  of  the  officer  to  vent  his  brutality  upon  some  one,  it  mat- 
tered not  whom." 

Camp  Decker  was  the  camping  ground  of  the  ..Second  regi- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  309 

ment  of  Fire  Zouaves  in  August,  1861;  and  of  the  Qovernor's 
Guard  in  September,  1861.  At  Tompkins ville  were  also  en- 
camped the  Second  light  artillery  in  December,  1861;  and  the 
Seventy-eighth  regiment  in  March,  1862.  At  New  Dorp  the 
Thirteenth  Brooklyn  regiment  was  encamped  in  September, 
1861;  the  Stanton  Legion,  July  to  September,  1862;  the  One 
Hundred  and  Sixty-ninth  N.  Y.,  October,  1863;  and  the  One 
Hundred  and  Fifty-ninth,  November,  1862. 

Camp  Sprague  was  located  at  New  Dorp.  The  following  de- 
scription of  it  by  a  visitor  in  May,  1863,  will  be  interesting  to 
many: 

"It  consists  of  a  row  of  barracks  upon  three  sides  of  an  ex- 
tensive field,  capable,  it  is  said,  of  accommodating  ten  thousand 
men.  On  the  fourth  side  it  is  protected  by  a  high  board  fence, 
through  which  is  the  entrance  to  the  camp.  This  fence  is 
erected  not  so  much  to  keep  outsiders  from  going  in  as  to  pre- 
vent insiders  from  coming  oat;  and  though  easily  scaled  from 
the  outside,  presents  an  insurmountable  barrier  to  the  poor 
skedaddler  within.  After  considerable  parleying  at  the  gate, 
and  a  severe  scrutiny  of  our  countenance,  and  the  summoning 
of  the  ofiicer  of  the  guard,  and  the  officer  of  the  day,  until  we 
were  thoroughly  impressed  with  our  utter  insignificance,  we 
were  finally  admitted,  but  having  entered,  we  were  at  liberty 
to  go  whither  the  spirit  moved  us. 

"  The  camp  is  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Lansing,  but 
under  the  immediate  charge  of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Loeve,  a  very 
pleasant  and  gentlemanly  officer,  with  considerable  hon  Jiom- 
mie  expressed  in  his  countenance.  His  headquarters  are  very 
tastefully  decorated  in  front  with  grass  plats  and  flower  beds, 
and  pleasantly  shaded  by  three  or  four  pear  trees  in  full 
bloom. 

"  We  next  visited  the  hospital,  which  is  under  the  charge  of 
Dr.  Ephraim  Clark,  of  our  island,  who  was  recently  appointed 
to  the  post  by  General  Wool.  We  are  informed  that  when  the 
Doctor  first  took  charge  of  the  hospital,  nothing  could  exceed 
the  filthy  and  comfortless  condition  of  the  place— now  it  is  a 
model  of  neatness  and  comfort,  with  a  complete  assortment  of 
medical  stores  and  surgical  instruments.  The  ladies  of  the 
neighborhood,  whose  sympathies  he  has  enlisted  in  behalf  of 
the  camp,  have  kindly  presented  the  Doctor  with  jellies  and 
domestic  wines  for  the  use  of  the  sick.     There  are  but  few  con- 


310  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

fined  in  the  hospital  at  present.  We  noticed  one  poor  fellow 
suffering  from  a  pistol  shot  wound  in  the  arm  received  some 
time  since  while  insubordinate.  He  showed  us  the  ball,  which 
was  completely  flattened  in  its  passage  through  the  bone. 

"Prom  the  hospital  we  visited  the  gardens  in  front  of  the 
men's  barracks,  which  we  had  heard  highly  spoken  of.  They 
certainly  exhibited  a  great  deal  of  taste  and  skill,  and  would 
do  credit  to  any  landscape  gardener.  Here  was  a  beautiful 
Union  shield  blooming  in  green  sod  and  moss,  with  the  word 
'  Liberty  '  engraven  in  evergreen  upon  it — there  an  Emerald 
Harp  from  the  Emerald  Isle,  in  a  soft  bed  of  white  sand — and 
beside  it  a  full  spread  eagle  with  a  shield  on  his  breast,  and  a 
streamer  with  the  motto  '  E Pluribus  Unum.''  A  little  further 
on,  a  mortar  of  sod  mounted  on  a  little  bank  threatened  hourly 
destruction  to  a  little  band  of  flowers  who  were  endeavoring  to 
scale  the  bank  and  take  possession.  Still  further  on,  the  en- 
gineers had  erected  beautiful  models  in  sod  of  rifle  pits  and 
earthworks,  like  Lilliputian  forts.  There  were  many  other 
pretty  designs,  and  the  lettering  in  all  cases  was  particularly 
well  donfi.  In  the  center  of  this  camp  ground  a  large  flag  staff 
is  about  being  erected,  which  will  add  greatly  to  the  beauty  of 
the  camp. 

"  There  are  about  eleven  hundred  men  at  present  in  camp, 
although  we  believe  the  roll  calls  for  over  fourteen  hundred. 
There  are  regiments  and  parts  of  regiments  among  them — the 
'  Seymour  Cavalry,'  '  Les  Enfants  Perdus  '  or  '  Lost  Children' 
(a  French  Regiment),  and  a  corps  of  engineers.  There  are,  we 
are  informed,  representatives  from  almost  every  European  na- 
tion— English,  Irish,  French,  Spanish,  Italian,  German,  Swede, 
Dane,  Russian  and  even  John  Chinaman.  It  is  quite  a  little 
world  in  itself,  and  one  is  forcibly  reminded  in  visiting  it,  of 
the  confusion  of  tongues  at  the  Tower  of  Babel. 

"  The  Rev.  Dr.  Irving,  we  understand,  is  laboring  earnestly 
among  them,  and  has  already  effected  much  good.  Bibles  and 
tracts  in  different  languages  have  already  been  largely  circu^ 
lated  among  them." 

A  serious  riot  took  j^lace  at  this  camp  on  the  13th  of  May, 
1863,  which  resulted  in  the  death  of  one  soldier  and  the  wound- 
ing of  two  others.  Some  of  the  troops  quartered  here  had  been 
in  camp  for  several  months  without  receiving  any  of  the  bounty 
money  which  was  due  them.     This  fact  had  given  rise  to  great 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  311 

discontent  on  the  part  of  those  who  had  been  thus  slighted. 
Desertions  from  camp  were  taking  place  every  night,  so  that 
the  ranks  were  filling  up  very  slowly.  On  the  morning  of  the 
day  above  referred  to  groups  of  men  could  be  seen  collecting  in 
different  parts  of  the  parade  ground  discussing  with  vehemence 
and  indignation  the  subject  of  their  complaint  and  declaiming 
bitterly  against  the  deception  which  had  been  practiced  upon 
them.  In  vain  did  several  officers  try  to  appease  their  wrath 
with  the  oft  repeated  story  that  their  grievances  would  shortly 
be  adjusted.  They  determined  to  take  matters  into  their  own 
hands,  and  leave  the  camp. 

Accordingly,  about  noon  the  Burnside  Rifles  armed  them- 
selves with  clubs,  axes  and  stones,  and  headed  by  two  drum- 
mers, marched  defiantly  toward  the  main  entrance  of  the  camp. 
Here,  however,  they  were  met  by  Colonel  Loeve,  who  had  been 
informed  of  the  threatened  movement  and  had  provided  a 
strong  guard  of  picked  men  for  the  emergency.  Upon  being 
ordered  by  the  colonel  to  return  to  their  quarters,  the  men  set  up  a 
yell  of  defiance,  one  of  them  hurling  a  large  stone  which  struck 
the  colonel  a  violent  blow  on  the  side.  As  soon  as  he  recovered 
from  the  shock  he  sprang  into  the  midst  of  the  mob  and  ar- 
rested the  man  who  threw  the  stone;  the  others,  being  cowed  by 
his  resolute  action,  offered  meanwhile  no  resistance. 

The  mutineers  now  turned  in  another  direction.  Marching 
directly  to  the  south  side  of  the  barracks  they  determined  to 
cut  their  way  out,  and  about  twenty-eight  men  actually  suc- 
ceeded in  doing  so  before  their  progress  could  be  stopped.  The 
"  Enfants  Perdus"  were  marched  to  the  scene  of  action  and 
ordered  to  fire  upon  them,  which  they  did,  resulting  in  the 
death  of  one  man  and  the  supposed  mortally  wounding  of  an- 
other. The  twenty-eight  who  had  escaped  were  subsequently 
captured  by  a  revenue  cutter  while  attempting  to  cross  over  to 
Jersey  in  a  boat  which  they  had  taken  for  the  purpose.  They 
were  subsequently  conveyed  to  Governor's  island,  where  they 
were  put  in  irons. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  a  demonstration  was  made  against 
the  sutler's  department,  but  was  put  down  without  much 
trouble.  About  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening  flames  were  seen  is- 
suing from  the  stables  adjoining  the  hospital  department.  The 
energy  of  the  officers  and  men  succeeded  in  saving  some  valu- 
able horses  that  were  in  these  buildings,  and  also,  by  great  ex- 


312  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

ertions,  the  hospital  itself,  which  was  at  one  time  seriously  en- 
dangered. The  patrol  guard  was  strengthened,  and  this 
effectually  prevented  any  making  their  escape  amid  the  confu- 
sion consequent  upon  the  fire. 

Squads  of  soldiers  were  detailed  that  afternoon  to  go  to  the 
different  ferries  and  look  out  for  any  deserters  who  might  at- 
tempt to  leave  the  island  by  the  ferry-boats.  One  of  the  guard 
at  Stapleton  landing,  named  Spellissy,  while  attending  to  this 
duty,  attempted  to  arrest  two  young  men  whom  he  took  to  be 
deserters,  but  who  claimed  to  have  been  honorably  discharged 
from  the  service.  "  In  the  scuffle  which  ensued  one  Donahue,  a 
by-stander,  came  to  the  assistance  of  the  young  men,  and  after 
a  hand  to  hand  encounter  with  Spellissy  broke  from  him  and 
ran  away,  when  the  latter  fired  upon  him,  the  ball  making  a 
wound  in  the  thigh  of  Donahue,  and  also  striking  the  knee  of 
a  little  child  in  its  passage.  Spellissy  was  arrested,  and  barely 
escaping  being  lynched  at  the  hands  of  the  incensed  populace, 
was  confined  in  Richmond  jail. 

It  would  appear  to  be  the  fact  that  some  grounds'of  complaint 
existed  with  the  men,  owing  to  their  treatment  and  their  fare.  One 
who  had  inquired  into  the  subject  somewhat  wrote:  "All  through 
the  winter  complaints  have  come  to  us  from  soldiers  quar- 
tered at  New  Dorp  and  Tompkinsville  that  their  bounties  have 
been  withheld  ;  and  for  a  long  time,  at  the  latter  camp  ground, 
miserable  fare  has  been  loudly  talked  of,  and  on  more  than  one 
occasion  the  men  have  demolished  the  cook-house  where,  they 
insisted,  decayed  food  had  been  i^repared  for  them.  I  have  con- 
versed with  a  large  number  of  these  men,  and  discovered  that 
they  were  not  of  the  commoner  sort,  being  very  intelligent,  and 
many  of  them  sons  of  thrifty  farmers  in  the  northern  and  west- 
ern sections  of  this  state  ;  consequently  they  know  what  decent 
treatment  is,  and  felt  that  they  had  a  right  to  expect  it  at  the 
hands  of  the  government  or  its  ofiicers.  Hundreds  of  them 
have  'skedaddled'  in  disgust,  and  doubtless  have  borne  to 
the  ears  of  the  community  to  which  they  belong,  dismal  tidings 
of  the  state  of  affairs  in  Uncle  Samuel's  camp,  and  pictured  in 
their  mental  vision  scenes  to  which  they  are  likely  to  remain 
strangers,  at  least  as  far  as  they  are  able." 

A  small  number  of  skeleton  organizations,  or  parts  of  organi- 
zations, were  brought  together  here  and  consolidated  in  June, 
1863.      Among  these  remnants  were   the    "Tompkins,"   "  H. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  313 

Seymour"  and  "Davis"  cavalry,  the  "Blair  Rifles,"   "  Sey 
mour  Light  Infantry,"  "Defenders,"  "  Burnside  Rifles,  "Pratt 
Guard,"  and  the  "  Westchester  Light  Infantry." 

General  McClellan  vi^as  present  at  a  grand  review  which  took 
place  at  this  camp  September  8,  1863.  There  were  about  three 
thousand  five  hundred  men  in  the  various  commands  then  or- 
ganizing here,  and  the  occasion  called  out  about  eight  thousand 
spectators.  The  affair  was  said  to  be  one  of  the  most  brilliant 
military  demonstrations  ever  witnessed  on  the  island.  General 
McClellan  having  taken  a  position,  the  troo^js  marched  in  re- 
view before  him,  the  following  regiments  taking  part  and  mov- 
ing in  the  order  named  :  Eleventh  N.  Y.,  Thirty-first,  Duryea's 
Zouaves,  Thirty-fourth,  Ninth,  Twelfth  cavalry,  Coming's 
Eighteenth  light  cavalry,  Twenty-first  cavalry  (dismounted). 
Seventeenth,  Thirteenth  and  some  other  regiments.  After  the 
column  had  passed  the  general  addressed  the  soldiers,  many  of 
whom  had  been  in  the  service  with  him,  in  the  following  lan- 
guage : 

"  My  Comrades — I  am  glad  and  sad  and  proud  to  meet  you 
again.  (Loud  cheers).  I  am  glad  because  we  are  all  glad  to 
meet  old  comrades  and  brothers  in  arms.  (Renewed  cheering). 
I  am  sad  because  I  am  reminded  in  seeing  you,  of  your  brethren 
slain  on  our  fields  of  battle.  I  remember,  too,  our  last  fight, 
opposite  Warrentown.  I  am  proud  because  I  call  to  mind  all 
our  battles  from  Yorktown  to  Antietam.  I  am  proud  because 
you  who  are  here  are  some  of  the  old  Army  of  the  Potomac,  on 
which  I  have  looked  with  pride,  and  ever  shall.  (Tremendous 
cheering).  When  you  return  to  your  comrades  say  to  them 
that  their  old  commander  has  continued  to  watch  their  every 
battle  with  as  much  interest,  feeling  and  pride  as  when  with 
you,  and  that  he  will  ever  do  so.  (Cheers).  I  am  also  glad  to 
know  that  so  many  of  you  are  returning  to  the  service.  I  thank 
you,  comrades,  for  the  kind  welcome  you  have  given  me.  I  will 
not  say  good-bye  again.  We  have  said  that  once  before,  and  I 
trust  never  to  repeat  it." 

Early  in  November,  1863,  four  or  five  hundred  men  remaining, 
discontent  arose  and  insubordination  was  manifest.  This  culmi- 
nated on  the  night  of  the  4th  in  the  burning  of  the  barracks. 
At  about  one  o'clock  of  the  following  morning  fire  was  dis- 
covered on  the  east  side  of  the  camp.  The  alarm  was  given  by 
the  firing  of  howitzers,  and  several  apparatus  companies  came 


314  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

to  the  scene,  Excelsior  Bucket  Company  No.  1,  Protection 
Hose,  of  Stapleton,  and  Neptnne  Hose,  of  Tompkinsville,  being 
the  first  to  arrive.  The  flames  were  extinguished,  but  not  until 
all  the  eastern  side  and  about  one  hundred  feet  of  the  northern 
side  of  the  camp  were  destroyed.  Unusual  vigilance  was  exer- 
cised on  the  following  night,  but  flames  again  appeared  at  about 
the  same  hour  of  the  night,  and  before  any  available  assistance 
could  reach  the  spot  the  remaining  part  of  the  structure 
was  burned  to  the  ground.  A  few  days  later  a  plot  was  ex- 
posed by  one  of  the  men  implicated  in  it,  which  had  been 
planned  for  the  purpose  of  burning  the  hospital  which  was 
filled  with  sick  men.  The  man  who  exposed  the  plot  had  not 
the  hardened  heart  to  allow  him  to  carry  out  the  scheme  of 
crime  that  he  had  engaged  in,  and  he  named  the  ringleaders, 
who  were  arrested  and  put  in  irons.  On  the  following  day 
General  Canby  ordered  all  the  men  except  about  forty  cavalry 
to  be  removed  to  Governor's  island.  The  camp  was  now  de- 
serted except  by  the  few  men  who  remained  to  guard  its 
ruins. 

When  the  encampments  of  soldiers  were  first  made  on  the 
island  considerable  alarm  was  felt  for  the  safety  of  the  inhabi- 
tants and  the  security  of  their  property  against  the  molestation 
•of  the  troops.  A  police  force  was  talked  of  and  steps  toward  a 
regular  organization,  to  be  employed  and  paid  by  the  public  funds, 
were  taken.  There  were  differences  of  opinion,  some  believing 
that  such  a  force  was  necessary  and  others  arguing  that  it 
would  be  a  needless  expense,  and  that  the  camp  regulations 
would  be  sufficient  to  protect  the  people  against  any  serious 
damage  or  molestation.  A  line  of  sentries  was  stationed  by  the 
commandant  of  Camp  Scott  as  far  as  Vanderbilt  landing,  about 
two  miles  from  the  camp. 

Thus,  as  we  have  seen,  now  and  heretofore  in  this  article,  the 
most  vigilant  effort  was  in  many  cases  made  to  protect  the 
people  from  the  annoyances  of  the  encamped  army.  But  this 
could  be  but  imperfectly  done.  The  local  and  government 
authorities  sometimes  came  into  conflict,  when  soldiers  who 
had  been  arrested  and  imprisoned  for  offenses  against  the  civil 
law,  were  demanded  by  the  officers  of  the  military  organizations 
to  which  they  belonged  to  move  with  the  organization  to  the 
seat  of  war.  In  this  way  many  a  guilty  criminal  escaped  pun- 
ishment.    This  emboldened  others  to  be  more  reckless  in  their 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  315 

offensive  conduct,  especially  when  it  was  known  that  their 
regiments  were  to  move  forward  before  a  trial  in  the  civil 
courts  would  be  had. 

One  of  the  frequent  manifestations  of  lawlessness  was  seen  in 
the  work  of  the  incendiary  torch.  The  frequency  of  fires  in 
1862  is  thus  referred  to  in  a  paragraph  in  a  local  paper  at  the 
time: 

"Fire  Numbek  26.— Notwithstanding  the  general  desire  to 
efface  party  lines  there  is  still  a  party  on  the  North  Shore 
which  keeps  up  its  organization  and  performs  its  labors  with 
much  diligence.  We  allude  to  the  barnburners.  These  nota- 
ble individuals  enjoyed  themselves  for  the  twenty-sixth  time  on 
Sunday  morning,  at  half- past  three  o'clock  (the  usual  hour  for 
such  fun),  by  setting  tire  to  the  barn  of  Mr.  Henry  Cornell  on 
the  Mill  Koad,  Castleton.  It  was  burned  to  the  ground — loss 
about  $300.  The  inhabitants  all  get  awake  in  time  to  see  the 
fire,  but  the  incendiaries  are  generally  supposed  to  be  in- 
visible. 

"  Many  of  the  people  are  said  to  be  so  used  to  the  alarm  of 
fire  that  when  they  discover  it  is  not  their  barn  they  go  to  bed 
again." 

Incendiary  fires,  burglaries,  thefts,  assaults,  and  drunken 
fights  were  of  daily  occurrence  during  much  of  the  time.  The 
expenses  of  the  county  for  the  services  of  constables  and  patrol- 
men for  the  year  1862  was  eight  thousand  six  hundred  and 
forty-five  dollars  and  twenty-one  cents.  About  two  thousand 
six  hundred  arrests  for  criminal  offenses  were  made  during  the 
year.  The  bills  of  the  justices  of  the  peace  for  acting  on  these 
cases  amounted  to  five  thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty-three 
dollars  and  seventy-one  cents ;  making  an  aggregate  of  thirteen 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-eight  dollars  and  ninety-two 
cents  paid  for  preserving  the  public  peace,  which  after  all  was 
continually  in  a  precarious  condition. 

The  summer  of  1865  was  notable  for  the  frequency  of  assaults, 
robberies  and  other  examples  of  ruffianism.  Many  of  the  per- 
petrators of  outrages  of  this  character  upon  the  peaceable 
citizens,  which  occurred  almost  daily,  were  returned  soldiers, 
who  had  been  schooled  amid  scenes  of  war,  and  being  without 
any  principle  of  honor,  were  ready  to  practice  theft  and  violence 
upon  unprotected  citizens  in  a  land  of  peace.  The  island  was 
overcome  by  a  tide  of  ruffianism  and  crime  that  rendered  life 


316  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

and  property  here  decidedly  unsafe.  It  was  a  publicly  admitted 
fact  that  crime  was  enormously  on  the  increase.  Highway  rob- 
beries, house  breakings,  violent  assaults  and  batteries,  riots  and 
other  heinous  offenses,  almost  without  number,  were  committed. 
Any  attempt  to  give  a  detailed  list  of  specific  instances  would 
be  a  sickening  task.  Many  arrests  were  made  and  the  guilty 
parties  were  imprisoned  in  the  county  jail.  But  even  here  their 
bold  defiance  of  law  manifested  itself  in  threats  of  using  the 
political  influence  which  some  of  them  claimed  to  have  to  de- 
feat at  the  ballot  box  the  public  officials  who  should  dare  to 
bring  them  to  punishment.  Despite  such  threats,  however,  the 
grand  jury  at  the  next  court  of  sessions,  in  September,  found 
indictments  against  thirty-eight  prisoners,  nineteen  of  which 
were  for  assault  and  battery,  four  for  burglary,  two  for  assault 
with  intent  to  kill,  and  the  remainder  for  various  crimes. 

But  the  period  of  war  is  closed.  Let  us  be  done  with  the 
lawlessness,  the  riots,  the  contentions,  the  destruction  of  prop- 
erty, the  ill  feelings,  the  excitements,  the  sorrowings  and  all 
the  train  of  skeleton  forms  that  attend  on  a  time  of  war.  And 
how  mean  a  recompense  is  the  blare  of  martial  music,  the 
graceful  evolutions  of  military  parade,  the  glitter  of  dazzling 
uniforms  and  equipments  or  the  gallant  carriage  of  a  command- 
ing hero  on  the  field  !  Let  us  pray  kind  Heaven  that  this  fair 
island  may  not  again  be  desecrated  by  the  presence  of  an  en- 
camped soldiery  preparing  themselves  for  scenes  of  carnage  and 
destruction. 

From  the  scenes  in  which  men  were  engaged— the  scenes  in 
which  their  aim  was  to  shed  the  blood  of  their  fellow  men,  it  is 
refreshing  to  turn  a  moment  to  the  scenes  in  which  honorable 
women  were  meanwhile  engaged— the  work  of  staying  the  crim- 
son tide,  healing  the  wounds  that  men  had  made  and  relieving 
the  sufferings  that  were  the  inevitable  fruits  of  war.  While 
the  men  were  at  work  fanning  the  flames  of  passion  to  make 
them  burn  higher  for  the  destruction  of  their  fellows,  the 
ladies  were  unobtrusively  working  away,  preparing  articles  of  use 
arid  comfort  for  the  soldiers  at  the  front  or  the  sick  and  wound- 
ed in  hospitals.  Organizations  were  effected  in  the  different 
villages,  preparing  articles  of  clothing,  such  as  stockings,  shirts, 
drawers,  handkerchiefs,  mittens,  besides  lint,  bandages,  blank- 
ets, preserves,  and  other  little  delicacies  and  luxuries.  There 
were  the  "Mariner's  Harbor  Soldiers'  Eelief  Society,"  com- 


HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  317 

posed  largely  of  active  young  ladies,  the  "Ladies'  Relief 
Society  of  New  Spring ville,"  the  ''North  Shore  Soldiers'  Aid 
Society  at  Factoryville,"  and  others  whose  names  or  work  are 
not  before  us  now,  but  which  were  equally  noble,  self-sacrificing 
and  worthy  of  grateful  remembrance. 

We  will,  in  closing  this  chapter  of  war,  append  the  following 
list  of  Staten  Islanders  who  served  during  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion,  in  Company  I,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-sixth  New 
York  State  Volunteers : 

Orville  D.  Jewett,  Castleton,  first  lieutenant;  captain;  re- 
signed 1863. 

Clarence  T.  Barrett,  Castleton,  second  lieutenant;  first  lieu- 
tenant ;  adjutant  ;  served  as  aid-de-camp  on  staff  of  Major- 
General  W.  H.  Emory,  commanding  Nineteenth  army  corps  ; 
then  on  staff  of  Major-General  E.  S.  Canby,  commanding  de- 
partment of  gulf;  captain  and  aid-de-camp,  United  States 
army;  brevet  ted  major  for  gallant  and  meritorious  services  at 
the  capture  of  Mobile. 

Charles  W.  Kennedy,  Castleton,  first  sergeant :  second  lieu- 
tenant ;  first  lieutenant ;  captain  ;  served  for  two  years  on  staff 
of  Third  brigade.  Second  division,  Nineteenth  army  corps,  as 
brigade  commissary,  and  acting  assistant  adjutant-general. 

Edward  Steers,  Castleton,  sergeant ;  first  lieutenant ;  served 
until  the  end  of  war. 

William  Cortelyou,  Southfield,  sergeant ;  second  lieutenant ; 
wounded  at  Cedar  Creek ;  served  until  the  end  of  war. 

Bennett  H.  Buel,  Castleton,  sergeant ;  served  until  the  end 
of  war. 

George  G.  Cadmus,  Northtield,  sergeant ;  discharged  for 
disability. 

Charles  T.  Pine,  Castleton,  corporal ;  discharged  to  accept 
commission  on  corps  d'Afrique. 

George  Mersereau,  Castleton,  cori^oral ;  sergeant;  served  un- 
til- the  end  of  war. 

Edward  Haggerty,  Northfield,  corporal  ;<  killed  before  Port- 
Hudson. 

Nathan  M.  Barrett,  Castleton,  corporal  color-guard  ;  served 
until  the  end  of  war. 

William  C.  Simonson,  Southfield,  corporal ;  sergeant ;  served 
until  the  end  of  war. 


318  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Oscar  Guyon,  Southfield,  corporal ;  sergeant ;  served  until 
the  end  of  war. 

Albert  P.  Heal,  Castleton,  corporal ;  served  until  the  end  of 
war. 

John  Vanderbilt,  Castleton,  corporal ;  discharged  to  accept 
appointment  as  master  of  arms  United  States  navy. 

Thomas  Steers,  Castleton,  corporal ;  discharged  to  accept 
commission  as  assistant  engineer  United  States  navy. 

John  G.  Bott,  Castleton,  private ;  served  until  the  end  of  war. 

William  Bamber,  Castleton,  private ;  corporal ;  served  until 
the  end  of  war, 

Robert  Bell,  Southfield,  private ;  died  of  disease  in  service. 

Henry  V.  Buel,  Castleton,  private  ;  died  of  disease  in  service. 

Edmund  Blake,  Castleton,  private  ;  wounded  at  Winchester  ; 
served  until  the  end  of  war  ;  died  from  effects  of  wound. 

James  Brogan,  Castleton,  private ;    served  until  end  of  war. 

Nathan  F.  Barrett,  Castleton,  private ;  sergeant-major ;  sec- 
ond lieu  tenant-;  -seisM  until  end  of  war. 

^AJbiel  H.  Burban^PSouthfield,  private ;    died  of   disease  in 


service. 

Ebenezer  Chichester,  Castleton,  private ;  served  till  close  of 
war. 

Daniel  Collins,  Castleton,  private ;  served  till  close  of  war. 

Dewitt  C.  Connor,  Southfield,  private ;  killed  in  action  at 
Fort  Bisland. 

Edward  Clary,  Castleton,  private  ;  wounded  at  Cedar  Creek  ; 
served  until  end  of  war. 

Patrick  Colbert,  Castleton,  private  ;  served  until  end  of  war. 

Thomas  F.  Donnelly,  Castleton,  private;  sergeant;  served 
until  end  of  war. 

Richard  Dawlin,  Castleton,  private;  wounded  at  Fisher's 
Hill ;  discharged. 

Albert  G.  Denton,  Castleton,  private ;  discharged  for  disabil- 
ity. 

Daniel  Elms,  Northfield,  private  ;  served  until  end  of  war. 

Jacob  N.  Guyon,  Southfield,  private ;  corporal ;  discharged 
for  disabjjity. 

Nelson  Gilby,  Southfield,  private ;  served  until  end  of  war. 

Joseph  Jacobs,  Castleton,  private ;  served  until  end  of  war. 

Bernard  Jacobs,  Castleton,  private  ;  drum-major ;  served  un- 
til end  of  war; 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  319 

Albert  Jones,  Castleton,  private ;  died  of  disease  in  service. 

James  E.  Hood,  Castleton,  private;  discharged  for  disability. 

Ira  McVeigh,  Castleton,  private ;   wounded  at  Cedar  Creek ; 
discharged. 

Reuben  S.  Miller,  Castleton,  private  ;  served  until  end  of  war. 

Philip  J.  Miller,  Southfield,  private  ;  corporal ;  served  until 
end  of  war. 

Mark  Mallett,  Castleton,  private;    taken  prisoner  at  Cedar 
Creek  ;  discharged. 

John  Prosi,  Castleton,  private  ;  served  until  end  of  war. 

Edward  N.  Pomeroy,  Castleton,  private;  discharged  to  re- 
ceive commission  in  corps  d'Afrique. 

Augustus  W.  Sexton,  Jr.,  Castleton,  private;  discharged  to 
receive  commission. 

William  B.  Smith,  Castleton,  private ;  served  until  end  of 
war. 

Robert  Stewart,  Castleton,  private  ;  served  until  end  of  war. 

George  Wackerhagen,  Castleton,  private ;  discharged  to  re- 
ceive appointment  as  hospital  steward  United  States  army. 

Thomas  Wright,  Castleton,  private ;  wounded  at  Montesino 
Bayou  ;  served  until  end  of  war. 

James  Watson,  Castleton,  private ;  taken  prisoner  at  Cedar 
Creek;  died  from  exposure. 

The  death  of  President  Garfield  occasioned  one  of  the  most 
remarkable.and  general  popular  demonstrations  of  sorrow  that 
has  ever  been  witnessed  here.  The  newspapers  of  the  island 
were  dressed  in  mourning.  Memorial  services  were  held  by 
nearly  every  church  and  organization  on  Monday,  October  26, 
1881.  In  the  north  side  villages  a  parade  was  organized.  This 
was  composed  of  Washington  Engine  Company  No.  1,  Port 
Richmond  Engine  Company  No.  3,  Lincoln  Club  of  New 
Brighton;  New  Brighton  Engine  Company  No.  4;  Zephyr  Hose 
Company  No.  4;  Aquehonga  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  No.  1; 
Medora  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  No.  3;  Metamora  Council 
No.  650,  American  Legion  of  Honor;  Continental  Council  No.  27, 
O.  U.  A.  M.  The  line  of  march  was  taken  along  the  shore  road 
from  the  Pavilion  hotel  at  New  Brighton  to  Port  Richmond, 
where  a  speaker's  stand  had  been  erected  in  the  open  field  on 
Heberton  avenue  opposite  the  school  house.  Here  appropriate 
services  were  conducted,  consisting  of  singing  and  addresses, 
the  latter  by  Rev.  Jesse  S.  Gilbert  and  Hon.  Erastus  Brooks. 


320  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Appropriate  services  were  also  held  at  the  church  of  the 
Ascension,  West  New  Brighton,  at  11  o'clock,  Rev.  Mr.  Cornell 
oflBciating  in  the  absence  of  the  rector.  Services  on  the  pre- 
vious Sunday  at  Trinity  M.  E.  church  had  reference  to  the  sub- 
ject, and  similar  services  were  held  at  the  Moravian  church  at 
New  Dorp.  At  the  Reformed  church  memorial  exercises  were 
conducted  on  Monday  at  2  o'clock  by  Rev.  Dr.  Brownlee,  as- 
sisted by  Rev.  Dr.  John  Robinson  and  Rev.  Mr.  Vansant.  The 
Rev.  C.  A.  Princke  at  the  German  Lutheran  church,  St.  John's, 
conducted  memorial  services  in  German  at  the  same  hour.  High 
mass  was  celebrated  at  St.  Mary's,  Clifton,  by  the  Rev.  John 
Lewis  and  the  Litany  of  the  Saints,  in  which  is  included  prayers 
for  all  people,  governors,  rulers  and  officials,  was  recited  in  re- 
spect to  the  occasion,  on  the  same  day. 

An  elaborate  service  was  conducted  at  St.  John's,  Clifton, 
which  included  the  prescribed  service,  music,  and  addresses  by 
Rev.  Dr.  Eccleston,  the  pastor,  and  Mr.  W.  W.  MacParland; 
while  at  Christ  church,  New  Brighton,  the  liturgical  and  musi- 
cal services  were  supplemented  by  an  address  by  Rev.  George 
D.  Johnson,  the  rector.  At  the  Park  Baptist  church  the  pastor, 
being  absent  at  the  time,  spoke  with  reference  to  the  subject  on 
the  following  Sabbath.  At  the  Seamen's  Retreat  chapel  ser- 
vices were  held  Monday  afternoon  and  addresses  were  made  by 
Rev.  Drs.  Kipp  and  Rockwell.  At  the  Kingsley  M.  E.  and  St, 
Paul's  Memorial  churches,  Edgewater,  services  were  held  on 
Monday,  while  on  Sunday  morning  Rev.  Dr.  Rockwell,  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  held  a  commemorative  service.  Masses 
were  celebrated  on  Monday  in  St.  Peter's,  New  Brighton,  and 
St.  Rose  of  Lima,  West  New  Brighton;  and  in  the  latter 
church,  after  mass,  prayer  for  the  authorities,  composed  by 
Archbishop  Carroll,  of  Baltimore,  was  recited.  There  were 
also  services  in  St.  Paul's  M.  E.  and  the  South  Baptist  churches 
at  Tottenville;  in  St.  Joseph's  at  Rossville,  and  St.  Mark's  at 
Pleasant  Plains.  Rev.  Mr.  Cole,  of  Woodrow,  delivered  an 
essay  on  the  life  and  service  of  President  Garfield  on  the  pre- 
ceding Sunday,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Morris,  of  Bethel  M.  E.  church, 
gave  a  memorial  sermon  on  the  following  Sabbath. 

Nearly  all  these  churches  were  draped,  some  on  the  inside, 
some  on  the  outside  and  some  on  both.  Heavy  folds  and  cov- 
erings of  black  cloth  were  tastefully  arranged  on  pulpits, 
chairs,  tables,  organs,  railings,  around  windows,  over  doorways 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  321 

and  arches  and  upon  supporting  pillars.  Many  residences, 
hotels  and  business  places  were  also  heavily  dressed  in  mourn- 
ing, and  in  some  cases  bells  were  tolled  at  intervals  through  the 
day.  Services  at  Stapleton  Park  were  held  under  the  auspices 
of  Robert  G.  Shaw  Post,  G.  A.  E.,  and  a  large  audience  as- 
sembled, over  which  Mr.  Justus  O.  Woods  presided.  Lenhart 
Post,  of  Tottenville,  and  the  Staten  Island  Quartette  Club, 
represented  by  thirty-iive  members,  assisted  in  the  exercises, 
and  Ex-CoDgressman  James  W.  Covert  delivered  an  appropri- 
ate and  touching  address. 

Probably  the  most  destructive  storm  ever  known  on  the  island 
was  that  of  September,  1882.  Rain  commenced  on  Wednesday 
evening  the  20th,  and  continued  until  Saturday.  Heavy  rains 
fell  during  this  time,  and  created  freshets  in  many  places,  de- 
stroying property  and  rendering  impossible  the  ordinary  avenues 
of  travel.  The  storm  was  accompanied  by  unusually  high  tides, 
which  added  to  the  aggregate  damage  along  the  shores.  Wil- 
low brook  was  swelled  to  an  alarming  fullness.  The  culvert  in 
the  railroad  embankment  between  Prince's  bay  and  Pleasant 
Plains  was  not  sufficient  to  give  vent  to  the  great  body  of  water 
that  accumulated  above  it,  and  on  Saturday  evening  a  breach 
was  made  and  about  thirty  feet  of  the  embankment  was  carried 
down  the  stream.  The  water  by  this  time  had  risen  so  high  as 
to  cover  many  gardens  and  roads,  and  to  fill  many  cellars,  even 
covering  the  first  floors  in  some  houses.  Out-houses  and  a 
nameless  multitude  of  small  articles  were  borne  away  on  the 
seething  flood.  Blacksmith  shops,  barns  and  dwelling-houses 
were  undermined  or  otherwise  damaged,  as  were  also  their  con- 
tents, by  the  water,  and  a  number  of  bridges  were  lifted  from 
their  foundations  or  carried  away.  Nearly  two  weeks  elapsed 
before  a  temporary  track  could  be  laid  across  the  breach  so  as 
to  allow  the  passing  of  trains. 

The  railroad  track  was  also  badly  damaged  in  several  places 
in  the  vicinity  of  Richmond  Valley.  At  the  station  the  track 
was  bent  and  torn,  and  a  short  distance  below  another  washout 
occurred,  while  a  train  which  had  reached  this  point  found  it- 
self between  two  impaired  spots,  so  as  to  be  unable  to  pass  with 
safety  either  way,  in  which  condition  it  remained  till  Sunday 
afternoon.  Several  bridges  were  destroyed  in  the  vicinity  of 
Rossville  and  Green  Ridge,  and  deep  cuts  were  made  in  the 
roads  in  many  places,  which  made  them  for  the  time  impassable. 

31 


322  HISTORY  OF  eichmond  coutstty. 

At  Tottenville  the  railroad  track  and  turn-tables  were  submerged, 
a  brick  wall  in  the  rear  of  John  Nelson's  hotel  was  thrown 
down,  and  sidewalks  and  streets  were  badly  disfigured,  cellars 
filled  and  property  destroyed.  Near  Hnguenot  the  South  Side 
hotel  was  damaged  to  the  extent  of  about  two  thousand  dollars 
value,  by  the  undermining  of  its  foundations,  caused  by  the 
outburst  of  Arbutus  lake.  In  Stapleton  the  streets  were  flooded, 
as  were  a  large  number  of  houses.  At  New  Brighton  the  streets 
were  deluged,  and  many  houses  that  were  considered  proof 
against  any  ordinary  flood  were  filled  with  water. 

The  stone  wall  that  protects  the  causeway  over  which  the  road 
crosses  the  meadow  at  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor  gave  way,  and  the 
road  was  flooded  so  that  the  platforms  of  passing  horse  cars 
were  under  water. 

At  West  New  Brighton  Broadway  became  a  great  river,  its 
turbulent  waters  undermining  a  carpenter's  shoj)  belonging  to 
David  Pero,  and  another  shop  adjoining,  cut  out  a  great  hole 
in  the  street  near  by,  and  flowed  into  the  lower  story  of  police 
station  No.  2,  to  the  depth  of  nine  inches  on  the  floor.  The 
prisoners  had  to  be  transferred  to  the  second  story  and  the 
oflBcers  were  obliged  to  sit  up  all  night  and  watch  them.  The 
causeway  between  West  New  Brighton  and  Port  Richmond  was 
covered  by  two  feet  of  water,  and  the  torrent,  as  it  swept  over, 
took  with  it  a  cow,  two  pigs  and  a  great  quantity  of  miscellane- 
ous property.  In  this  part  of  the  island  the  story  of  demol- 
ished bridges,  inundated  floors  and  uptorn  sidewalks  and 
streets  were  on  every  hand  too  frequent  to  be  particularized. 

A  very  appropriate  and  commendable  demonstration  was 
made  by  the  people  of  this  county  on  the  anniversary  of  the 
second  centennial  of  the  organization  of  the  county  of  Rich- 
mond. The  credit  of  being  the  first  to  suggest  such  a  demon- 
stration here  is  given  to  Mr.  Robert  Moore,  then  supervisor  of 
Castleton.  In  accordance  with  that  suggestion  the  board  of 
supervisors  called  a  meeting  of  citizens  to  cooperate  with  them 
in  perfecting  plans  for  such  a  celebration. 

The  first  meeting  of  citizens  was  held  September  22d,  1883, 
:at  which  Hon.  Erastus  Brooks  was  chosen  president;  Hon. 
■George  William  Curtis,  Louis  De  Jonge,  Erastus  Wiman  and 
Dr.  Ephraim  Clark,  vice-presidents;  George  H.  Daley,  record- 
ing secretary,  and  Charles  Arthur  Hollick,  corresponding  sec- 
retary. 


HISTORY  OF  KICHMON0  COUNTY.  323 

At  this  meeting  tlie  subject  was  fully  discussed,  and  the  su- 
pervisors were  authorized  to  appoint  a  committee  of  four 
citizens  from  each  town,  in  conjunction  with  themselves,  to  act  as 
a  committee  of  arrangements.  This  committee  was  afterward  in- 
creased to  nine  from  each  town,  which,  together  with  the  super- 
visors, was  to  be  known  as  the  citizens'  committee  of  fifty. 
At  this  meeting,  on  motion  of  Dr.  Ephraim  Clarke,  Hon.  Eras- 
tus  Brooks  was  unanimously  chosen  to  prepare  and  deliver  an 
historical  address.  At  a  subsequent  meeting  of  this  committee. 
Professor  Anton  G.  Methfessel  was  chosen  chairman,  and  Theo- 
dore C.  Vermilye,  secretary. 

A  sub-committee  of  four  from  each  town,  in  conjunction  with 
the  supervisors,  was  appointed  by  the  chairman,  to  be  known 
as  the  executive  committee,  and  to  them  was  referred  the  whole 
subject  of  preparing  a  plan  for  the  celebration.  The  executive 
committee  organized,  with  Frederick  White  as  chairman  and 
Duncan  B,.  Norvell  asvsecretary,  and  after  considerable  discus- 
sion, a  parade  was  decided  upon,  and  full  particalars  reported 
to  the  committee  of  fifty. 

The  executive  committee  was  composed  of  the  following  men: 
George  Bechtel,  Frederick  White,  Philip  Wolff,  A.  G.  Meth- 
fessel, Nathaniel  Marsh,  Benjamin  Brown,  C.  A.  Hart,  D.  J. 
Tysen,  Abram  Crocheron,  DeWitt  Stafford,  Robert  Moore,  D. 
E..  Norvell,  R.  B.  Whittemore,  Read  Benedict,  Jesse  Oakley, 
B.  H.  Warford,  M.  Conklin,  P.  G.  Ullman,  J.  H.  Van  Clief, 
sr.,  William  Ricard;  Frederick  White,  chairman;  Duncan  R. 
Norvell,  secretary. 

Arrangements  having  been  perfected,  in  accordance  therewith 
the  procession  formed  at  Elm  Park  at  12  o'clock  at  noon  on  the 
1st  of  November,  1888.  The  procession  was  made  up  of  the 
following  organizations  in  the  order  named:  mounted  police, 
Kickapoo  Indians  in  a  wagon.  Fort  Hamilton  band,  marshals, 
Staten  Island  Schutzen  Corps,  chariot  containing  "Goddess  of 
Liberty,"  Tottenville  Cornet  Band  and  Drum  Corps,  Battalion 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  Shaw  Post,  Lenhart  Post,  fifty 
sons  of  veterans,  disabled  veterans  on  a  truck,  citizens'  associ- 
ation, carriages  containing  speakers,  county  officials,  Staten  Is- 
land Quartette  Club  and  citizens, Citizens'  Cornet  Band  of  South 
Amboy,  Red  Cross  Division  of  Knights  of  Pythias  of  South 
Amboy,  Protection  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  of  Perth 
Amboy,  Lincoln   Hose    Company  of   Perth    Amboy,    Totten- 


324  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

ville  Hook  and  .Ladder  Company  No.  1,  Kreischer- 
ville  Drum  Corps,  one  hundred  and  forty  employees  of  B. 
Kreischer  &  Sons,  New  Dorp  Pioneer  Corps,  Mulligan's  Band 
of  New  York,  one  hundred  men  of  One  Hundred  and  Thirteenth 
regiment,  Washington  Band,  Enterprise  Hook  and  Ladder  Comr 
pany  No.  1  of  Stapleton,  Neptune  Engine  Company  No.  6, 
Protection  Engine  Company  No.  7.  Sixty-ninth  Regiment  Drum 
Corps,  Excelsior  Bucket  Company  No.  1,  Relief  Bucket  Com- 
pany, Engine  Company.  No.  8  of  Clifton,  Columbia  ,  Cornet 
Band  of  Pleasant  Plains,  Clifton  Hose  Company  No.  6,  Excel- 
sior Drum  Corps  of  Tompkinsville,  Ben.  Brown  Hose  No.  3, 
Eterick's  Band  of  Brooklyn,  Engine  Company  No.  9,  Robinson 
Hose  No.  9,  Forty-seventh  Regiment  Drum  Corps,  Neptunp 
Engine  Company  No.  1  of  West  Hoboken,  Lincoln  Club  Band, 
Niagara  Engine  No.  5,  Neptune  Hose  No.  1,  Olvany's  Band^ 
Columbia  Hook  and  Ladder,  South  Amboy  Band,  Continental 
Council  No.  27,  Order  United  American  Mechanics,  the  Z.  Z.  Z. 
Z.  Social  Club,  Newark  Cornet  Band, Colored  Citizens'  Associa- 
tion of  Newark,  Twelfth  Regiment  Band,  Washington  Engine 
No.  4  of  Port  Richmond,  Osceola  Cornet  Band  of  Mariners' 
Harbor,  Aquehonga  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  No.  1,  West 
Brighton  Band,  Cataract  Engine  Company  No.  2  of  West 
Brighton,  Union  Base-ball  Clubs  of  Young  Men's  Christian 
Union  of  West  Brighton,  Elizabeth  Cornet  Band,  Granite  Hook 
and  Ladder  Company  No.  2,  Port  Richmond  Engine  Company 
No.  8,  Medora  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  No.  3  of  West 
Brighton,  Joyce' s  Band  of  New  York,  New  Brighton  Engine 
Company  No.  4,  Friendship  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  No. 
4,  Oceanic  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  No.  1  of  Travisville, 
Linoleum  Social  Club,  In-Seine  Club  and  sixty-seven  vehicles 
representing  trades,  business,  characters  and  fancies,  among 
which  were  several  four-horse  turnouts,  and  one  wagon  drawn 
by  ten  horses.  A  large  number  of  private  wagons  followed  to 
" bring  up  the  rear.  The  procession  started  at  12  o'clock,  and 
proceded  by  the  Shore  road  to  Finger  Board  road  and  then  re- 
turned to  Stapleton  Flats,  where  a  large  tent  had  been  erected 
in  which  addresses  were  made  and  music  was  given.  Invitationjs 
had  been  given  to  the  president,  governor,  mayors  of  New  York 
and  Brooklyn  and  G-eneral  Hancock  to  participate  in  the  ceremo- 
nies, none  of  whom  however  found  it  practicable  to  attend. 
By  the  favor  of  the  secretary  of  the  navy,  obtained   through 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  325 

Hon.  Perry  Belmont,  the  United  States  ship  "Vandalia,"  an- 
chored off  Stapleton,  where  she  lay  during  the  day,  being  deco- 
rated with  flags  and  tired  a  salute  of  twenty-one  guns  at  noon. 
For  the  public  exercises  of  the  occasion  a  large  tent  had  been 
erected  on  a  portion  of  Stapleton  Flats.  The  interior  was  taste- 
fully trimmed  with  United  States  flags.  At  the  conclusion  of 
the  parade  the  meeting  in  the  tent  was  called  to  order  by  the 
secretary,  Theodore  C.  Vermilye.  Prayer  was  offered  by  the 
Eev.  Dr.  Brownlee.  Dr.  Ephraim  Clark  was  made  chairman 
of  the  meeting,  and  addresses  were  delivered  by  Hon.  Erastus 
Brooks,  Hon.  Perry  Belmont,  Hon.  George  William  Curtis, 
Hon.  A.  S.  Sullivan,  Hon.  Henry  J.  Scudder  and  Hon.  Brad- 
ford L.  Prince,  the  exercises  closing  with  prayer  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Palmer  of  Tottenville.  In  the  evening  a  grand  display  of 
fireworks  was  made  at  Stapleton,  and  thus  closed  the  day  cele- 
brated to  mark  the  completion  of  two  centuries  of  the  exist- 
ence of  Richmond  county. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

CIVIL  DIVISIONS  AND  CIVIL  OFFICERS. 

The  County.— The   Towns.— The  Villages.— Hon.   Daniel  D.   Tompkins.— Hon. 
Erastus  Brooks. — Cornelius  A.  Hart. 

WE  have  already  seen  in  a  previous  chapter  that  the  county 
of  Richmond  was  erected  by  an  act  of  the  colonial  legis- 
lature, "  to  divide  this  province  and  dependencies  into  Shires 
and  Counties,"  which  was  passed  November  1,  1688.  The  act 
specified — "The  county  of  Richmond  to  conteyne  all  Staten 
Island,  Shutter's  Island,  and  the  islands  of  meadow  on  the 
west  side  thereof." 

Under  this  organization  it  remained  till  the  colonial  govern- 
ment was  supplanted  by  that  of  the  state,  when,  by  the  act  of 
the  state  legislature  passed  March  7,  1788,  for  dividing  the 
state  into  counties,  the  previous  organization  was  confirmed  in 
the  following  language,  which  differs  from  that  in  the  former 
act  only  in  orthography: — "The  County  of  Richmond  to  con- 
tain all  Staten- Island,  Shooter's -Island  and  the  Islands  of 
Meadow  on  the  West  Side  thereof." 

The  act  of  March  7,  1788,  dividing  the  counties  of  this  state 
into  towns,  gives  the  division  of  Richmond  as  follows: 

"And  all  that  Part  of  the  County  oi  lilcTimond,  bounded 
northerly  by  Kill- Van- Cull,  easterly  by  Hudson's- River,  south- 
erly by  the  Road  leading  from  Tan  Buer son's  Ferry  south- 
ward of  the  Watering -Place  to  Richmond- Town,  and  westerly 
by  a  Lyne  beginning  at  the  Mouth  of  Dong  an' s  Mill-creek, 
and  running  from  thence  along  the  Line  of  the  Manor  of 
Castle-Town  to  the  Road  at  the  Rear  of  the  Patent  of  Corsen 
and  Company,  thence  along  the  northerly  Side  of  ^;he  said 
Road  westerly  to  the  Road  leading  to  HaughwouCs  Mill,  and 
then  southerly  along  the  westerly  Side  of  the  last  mentioned 
Road  as  it  runs  along  by  Richard  Conner's,  to  the  Tavern 
called  the  Rose  and  Crown,  on  the  said  Road  leading  to  Rich- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  327 

mond-Town,  shall  be  and  hereby  is  erected  into  a  Town  by  the 
Name  of  Gastle-Town. 

"  And  that  all  that  Part  of  the  said  County  of  Eichmond, 
bounded  northerly  by  the  North  Side  of  said  Road  leading 
from  Van  Duerson^s  Ferry  to  Richmond- Tov^n  and  the  Fresh- 
Kill,  easterly  by  Hudson^ s-River,  southerly  by  the  Bay,  and 
westerly  by  a  Line  beginning  on  the  Fresh-Kill  at  the  North- 
west Corner  of  the  Land  and  Meadow  late  of  James  Egberts, 
and  running  from  thence  southerly  along  the  same  to  Egberts' 
Lane,  and  then  along  the  same  Lane  to  the  Eoad  called  the 
New  Road  and  then  along  the  same  New  Road  westerly  to  the 
Land  of  Henry  Ferine,  and  then  southerly  along  his  easterly 
Bounds  to  the  Bay  shall  be,  and  hereby  is  erected  into  a  Town 
by  the  Name  of  South-field. 

"And  that  all  that  Fart  of  the  said  County  of  Richmond, 
bounded  northerly  by  the  Fresh-Kill,  easterly  by  Southfield, 
southerly  by  the  Bay,  and  westerly  by  the  Sound,  shall  be, 
and  hereby  is  erected  into  a  Town  by  the  Name  of  Westfield. 

"  And  that  all  the  Residue  of  the  said  County  of  Richmond, 
shall  be,  and  hereby  is  erected  into  a  Town  by  the  Name  of 
Northfield:' 

The  following  men  from  this  county  have  been  members  of 
important  state  and  national  representative  bodies  as  indi- 
cated: 

Members  of  the  Provincial  Congress: — Adrian  Bancker,  2d 
Frov.  Cong.,  1775-76  ;  Richard  Conner,  1st  and  3d  Prov. 
Cong.,  1775-76  ;  Aaron  Cortelyou,  1st  and  3d  Frov.  Cong.,  1775 
-76  ;  John  Journeay,  1st  and  3d  Frov.  Cong.,  1775-76  ;  Richard 
Lawrence,  1st  and  2d  Frov.  Cong.,  1775-76  ;  Faul  Micheau,  1st 
and  3d  Prov.  Cong.,  1775-76. 

Representatives  in  Congress: — Daniel  D.  Tompkins,  9th 
Congress,  1805-06  ;  Henry  Crocheron,  14th  Congress,  1815-17  ; 
James  Guj'on,  Jr.,  16th  Congress,  1819-21 ;  Jacob  Crocheron, 
21st  Congress,  1829-31  ;  Samuel  Barton,  24th  Congress,  1833-37; 
Joseph  Egbert,  27th  Congress,  1841-43  ;  Henry  I.  Seaman,  29th 
Congress,  1843-47;  Obadiah  Bowne,  32d  Congress,  1851-53; 
Henry  G.  Stebbins,  38th  Congress,  resigned  ;  Dwight  Townsend, 
38th  Congress,  1863-65  ;  Henry  B.  Metcalfe,  44th  Congress,  1875 
-77. 

Presidential  Electors  .•—1808,  John  G-arretson  ;  1812,  Joseph 
Ferine  ;  1836,  Jacob  Crocheron  ;  1840,  John  T.  Harrison  ;  1844, 


328  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

John  C.  Thompson  ;  1848,  James  M.  Cross  ;  1856,  Minthorne 
Tompkins  ;  1864,  Obadiah  Bowne. 

State  Senators  /—Paul  Micheau,  1789-92 ;  Jacob  Tysen, 
1828 ;  Harman  B.  Cropsey,  1832-35 ;  Minthorne  Tompkins, 
1840-41  ;  James  E.  Cooley,  1852-53 ;  Robert  Christie,  Jr., 
1864-65;  Nicholas  La  Bau,  1866  67  ;  Samuel  H.  Frost,  1870-71. 

Members  of  the  State  Qonstitutional  Conventions : — Conven- 
tion of  1788,  Abraham  Bancker,  Gozen  Ryerss  ;  1801,  Joseph 
Ferine  ;  1821,  Daniel  D.  Tompkins  ;  1845,  John  T.  Harrison  ; 
1868,  George  Wm.  Curtis. 

Regents  of  the  University : — Abraham  Bancker,  John  C. 
Dongan,  first  board,  1784  ;  Harmanus  Garrison,  second  board, 
1784  ;  after  which  time  the  county  was  not  represented  in  the 
board  until  April  12th,  1864,  when  George  Wm.  Curtis  was  ap- 
pointed, and  still  continues  in  office  (1886). 

The  following  men  have  served  the  county  in  the  offices 
specified  during  the  years  indicated  : 

Judges  of  the  County  Courts : — 1691,  Ellis  Duxbury  ;  1710, 
Daniel  Lake;  1711,  Joseph  Billop;  1712,  Thomas  Farmar;  1739, 
Eichard  Merrill  ;  1739,  John  Le  Conte ;  1756,  William  Walton 
(He  was  also  a  member  of  the  council  from  1758  to  1768,  when 
he  died) ;  1761,  Joseph  Bedell  ;  1775,  Benjamin  Seaman  ;  1786, 
Paul  Micheau  ;  1797,  Gozen  Ryerss  ;  1802,  John  J.  Murray  ; 
1803,  John  Garretson  ;  1823,  Jacob  Tysen;  1840,  Henry  B.  Met- 
calfe ;  1841,  William  Emerson  ;  1844,  Albert  Ward  ;  1847,  Hen- 
ry B.  Metcalfe ;  1876,  Tompkins  Westervelt ;  1882,  Stephen  D. 
Stephens,  Jr. 

District  Attorneys*  .-—1818,  George  Metcalfe;  1826,  Henry  B. 
Metcalfe  ;  1833,  Thorn  S.  Kingsland;  1839,  George  Catlin;  1840, 
Roderick  IST.  Morrison  ;  1841,  Lot  C.  Clark  ;  1849,  George  Cat- 
lin ;  1850,  George  White  ;  1853,  Alfred  DeGroot ;  1860,  Abra- 
ham W.  Winant  ;  1865,  John  H.  Hedley  ;  1872,  Sidney  F. 
Rawson  ;  1875,  John  Croak  ;  1881,  John  Gallagher. 

Surrogates,  under  Colonial  Government :  1733,  Walter  Don- 
gan ;  1759,  Benjamin  Seaman. 

Under  Federal  Oovernment : — 1787,  Adrian  Bancker  ;  1792, 
Abraham  Bancker  ;  1809,  John  Housman  ;  1810,  Cornelius  Be- 
dell ;  1811,  Jonathan  Lewis  ;  1813,  Cornelius  Bedell ;  1815,  Tu- 
nis Egbert ;  1820,  Richard  Conner  ;  1820,  John  Garrison  ;  1821, 
Tunis  Egbert ;  1830,  Richard  Crocheron  ;  1843,  Lewis  R.  Marsh; 

*This  was  made  a  county  office  in  1818. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  OOtJNTY.  329 

1847,  Henry  B.  Metcalfe  ;  1876,  Tompkins  Wester^elt ;  1882, 
Stephen  D.  Stephens,  Jr. 

County  Clerks:— 1682,  Francis  Williamson;  1684,  Samuel 
Winder;  1689,  Jacob  Corbet;  1691,  Thomas  Carhart;  1698, Thomas 
Coen;  1706,  William  Tillyer;  1708,  Alexander  Stuart;  1728, 
Adam  Mott;  1738,  Daniel  Stilwell;  1739,  Daniel  Corsen;  1761, 
Paul  Micheau:  1781,  Abraham  Bancker;  1784,  John  Mersereau; 

1798,  Joseph  Ferine;  1810,  John  V.  D.  Ja'cobsen;  1811,  Joseph 
Ferine;  1815,  Jonathan  Lewis;  1828,  Walter  Betts;  1843,  Joshua 
Mersereau,  Jr.;  1852,  Israel  C.  Denyse;  1855,  James  Cubberly; 
1858,  Israel  C.  Denyse;  1861,  Abraham  V-  Connor;  1864,  Michael 

F.  O'Brien; ,  Joseph  Egbert;  1869,  John  H.  Van  Clief,  Jr.; 

1873,  David  H.  Cortelyou;  1876,  Abraham  V.  Conner;  1879,  Cor- 
nelius A.  Hart. 

School  Superintendents,  etc.: — Harman  B.  Cropsey,  county 
superintendent,  appointed  1843.  David  A.  Edgar,  Henry  M. 
Boehm,  Isaac  Lea,  James  Brownlee,  county  commissioners, 
elected. 

Sheriffs:— 1863,  John  Falmer;  1684,  Thomas  Lovelace;  1685, 
Thomas  Stilwell;  1689,  EliCrossen;  1691,  Thomas  Stilwell;  1692, 
John  Stilwell;  1698,  John  De  Fue;.1699,  Jacob  Coulsen;  1700, 
Christian  Corsen;  1701,  John  De  Fue;  1702,  Lambert  Grarrison; 
1709,  William  Tillyer;  1722,  Benjamin  Bill;  1730,  Charles  Garri- 
son; 1736,  -Paul  Micheau;  1739,  Mcholas  Larzalere;  1751,  John 
Hillyer;  1775,  Thomas  Frost;  1784,  Abraham  Bancker;  1788, 
Lewis  Ryerss;  1792,  Benjamin  Farker;  1796,  Isaac  Cubberly; 

1799,  John  Hillyer;  1802,  Jacob  Crocheron;  1806,  Jonathan  Lewis; 
1810,  Daniel  Guyon;  1811,  Jacob  Crocheron;  1813,  Jacob  Hillyer; 
1815,  Henry  Ferine;  1819,  John  Hillyer;  1821,  Jacob  Crocheron; 
1825,  Walter  Betts;  1828,  Harman  B.  Cropsey;  1831,  Lawrence 
Hillyer;  1834,  Israel  Oakley;  1837,  Andrew  B.  Decker;  1840, 
Jacob  Simonson;  1843,  Israel  O.  Dissosway;  1846,  Jacob  G. 
Guyon;  1849,  Israel  O.  Dissosway;  1852,  Abraham  Ellis;  1855, 
Abraham  Lockman;  1858,  Isaac  M.  Marsh;  1861,  Moses  Alston; 
1864,  Abraham  Winant;  1867,  Jacob  G.  Winant;  1870,  Moses 
Alston;  1673,  William  C.  Denyse;  1876,  Benjamin  Brown;  1880, 
Abraham  V.  Conner;  1883,  Benjamin  Brown;  1886,  John  J. 
Vaughn,  Jr. 

Members  of  the  Colonial  Assemhly  : — John  Dally,  1691;  Lam- 
bert Dorland,  1691 ;  Ellis  Duxbury,  1691-95-98  ;  Thomas  Mor- 
gan, 1692-98-1702 ;  J.  T.  Van  Felt,  1692-97-98  ;  John  Shadwell, 


830  HISTOEr  OF  EICHMOND  COUNT?. 

1693-95 ;  Thomas  Stilwell,  1693-98 ;  John  Tunison,  1694-95-98  ; 
John  Woglom,  1698-99  ;  Garret  Ve^fhte,  1699,  1702  ;  John  Stil- 
well, 1702,-25  ;  Abraham  Lakerman,  1702-26  ;  Richard  Merrill, 
1725-37 ;  John  Le  Count,  1726-56  ;  Adam  Mott,  1737-39  ;  Richard 
Stilwell,  1739-48;  Paul  Micheau,  1748-51;  William  T.  Walton, 
1751-61;  Benjamin  Seaman,  1756-75;  Henry  Holland,  1761-69; 
Christopher  Billop,  1769-75. 

Members  of  Assembly  for  Richmond  County^  under  the  State 
Government : — Abraham  Jones,  1777-78;  Joshua  Mersereau, 
1777-78;  no  name  recorded,  1778-79,  Joshua  Mersereau,  1779- 
80,  1780-81,  1781-82,  1782-83;  Adrian  Bancker,  1784;  Johannes 
Van  Wagenen,  1784;  Joshua  Mersereau,  1784-85;  Cornelius 
Corsen,  1784-85;  Joshua  Mersereau,  1786;  John  Dongan,  1786; 
John  C.  Dongan,  1787;  Thomas  Frost,  1787;  John  C.  Dongan, 
1788;  Peter  Winant,  1788;  Abraham  Bancker,  1788-89;  John 
C.  Dongan,  1788-89  ;  Abraham  Bancker,  1789-90 ;  Peter 
Winant,  1789-90;  Peter  Winant,  1791;  Gozen  Ryerss,  1791, 
1792,  1793,  1794;  Lewis  Ryerss,  1795,  1796,  1797;  Paul  J. 
Micheau,  1798,  1799;  John  P.  Ryerss,  1800;  Paul  J.  Micheau, 
1800-01,  1802,  1803;  John  Housman,  1804;  John  Dunn,  1804-05, 
1806;  David  Mersereau,  1807,  1608,  1808-09;  Richard  Conner, 
1810;  James  Guyon,  1811,  1812;  James  Guyon,  Jr.,  1812-13, 
1814;  Jesse  Oakley,  1814-15;  Richard  Corsen,  1816;  Richard  C. 
Corsen,  1816-17,  1818;  Harmanus  Guyon,  1819,  1820;  Samuel 
Barton,  1820-21,  1822;  Isaac  R.  Housman,  1823;  Henry  Perine, 
1824;  Harmanus  Garrison,  1825;  no  election,  1826;  Abraham 
Cole,  1827,  1828;  John  Vanderbilt,  1829:  John  T.  Harrison, 
1830,  1831;  Jacob  Mersereau,  1832,  1833;  Paul  Mersereau,  1834; 
Lawrence  Hillyer,  1835;  John  Garrison,  Jr.,  1836;  Lawrence 
Hillyer,  1837;  Israel  Oakley,  1838,  1839;  Bornt  P.  Winant. 
1840;  Israel  Oakley,  1841;  Henry  Cole,  1842,  1843;  William 
ISTickles,  1844;  Peter  Mersereau,  1845;  George  H.  Cole,  1846, 
1847;  Ephraim  J.  Totten,  1848;  Gabriel  P.  Disosway,  1849; 
Beniamin  P.  Prall,  1850;  William  H.  Anthon,  1851;  Lawrence 
H.  Cortelyou,  1852;  Henry  De  Hart,  1853;  Nicholas  Crocheron, 
1854;  John  F.  Raymond,  1855;  William  J.  Shea,  1856;  Joshua 
Mersereau,  1857;  Eben  W.  Hubbard,  1858;  Robert  Christie,  Jr., 
1859;  Theodore  C.  Vermilye,  1860;  N.  Dane  EUingwood,  1861; 
Smith  Ely,  1862;  Theodore  Frean,  1863;  William  H.  Rutan, 
1864;  James  Ridgway,  1865;  Thomas  Child,  1866;  Nathaniel  J. 
Wyeth,   1867;   John   Decker,    1868-71;   David  W.  Jndd,  1872; 


HISTORY  OF  KICHMOJSTD  COUNTY.  331 

John  B.  Hillj-er,  1873;  Stephen  D.  Stephens,  Jr.,  1874-75; 
Kneeland  Townsend,  1876;  Samuel  K.  Brick,  1877;  Erastus 
Brooks,  1878,  1879,  1881,  1882,  1883;  Oliver  Fiske,  1880;  Ed- 
ward A.  Moore,  1884;  Michael  S.  Tynan,  1885;  Edward  P. 
Doyle,  1886;  Edward  A.  Moore,  1887. 

Supervisors  of  the  several  towns  in  Richmond  county  since 
the  beginning  of  the  year  1766,  alphabetically  arranged: 

CaMletmzzzi3aMJ>s,__QeorgSL,_J392  Barrett,  JSTathan,  1887- 
R8r'"BaThanck,  Ahrahgrn,  179^-Q^;  Gary,  Richard  S.,  1804; 
ChriSTopEerTRichard,  1846,  1849,  1857-8-9,  1868-9,  1874-5-6; 
Clute,  John  J.,  1860;  Conner,  Richard,  1766  84,  1786-92;  Crab- 
tree,  James  H.,  1865;  Crocheron,  Abraham,  1832-3;  Davis, 
George  B.,  1853;  De  Groot,  Jacob,  1839;  Dongan,  John  C,  1785; 
Ely,  Smith,  1861-2;  Esterbrook,  Joseph,  1866;  Gardiner,  David 
L.,  1864;  Garrison,  John,  1803;  Garrison,  John,  Jr.,  1834  5-6; 
Hazard,  Robert  M,  1847-8;  Heal,  Nathan  M.,  1867;  Herpeck, 
Charles  A.,  1877;  Housman,  John,  1799  to  1802,  1810;  Hous- 
man,  Isaac  R.,  1822-31;  Laforge,  Peter  D.,  1841-2;  .Martling, 
Joseph  B.  H.,  1850-52;  Martino,  Gabriel,  1855;  Mersereau, 
Joshua,  1854;  Minturn,  Robert  B.,  1871;  Pell,  D.  Archie,  1870; 
Thompson,  John  C,  1840;  Tysen,  Jacob,  1811-21;  Tysen,  John, 
Jr.,  1805-09;  Vermeule,  John  D.,  1872-3;  Vreeland,  Eder,  1844- 
5;  Ward,  Albert,  1843. 

iVbr^7i'^eZ(^;— Bedell,  Cornelius,  1790,  1794;  Burger,  James  G., 
1855;  Child,  Thomas,  1863;  Corsen,  Cornelius,  1779-84;  Croch- 
eron, Henry,  1800-04,  1808-14;  Crocheron,  Nicholas,  1805-7, 
1825-30,  1846-7^  Crocheron,  Richard,  1816  23;  Denyse,  Israel  C, 
1866-7;  Hillyer,  John,  1767;  Hillyer,  John  B.,  1872;  Hillyer, 
John,  Jr.,  1772-3;  Hillyer,  Lawrence,  1851,  1856;  Laforge,  Peter 
C,  1862;  Lake,  Daniel,  1795  97;  Latourette,  Henry,  1767;  La- 
tourette,  Richard,  1876-77;  Martin,  Oliver  R.,  1848;  Mersereau, 
David,  1816;  Mersereau,  Jacob,  1792-3,  1799;  Mersereau,  John, 
1788;  Mersereau, Peter,  1841-44;  Moore,  Richard  C.,1854;  Perine, 
James,  1831-32;  Post,  Garret  G.,  1850,  1857  61;  Prall,  William, 
1824;  Ryerss,  Gozen,  1785-87;  Simonson,  Bornt,  1774-78;  Si- 
monson.  Garret,  1873-76;  Simonson,  Jacob,  1833  40,  1849;  Tysen, 
John,  1789,  1791,  1798;  Wright,  Garret  P.,  1852;  Van  Clief, 
John  H.,  1868-71;  Van  Name,  Charles,  1853,1864;  Van  Name, 
Michael,  1845. 

SoutTifield.-— Barnes,  George,  1789,  1800;  Barton,  Edward  P., 
1869;  Barton,  Samuel,  1852,  1857;  Brady,  Philip,  1870;  Britton, 


332  HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Alexander  H.,  1844;  Clark,  Ephraim,  1866-67;  Cocroft,  James, 
1865;  Coddington,  Samuel,  1841-43,  1857;  Cole,  George  H.,  1845; 
Corry,  William,  1876,  1877;  Cortelyou,  Peter,  1789  98;  Egbert, 
Joseph,  1855-56;  Fountain,  Anthony,  1767,  1769,  1784;  Gar- 
rison,  John  C,  1849,  1858-60;  Greenfield,  George  J.,  1872  to — ; 
Guyon,  Harmanus,  1816-20,  1822-33;  Guyon,  James,  1782-3, 1785- 
6;  Guyon,  James,  1838-40,  1847-8,  1850-51;  Hall,  Farnham,  1846; 
Jacobson,  Christian,  1772-81;  Jacobson,  John  V.  D.,  1802-15; 
Johnson,  Anthony,  1834-36;  Keeley,  Dennis,  1861-64,  1871; 
Ketteltas,  J.  S.,  1868;  Mersereau,  Jacob  W.,  1853-4;  Ferine, 
Henry,  1821;  Poillon,  John,  1766,  1768;  Tysen,  John,  1795-98. 

Westjield  :—BariGker,  Adrian,  1772-73;  Cole,  Cornelius,  1788, 
1794;  Cole,  Gilbert  A.,  1857,  1862;  Cropsey,  Jacob  R.  1844-45; 
Depuy,  Nicholas,  1766  to  1769;  Eddy,  Andrew,  1846;  Ellis, 
George  W.,  1870-71;  Frost,  Samuel  H.,  1851  to  1856;  Guyon, 
Jacob,  M.,  1876;  Jackson,  Richard,  1828;  Larzelere,  Benjamin, 
1789,  1795  to  1801;  Latourette,  David,  1835-36;  Mersereau, 
Daniel,  1829-33;  Micheau,  Pa.ul,  1790-93;  Oakley,  Israel,  1840; 
Oakley,  Jesse,  1850;  Ferine,  Henry,  1774-83;  Rutan,  William 
H.,  1858-61;  Seguine,  Henry  H.,  1874,  1877;  Segaine,  Joseph, 
1826,  1837-39;  Tstten,  Ephraim  J.,  1847,  1849;  Totten,  Gilbert, 
1802-25,  1827;  Totten,  John,  1784,  1809-25,  1827;  Winant,  Peter, 
1785-87;  Winant,  Bornt  P.,  1834,  1841-43, 1848;  Wood,  Abraham 
H.,  1864-65;  Wood,  Abraham  J.,  1866  69,  1872-73. 

Middletown: — Armstrong,  John  E.,  1873;  Bechtel,  John,  1864; 
Bradley,  AMn  C,  1872;  Brick,  Samuel  R.,  1868-71;  Davis, 
George  B.,  1861;  Frean,  Theodore,  1866,  1877;  Frost,  Henry, 
1876;  Hornby,  Alexander,  1862;  Lord,  D.  Porter,  1865,  1867; 
White,  Frederick,  1874;  Wood,  Jacob  B.,  1860. 

N.  B. — There  is  no  record  of  supervisors'  names  earlier  than 
1766,  except  in  a  few  instances  noticed  below.  The  names  of 
the  supervisors  of  1770  and  1771  are  not  recorded.  It  is  pos- 
sible that  the  names  of  some  of  the  earliest  supervisors  are 
arranged  under  the  wrong  town,  as  in  no  case  are  the  names  of 
the  towns  and  supervisors  connected. 

Supervisors  prior  to  1766: — 1699 — William  Tiljeu,  North; 
Anthony  Tyson,  West;  Abm.  Lakeman,  South.  1703 — Richard 
Merrill,  North;  Stofifel  Garrison,  South;  Anthony  Tysen,  West. 

1704 Merrill,  North;  Tunis  Egbert,  West.     1705— Aron 

Prall,    North;  Tunis  Egbert,  West;  Stoffel  Van   Sant,  South. 
1706— Tunis  Egbert,  West;  Aaron  Prall,    North.     1709  -Alex- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  333 

ander  Stuart,    South;    Jacob  Corsen.    North;    Tunis    Egbert, 
West. 

The  earliest  record  of  a  town  election  in  Castleton  now  to  be 
found  is  that  dated  1781.  At  that  election  the  following  officers 
were  chosen:  Richard  Conner,  supervisor;  Peter  Housman, 
clerk;  James  Lisk,  constable  and  collector;  Peter  Housman 
and  George  Barnes,  assessors;  Peter  Housman  and  Daniel 
Corsen,  commissioners  of  roads,  and  other  officers. 

The  following  list,  dated  December  22,  1783,  in  Castleton, 
contains  the  "  Names  of  the  i)ersons  that  swore  to  the  State  of 
New  York."  Hendrick  Garrison,  John  Wandel,  John  C. 
Dongan,  John  Dorsett,  Matthew  Decker,  Tunis  Egberts,  Na- 
thaniel Britten,  Abraham  Egberts,  Joseph  Barton,  Daniel 
Corsen,  Joseph  Christopher,  Abraham  Housman,  Matthias 
Smith,  John  Housman,  Thomas  Kingston,  Edward  Blake, 
Samuel  Van  Pelt,  James  Johnston,  John  Lisk,  John  Bodine, 
Nicholas  Bush,  William  Van  Pelt,  Edward  Egberts  and 
George  Barns. 

The  town  of  Middletown  was  erected  by  an  act  of  the  state  leg- 
islature passed  April  16th,  1860.  It  was  formed  from  parts  of 
Southfield  and  Castleton,  the  ntew  town  being  bounded  by  aline 
"  commencing  on  the  bay  or  shore  on  the  east  side  of  Staten 
Island  at  the  point  where  the  Richmond  turnpike  strikes  said 
bay;  thence  running  westerly  along  said  Richmond  turnpike 
road  to  the  town  of  Northlield;  thence  southerly  on  the  line 
between  the  towns  of  Northfield  and  Castleton  to  where  said 
line  terminates  at  Southfield;  thence  northeasterly  on  the  line 
between  Castleton  and  Southfield,  along  the  Richmond  plank- 
road  to  Vanderbilt  avenue;  thence  easterly  along  the  south- 
erly side  of  said  Vanderbilt  avenue  to  the  bay  of  New  York; 
thence  northerly  along  the  shore  or  bay  of  New  York  to  the 
point  of  beginning."  These  bounds  included  the  eastern  por- 
tion of  Southfield  and  the  southerly  portion  of  Castleton.  The 
first  town  meeting  of  the  new  town  was  held  at  Nautilus  hall, 
on  the  second  day  of  May  following,  and  the  act  appointed 
Thomas  Standerwick,  Thomas  Garrett  and  Cary  Devery  to  pre- 
side at  that  meeting. 

The  village  of  Edgewater,  comprising  part  of  Tompkinsville, 
and  all  of  Stapleton  and  Clifton,  was  originally  incorporated  in 
1866,  being  then  divided  into  nine  wards,  but  some  legal  defect 
having  been  detected,  a  new  charter  was  obtained  the  following 


334  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

year.  The  names  of  the  first  trustees,  under  the  new  charter, 
and  the  wards  they  represented  were  as  follows  :  William  C. 
Denyse,  1st ;  David  Burgher,  2d  ;  George  Bechtel,  3d  ;  Theo- 
dore Frean,  4th;  Dr. Thomas  C.  Moffat,  .'5th;  James  R.  Robinson, 
6th  ;  Alfred  Wandell,  7th;  Dennis  Keeley,  8th;  J.  Duigan,  9th. 
The  officers  then  were  :  Theodore  Frean,  president ;  Henry  F. 
Standerwick,  clerk  ;  Thomas  Garrett,  police  justice. 

The  experiment  of  village  government  was  not  as  successful 
as  might  be  desired,  and  many  were  in  favor  of  returning  to  the 
former  status  under  the  town.  The  village  charter  was,  how- 
ever, amended  by  acts  of  legislature  in  1870,  1872,  1873,  1874, 
1875,  1877  and  1884.  Under  the  charter  of  1875  the  village  was 
divided  into  only  two  wards,  with  one  trustee  each,  and  a  third 
trustee  at  large,  who  was  to  be  president  of  the  village  corpora- 
tion. Under  this  charter  the  first  ward  trustees  were  Benjamin 
Brown  and  Mr.  Fellowes ;  and  William  Corry,  president. 
Henry  F.  Standerwick  was  elected  clerk.  By  the  charter  of 
1884  the  village  was  divided  into  five  wards,  and  the  number  of 
trustees  was  correspondingly  increased.  The  boundaries  given 
in  that  charter  are  as  follows  : 

"Commencing  at  a  point  on  the  shore  of  the  bay  of  New 
York,  where  the  center  line  of  Arietta  street,  if  prolonged, 
would  intersect  the  shore  of  said  bay,  and  running  thence  along 
said  center  line  of  Arietta  street,  southwesterly  to  the  center 
line  of  the  Richmond  Turnpike  ;  thence  along  the  said  center 
line  of  the  Richmond  turnpike,  southwesterly  to  the  south- 
westerly side  of  the  Clove  road  ;  thence  along  the  southwester- 
ly side  of  the  Clove  road  southeasterly  to  the  Richmond  road  ; 
thence  along  the  easterly  line  of  the  Richmond  road,  southerly 
to  the  northerly  line  of  the  Old  Town  road  ;  thence  along  the 
northerly  line  of  the  Old  Town  road  six  hundred  feet  ;  and 
thence  on  a  line  parallel  to  and  at  a  distance  of  six  hundred 
feet  from  the  easterly  side  of  the  Richmond  road,  and  continu- 
ing thence  on  a  line  parallel  to  and  at  a  distance  of  six  hundred 
feet  southerly  from  the  southerly  line  of  the  Fingerboard  road 
and  westerly  line  of  Sand  lane  to  where  said  line  intersects  the 
Old  Town  road  ;  thence  in  a  due  southeasterly  line  to  the  lower 
bay  of  New  York  ;  and  thence  along  the  lower  and  upper  bay 
of  New  York,  northeasterly  and  northerly  to  the  place  of  be- 
ginning." 

The  village  of  New  Brighton  was  incorporated  by  act  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  335 

legislature,  April  26,  1866,  and  embraced  the  northerly  half  of 
the  town  of  Castle  ton.  It  was  about  two  and  a  half  miles  long 
in  a  straight  line,  and  about  one  mile  in  width.  This  territory 
was  divided  into  four  wards,  and  the  trustees  appointed  by  the 
same  act  to  carry  its  provisions  into  effect  were :  Augustus 
Prentice,  first  ward  ;  James  W.  Simf>nson,  second  ward  ;  Fran- 
cis G.  Shaw,  third  ward ;  and  William  H.  J.  Bodine,  fourth 
ward.  The  portion  of  the  town  remaining  unincorporated  was 
very  sparsely  populated,  but  was  obliged,  nevertheless,  to  have 
a  full  corps  of  town  officers,  some  of  whom  resided  within  the 
village,  and  exercised  the  offices  without,  as  well  as  within,  and 
the  duties  of  some,  such  as  the  commissioners  of  highways, 
which  office  had  been  abolished  within  the  village,  could  be 
performed  only  in  the  unincorporated  remnant  of  the  town. 
The  bills  rendered  by  these  officers  for  their  services  at  the  end 
of  each  year  were  so  large,  that  the  taxes  outside  of  the  village 
were  greater  than  those  within.  The  only  method  the  people 
could  resort  to  for  ridding  themselves  of  this  burden,  was  to 
seek  admission  into  the  corporation,  which  they  did,  and  in 
1872  the  remainder  of  the  town  was. added  to  the  village,  and 
divided  into  two  wards,  the  fifth  and  sixth.  The  dimensions  of 
the  village  now  are,  about  four  miles  long  and  two  miles  wide. 
In  1871,  a  large  and  elegant  village  hall  was  erected  on  Lafay- 
ette avenue,  corner  of  Second  street,  at  a  cost  of  about  thirty- 
six  thousand  dollars,  including  the  land. 

The  first  village  election  was  held  May  22,  1866,  for  the 
election  of  a  police  justice.  One  of  the  first  ordinances  of  the 
village  trustees,  on  the  12th  of  May,  "ordained"  that  a  public 
pound  be  established  on  the  premises  of  Edward  Roe  on  the 
Mill  road,  and  the  said  Roe  was  appointed  pound  master.  The 
expenses  of  the  village  incorporation  for  the  first  year,  to  June 
1,  1867,  were  twenty-two  thousand  three  hundred  and  twenty- 
six  dollars  and  forty-two  cents.  The  charter  was  amended  by 
acts  of  the  legislature  in  1867,  1871,  1872,  1873  and  1875.  Its 
limits  are  now  identical  with  those  of  the  former  town  of  Cas- 
tleton.  The  office  of  village  president  has  been  held  by  the 
following :  Augustus  Prentice,  1866  ;  John  Laforge,  1867-69  ; 
Anson  Livingston,  1870  ;  George  M.  Usher,  1871 ;  M.  J.  Fowler, 
1872  ;  D.  A.  Pell,  1873  ;  William  Chorlton,  1874  ;  R.  B.  Whitte- 
more,  1875-76  ;  William  II.  J.  Bodine,  1877 ;  Harry  L.  Horton, 
1878-79;  David  J.  H.  Willcox,  1880-84;  John  J.  Featherston, 


336  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

1885.  The  village  clerks  have  been:  Mark  Cox,  1866-69  ;  George 
Bowman,  1870 ;  C.  T.  McCarthy,  1871-78  ;  James  C.  Hill,  1879- 
81 ;  John  J.  Kenney,  1882-85. 

The  village  of  Port  Eichmond  was  incorporated  by  act  of  April 
24,  1866,  but  by  reason  of  the  unconstitutionality  of  the  act, 
which  appointed  trustees  for  the  village,  no  organization  was 
efiPected  until  after  the  passage  of  an  amendment  on  April  25, 
1867.  Pursuant  to  this  last  act  an  election  was  held  May  11, 
1867,  and  Nicholas  Van  Pelt,  George  W.  Jewett,  William  A. 
Ross,  Garret  P.  Wright,  James  B.  Pollock,  and  Henry  Miller, 
Jr.,  were  elected  trustees.  The  boundaries  of  the  village  given 
in  the  charter  are  as  follows  : 

"Northerly,  by  the  river  Kill  Von  Kull ;  easterly,  by  the  line 
between  Castleton  and  Northfield  ;  southerly,  beginning  on  a 
point  at  the  bridge  about  three  hundred  feet  southerly  from  the 
German  Lutheran  church  and  running  thence  westerly  to  the 
southerly  side  of  the  residence  of  Jacob  Hatfield  ;  thence  west- 
erly to  a  monument  on  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Richmond 
granite  quarry  at  the  Morning  Star  road ;  thence  running  a 
westerly  course  to  the  southernmost  line  of  the  property  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  on  the  new  road  at  Mariner's  Har- 
bor ;  thence  following  the  center  of  the  road  a  northerly  course 
to  the  river  Kill  Von  Kull ;  thence  following  the  river  to  the 
place  of  beginning." 

Captain  Nicholas  Van  Pelt  occupied  the  position  of  jiresident 
of  the  board  of  trustees  continuously  from  the  first  till  his 
death  in  December,  1881,  when  he  was  followed  by  Captain 
Garret  P.  Wright  who  has  held  the  office  till  the  present  time 
(1885\  Frederick  Groshon,  the  first  village  clerk,  held  that 
ofiice  till  his  death,  March  12,  1872,  when  he  was  succeeded  by 
De  Witt  Stafford,  who  continues  in  the  office.  James  B.  Pol- 
lock has  been  treasurer  from  the  beginning  to  the  present  time. 

At  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  village  there  was 
only  about  five  hundred  feet  of  sidewalk,  mostly  of  brick,  in 
the  whole  village.  Improvement  of  the  streets  has  since  been 
steadily  carried  forward,  including  the  widening  of  Shore 
road,  Richmond  and  Jewett  avenues,  and  other  roads  of  less 
importance,  until  now  every  street  of  any  considerable  note 
is  not  only  flagged,  curbed  and  guttered,  but  thoroughly 
macadamized.  In  1884  the  village  was  supplied  with  water  by 
contract  with    the  Staten  Island  Water  Company.     Gas  had 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  337 

been  introduced  previous  to  the  organization  of  the  village, 
though  the  corporation  does  not  yet  light  the  streets.  A  public 
park  is  owned  by  the  village,  through  a  gift  of  Messrs.  Peter 
N".  and  YAer  V.  Haughwout  who  dedicated  this  spot  for  that 
purpose.  These  gentlemen,  in  1836,  purchased  the  farm  of 
Judge  David  Mersereau,  which  lay  between  Richmond  avenue 
on  the  wf^st  and  Cottage  place  on  the  east,  and  the  kills  on  the 
north  and  what  is  now  Bond  street  on  the  south.  Upon  this 
they  laid  out  what  has  since  become  the  principal  part  of  the 
village. 


THE  JAQUES  GUION   HOUSE, 
NEW  DORP. 


The  territory  now  in  the  village  limits  lying  east  of  the  tract 
just  described  and  on  the  south  of  it  as  far  west  as  Church 
road  belonged  to  the  John  Simonson  farm  and  was  a  part  of 
the  original  patent  to  Cornelius  Corsen.  Cornelius  Sebring 
owned  a  considerable  tract  lying  on  the  west  side  of  Richmond 
avenue  (originally  called  Church  road),  as  far  west  as  to  take 
in  the  lots  facing  on  the  west  side  of  Mechanics'  avenue,  now 
called  Lafayette  avenue.  A  large  tract  on  both  sides  of  Morn- 
ing Star  road,  and  on  which  are  situated  the  granite  quarries, 
was  formerly  owned  by  Vincent  Fountain,  and  was  purchased 
by  one  David  Sand,  by  whom  it  was  laid  out  into  lots,  and  it 
now  constitutes  the  thriving  middle  and  southerly  portion  of 
the  village,  a  part  of  it  being  known  as  Elm  Park.  The 
Haughwout  tract  before  referred  to  may  be  more  definitely 
described  as  being,  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  kills,  west  by 

23 


338  HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Richmond  avenue,  south  by  the  south  line  of  Bond  street 
and  a  continuation  of  that  line  westward  to  Richmond 
avenue,  and  east  by  a  line  about  twelve  feet  east  of  the  east 
side  of  Cottage  place,  and  a  continuation  of  the  same  line 
north  to  the  kills.  This  was  part  of  a  tract  which  was 
granted  by  Governor  Andros  to  Cornelius  Corsen,  Andrews 
Urianson,  Derrick  Corneliusen  and  John  Peterson,  December 
30,  1680.  That  grant  extended  from  Palmer's  run  and  the 
mill  pond,  eighty-eight  rods  along  the  shore  of  the  kills  to  the 
little  creek  between  the  store  of  Johnson  and  the  Speer  ship- 
yard, and  comprehended  320  acres. 

Other  village  incorporations  have  been  attempted,  but  their 
existence  has  been  of  short  duration.  In  1823  the  legislature 
passed  an  act  incorporating  the  village  of  Richmond,  but  the 
organization  was  not  consumated.  Tottenville  was  incorporated 
by  an  act  of  April  28,  1869,  which  was  amended  April  14,  1871. 
This  charter  also  became  inoperative  through  the  failure  of  the 
people  to  approve  its  conditions. 


Hon.  Daniel  D.  Tompkins,  governor  of  the  state  of  New 
York  and  vice-president  of  the  United  States,  whose  later  years 
were  spent  on  Staten  Island,  and  after  whom  the  village  of 
Tompkinsville  is  named,  was  born  at  Scarsdale,  Westchester 
county,  N.  Y.,  June  21,  1774.  The  son  of  Christian  parents  he 
was  brought  up  in  the  Protestant  faith.  His  delicate  constitu- 
tion and  aptness  to  learn  induced  his  father  to  place  him  at  the 
grammar  school  of  Malcom  Campbell  in  New  York,  September, 
1787;  whence,  at  the  end  of  a  year,  he  was  removed  to  the 
academy  in  North  Salem.  Here  he  continued  till  1792,  when 
he  entered  the  sophomore  class  in  Columbia  College.  During 
the  last  year  of  his  college  course  he  served  in  the  law  office  of 
Peter  Jay  Monroe,  Esq.,  and  two  years  after  graduating  at  the 
head  of  his  class  in  1795,  he  was  admitted  an  attorney  of  the 
supreme  court  and  subsequently  a  counsellor.  He  early  inter- 
ested himself  in  politics.  He  became  a  staunch  republican,  and 
in  the  party  struggles  of  1799,  1800  and  1801  he  took  a  promi- 
nent and  conspicuous  part.  His  iniiuence  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  especially  in  the  Seventh  ward,  in  which  he  had  married 
Miss  Hannah  Minthorne,  daughter  of  the  wealthy  and  respect- 
able alderman  of  that  name,  was  early  felt,  and  to  him  in  a 
great  measure  was  due  the  election  of  Thomas  Jefferson  to  tUe 


/^, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  339 

presidency.  In  1801  he  was  elected  a  representative  of  the  city 
for  the  purpose  of  revising  the  constitution  of  the  state  and  the 
following  year  he  became  a  member  of  the  state  legislature. 
Shortly  after  he  was  appointed  by  Judge  Morgan  Lewis  one  of 
the  supreme  judges  of  New  York.  In  1806  he  might  have  suc- 
ceeded John  S.  Hobert  to  the  district  judgeship  of  the  United 
States  for  the  district  of  New  York,  but  he  declined,  continu- 
ing to  serve  as  a  supreme  judge  till  the  spring  of  1807,  when  he 
became,  in  his  thirty-second  year,  the  rival  candidate  of  Grov- 
ernor  Lewis  for  the  chief  magistracy  of  the  state. 

He  was  elected  to  the  gubernatorial  chair  by  an  immense  ma- 
jority, being  inducted  into  office  on  the  day  on  which  intelli- 
gence was  received  of  the  British  attack  upon  the  American 
frigate  "Chesapeake."  The  order  of  the  president  of  the  United 
States  calling  upon  the  governors  to  organize  their  respective 
quotas  of  militia  also  arrived  at  the  State  Capitol  on  the  same 
day,  and  Governor  Tompkins  immediately  set  about  the  task 
of  defending  his  native  state.  In  1808  the  president  appointed 
him  to  the  command  of  all  the  regular  and  militia  forces  on  the 
frontier  of  New  York.  His  instructions  to  the  militia  on  this 
occasion  evinced  his  energy  and  promptitude  of  character  and 
received  the  marked  approbation  of  G-eneral  Wilkinson,  then 
commander-in-chief  of  the  army. 

In  1812  Grovernor  Tompkins,  for  the  first  time  in  the  history 
of  the  state,  prorogued  the  legislature.  Through  the  favorable 
reception  of  a  number  of  petitions  of  banking  companies  for 
incorporation  a  system  had  been  projected  which  threatened 
irreparable  evils  to  the  community.  This  had  been  aided  and 
promoted  by  corruption  and  bribery,  and  the  emphatic  action 
of  the  governor  was  taken  as  a  last  resort.  The  step  excited 
unusual  animadversion,  which  extended  even  so  far  as  to 
threaten  his  personal  safety,  but  he  was  sustained  throughout 
by  the  knowledge  of  having  done  his  duty,  and  the  fact  that 
he  was  supported  by  the  more  honorable  portion  of  the  repub- 
lican party. 

In  June,  1812,  President  James  Madison  declared  war  with 
Great  Britain,  and  Governor  Tompkins  stood  forth  boldly  as  the 
fearless  champion  of  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  American 
people.  A  numerous  and  powerful  party  of  disaffected  citizens 
had  shown  itself  in  the  Eastern  states,  formed  with  a  view  to 
paralyze  the  energies  and  cripple  the  resources  of  the  United 


340  HISTORY  OP  KICHMOND  COUNTT. 

States;  and  it  became  the  avowed  object  of  many  persons  of  high 
consideration  in  that  section  of  the  Union  to  make  a  separate 
peace  with  the  enemy  of  the  republic  and  of  United  America. 
To  make  this  project  eflEectual  it  was  necessary  to  gain  New 
York  state.  The  bold  stand  taken  by  Governor  Tompkins  in 
the  proroguing  of  the  legislature  had  raised  for  him  many  ene- 
mies among  republicans,  and  a  majority  of  federal  members  had 
been  elected  to  the  state  legislature  and  to  congress.  In  spite, 
however,  of  the  oj)position  which  howled  against  him,  he  was 
again  elected  to  the  governorship.  His  situation  at  that  time 
was  well  calculated  to  dismay  the  stoutest  heart.  Amidst  the 
disaffection  in  the  East,  the  opposition  of  one  branch  of  the 
legislature,  and  the  northern  frontier  harassed  by  the  enemy 
from  Champlain  to  Presqu'  isle,  and  threatening  the  capital  of 
the  state  in  the  south,  unaided  by  the  constituted  author- 
ities appointed  to  share  with  him  in  the  government  of  the 
state,  the  governor  had  alone  to  sustain  the  arduous,  embarass- 
ing  and  responsible  duty  of  defense.  But  he  rose  superior  to 
circumstances,  and  by  the  firm,  unshaken  energy  of  his  conduct 
he  silenced  or  rendered  inefficient  the  opposition  of  his  own 
state.  When  the  treasury  was  in  an  impoverished  condition, 
money  scarce  and  much  wanted  to  carry  on  the  war,  he  raised 
funds  on  his  own  responsibility  and  made  himself  liable  beyond 
his  means.  He  gave  great  attention  to  the  defenses  and  in- 
trenchments  in  and  around  New  York  city  and  harbor^  at  which 
the  citizens  turned  out  and  worked  en  masse.  The  vast  prepa- 
ration for  an  expected  attack,  the  pouring  in  of  militia,  volun- 
teers and  regular  troops  were  always  accompanied  by  the  pleas- 
ant, cheering  and  animated  presence  of  Governor  Tompkins. 
In  1813-14,  upon  his  own  responsibility,  while  the  legislature 
was  still  in  session,  he  issued  orders  for  organizing  a  brigade  of 
volunteers,  to  the  command  of  which  he  appointed  Gen.  Peter 
B.  Porter.  This  contingent  saved  the  remnant  of  the  gallant 
army  of  Niagara  at  the  memorable  sortie  from  Port  Erie.  He 
also  called  into  the  field  a  large  body  of  militia,  and  organized 
a  corps  of  sea-fencibles,  without  waiting  the  slow  action  of  the 
legislature.  In  this  important  measure  he  received  the  cordial 
support  and  co-operation  of  the  gallant  Decatur,  who  com- 
manded the  naval  force  of  the  United  States  on  that  station,  as 
also  the  promised  sanction  and  support  of  Hon.  Rufus  King. 
About  this  time  the  enemy's  ships,  commanded  by  Admiral 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  '  341 

Cockburn,  which  had  appeared  off  Sandy  Hook  for  some  time, 
suddenly  disappeared. 

Soon  after  intelligence  was  received  of  the  captiire  of  the  city 
of  Washington,  and  of  the  intended  movement  of  the  enemy 
toward  Baltimore.  Decatur  resolved  at  once  to  push  forward 
with  his  sea-fencibles  to  the  assistance  of  that  city,  and  Gov- 
ernor Tompkins,  to  give  spirit  to  the  enterprise,  promptly  of- 
fered to  accompany  him  as  far  as  New  Brunswick,  when  the 
news  of  the  enemy  being  vanquished  and  their  retreat  from 
Baltimore  arrived  just  in  time  to  prevent  the  march.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1814,  Governor  Tompkins  was  appointed  to  the  command 
of  the  Third  military  district,  which  comprehended  one  of  the 
most  valuable  portions  of  the  United  States,  and  included  the 
largest  and  most  heterogeneous  military  force  that  ever  before 
fell  to  the  command  of  an  American  general.  He  had  also  the 
offer  of  being  secretary  of  state  in  the  cabinet  of  the  president, 
but  this  he  declined,  thinking  his  services  more  useful  in  the 
situation  in  which  he  was  placed. 

In  1814  the  general  government  was  desirous  of  fitting  out  an 
expedition  to  dislodge  the  enemy  from  Castine.  They  applied 
to  the  governor  of  Massachusetts  for  aid,  which  was  refused. 
In  this  dilemma  the  situation  of  the  government  was  hinted  to 
Governor  Tompkins,  who  raised,  on  his  own  responsibility, 
three  hundred  thousand  dollars,  which  he  forthwith  subjected 
to  the  orders  of  General  Dearborn.  Shortly  afterward  the  war 
between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  was  brought  to  a 
successful  termination,  and  the  governor  returned  to  the  peace- 
ful duties  of  the  chief  magistracy.  In  the  last  term  of  his  guber- 
natorial career,  at  the  approaching  election,  he  was  proposed 
as  a  suitable  person  for  president  of  the  United  States,  which 
however,  was  waived  by  him  and  his  friends  in  consideration  of 
his  being  a  junior  in  age  to  James  Monroe,  whose  revolutionary 
services  entitled  him  to  superior  claims  ;  he  was  accordingly 
nominated  and  elected  vice-president. 

On  the  expiration  of  his  term  as  vice-president  he  retired  to 
private  life,  spending  the  greater  part  of  his  time  in  the  im- 
provement of  his  farm  in  Richmond  county.  Here  his  spacious 
and  hospitable  mansion  became  one  of  the  homes  of  literature, 
philanthropy  and  art.  To  its  ever  open  doors  flocked  men  of 
letters,  artists,  lawyers,  statesmen,  patriots  and  soldiers,  people 
of  all  nationalities  and  of  all  beliefs.     At  Staten  Island  he  re- 


342  HISTORY  OF  KIOHMOND  COUNTY. 

ceived  the  illustrious  victor,  General  Jackson,  also  President 
Monroe  and  the  beloved  La  Payette  after  his  landing  at  quaran- 
tine on  his  second  visit  to  the  United  States. 

The  last  public  service  of  Governor  Tompkins  was  as  a  dele- 
gate from  Richmond  county  to  the  state  convention  to  alter  the 
constitution  in  1821,  of  which  he  became  president.  In  June, 
1825,  in  the  51st  year  of  his  age,  he  died.  His  mortal  remains, 
on  the  13th  of  June,  1825,  were  conveyed  in  the  steamboat 
"  Nautilus,"  to  the  city  of  New  York,  and  at  Whitehall,  the 
place  of  landing,  were  met  by  a  vast  concourse  of  citizens,  who 
accompanied  them  to  their  last  resting  place  in  the  family  vault 
of  his  wife's  father,  Alderman  Minthorne,  in  St.  Mark's 
churchyard.  Eighteen  years  after  his  burial,  on  the  21st  day 
of  June,  1843,  his  birthday  was  celebrated  at  the  village  of 
Tompkinsville,  Staten  Island.  An  address  was  delivered  and 
troops  from  various  parts  of  the  country  took  part  in  the  cele- 
bration. 

Such  was  the  man  whose  patriotism,  talents,  integrity  and 
distinguished  services  to  his  country  in  trial  and  difficulty,  both 
in  peace  and  in  war,  we  record,  as  a  just  tribute  to  his  memory. 
His  name  added  a  lustre  to  the  county  in  which  he  spent  his 
declining  years  and  in  its  history  he 'deserves  a  conspicuous 
place.  To  its  churches,  schools  and  social  life  he  lent  the  ripe- 
ness of  his  talent  and  the  richness  of  his  benevolence.  As  one 
of  her  greatest  and  her  noblest  citizens  Staten  Island  will  ever 
continue  to  honor  his  memory. 

Hon.  Erastus  Brooks. — Among  the  many  well  known  liter- 
ary and  professional  gentlemen  who  from  time  to  time  have 
made  their  homes  on  Staten  Island  was  Hon.  Erastus  Brooks, 
formerly  editor  of  the  '■'■New  York  Express.''''  He  was  a  man  well 
known  in  the  religious,  social  and  ijolitical  life  of  Richmond 
county,  and  during  the  years  1878,  1879,  1881,  1882  and  1883, 
he  was  its  representative  in  assembly. 

Mr.  Brooks  was  born  in  Portland,  Me.,  January  31,  1815. 
Shortly  before  his  birth  his  father,  Captain  James  Brooks,  who 
commanded  a  privateer  during  the  war  of  1812,  had  gone  down 
with  his  vessel,  leaving  his  wife  and  three  children  dependent 
for  their  support  upon  a  government  pension.  As  a  result  of 
these  straightened  circumstances,  Erastus,  at  the  age  of  8  years, 
left  his  home  for  Boston  with  the  object  of  earning  his  own  liv- 
ing.    He  found  a  place  in  a  grocery  store  and  worked  for  his 


XTVx^-SVu 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  343 

board  and  clothes,  studying  diligently  the  while,  at  a  night- 
school.  Soon  he  entered  a  printing  office  and  learned  the  trade 
of  a  compositor,  and  with  the  money  which  he  earned  he  ob- 
tained eaongii  edncation  to  enter  "Brown  University."  Here 
fee  poTsued  a  partial  course,  at  the  same  time  supporting  him- 
self by  workijBg  at  tha compositor's  case.  When  he  was  18,  he 
started  a  newspaper, called  the  "Fa7^^ee,"  after  his  father's  brig, 
in  Wiscasset,  Me.,  soon  after  which  he  purchased  the  Haverhill 
''Oazetter 

In  ISSf),  Mr.  Brooks  went  to  Washington,  D.  C,  and  became 
the  correspondent  of  a  number  of  newspapers,  an  employment 
in  which  he  contin.ued  for  sixteen  years.  He  engaged  as  asso- 
ciate editor  of  the  ^'•NemYorTc  Eaypress''''  with  his  brother,  James 
Brooks,  in  1840,  and  remained  in  this  connection  forty-one 
years.  During  this  time  he  passed  through  various  experiences, 
traveling  in  1843  through  Europe,  and  being  wrecked  off  Sandy 
Hook  on  his  return;  an  accident  in  which  he  suffered  the  loss 
of  all  his  possessions.  He  published  his  paper  almost  single 
handed  during  the  cholera  epidemic,  when  people  fled  from  the 
city,  and  he  was  among  the  first  to  use  the  telegraph  for  news- 
paper reports.  Mr.  Brooks  was  fond  of  telling  of  his  news 
victories  over  rival  journals,  and  some  of  these  showed  great 
Sagacity  and  enterprise.  For  many  years  he  served  as  one  of 
the  executive  committee  of  the  associated  press,  and  was  for 
a  considerable  time  its  general  manager. 

His  entrance  into  politics  was  rather  forced  on  him  than 
sought,  but  once  enlisted,  he  engaged  with  his  whole  heart  in 
this  as  he  did  in  everything  which  he  undertook.  He  was 
elected  to  the  state  senate  in  1853.  Two  years  afterward  he 
rendered  his  position  prominent  by  a  controversy  with  Arch- 
bishop Hughes  relative  to  the  limits  to  be  set  to  the  acquisition 
of  church  property  by  the  Roman  Catholic  church  and  the  ex- 
emption of  property  from  taxation,  he  holding  that,  as  its  title 
was  vested  in  the  priest,  it  should  be  taxed  when  it  reached  be- 
yond a  certain  value.  The  controversy,  first  carried  on  through 
the  columns  of  the  '■'■Courier  and  Enquirer,'''  finally  went  into 
the  state  senate,  of  which  Mr.  Brooks  was  elected  a  member  on 
the  know-nothing  or  American  party  ticket  in  1853.  This 
controversy,  which  attracted  attention  all  over  the  world,  was 
published  in  book  form  in  1855,  under  the  title  of  "A  Contro- 
versy on  Church  Property."     The  position  he  took  led  to  his 


344  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

being  nominated  by  tlie  know-nothings  as  a  candidate  for  gov- 
ernor in  1856.  From  that  time  onward,  he  was  frequently  in 
public  office,  taking  part  in  political  conventions  and  serving 
the  state  in  the  constitutional  conventions  and  in  the  assembly 
for  a  number  of  years.  He  became  the  leader  of  his  party 
and  one  of  the  more  prominent  and  influential  men  of  the  bodies 
in  which  he  served. 

Mr.  Brooks  was  a  man  of  great  dignity  and  decorum.  Having 
been  called  on  to  preside  over  important  public  assemblies 
through  a  long  period,  he  had  acquired  habits  of  attention  to 
business  and  prompt  decision  which  made  him  an  admirable 
executive.  His  acquaintance  was  extensive,  and  he  knew  the 
character  and  adaptations  of  men,  so  that  in  the  formation  of 
committees  or  the  management  of  affairs  he  was  of  great  use  to 
the  cause  which  he  served.  He  was  conservative  in  his  princi- 
ples and  a  man  of  strong  convictions  of  duty.  He  might  have 
had  many  more  political  honors  than  those  which  he  won  by 
positive  merit,  had  he  been  able  to  crouch  or  fawn,  or  make  un- 
worthj'  bargains  with  party  leaders,  but  he  was  a  high-minded, 
upright  man  who  served  Grod  and  his  own  conscience  first,  and 
party  second.  Hence  he  was  often  ignored  by  the  politicians 
who  knew  that  he  could  not  be  used  for  their  purposes,  though 
they  sorely  needed  his  ability  and  wisdom. 

He  was  a  most  benevolent  man.  He  was  not  rich,  and  there- 
fore could  not  endow  charitable  institutions,  but  he  gave  what 
was  better  than  money,  his  personal  service  in  their  boards  of 
direction.  He  spent  freely  of  his  tim-e,  even  in  the  busiest 
period  of  his  life,  and  gave  careful  and  regular  attention  to  the 
management  of  such  charities  as  the  "New  York  Institution 
for  the  Instruction  of  the  Deaf  and  Dumb  "  and  the  "  Nursery 
and  Child's  Hospital."  He  visited  the  legislature  in  their  be- 
half, and  attended  frequent  meetings  to  promote  their  interests; 
through  the  press,  and  by  personal  influence  he  attracted  at- 
tention to  their  wants,  and  secured  new  friends  for  them. 
When  he  took  hold  of  any  work  he  took  hold  "  with  both 
hands  earnestly."  In  the  National  Charities  Association,  in 
the  state  board  of  health,  in  the  national  convention  of  deaf 
mute  instructors,  as  a  trustee  of  Cornell  University,  in  the  In- 
dian conferences,  and  in  the  constitutional  conventions,  he  was 
recognized  as  a  man  of  wisdom  and  power,  of  profound  convic- 
tions, untiring  industry  and  excellent  judgment.     In  social  life 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  345 

he  was  a  pleasant  companion.  He  had  lived  so  much  in  public 
that  his  conversation  abounded  in  reminiscences  of  the  great 
men  of  a  past  generation,  and  he  could  draw  at  will  upon  a  full 
and  retentive  memory  to  illustrate  or  adorn  any  subject  of  dis- 
cussion. But  his  public  life  had  not  made  him  cold  and  care- 
less of  private  and  personal  interests.  He  was  too  much  of  a 
Puritan  to  be  very  demonstrative,  but  he  made  close  and  warm 
friendships  founded  upon  mutual  esteem. 

Mr.  Brooks  believed  in  reforming  and  elevating  society  by 
personal  effort  with  individuals,  and  not  by  schemes  and  reso- 
lutions ;  and  so,  while  he  was  a  true  philanthropist,  he  was  what 
is  better  still,  a  true  Christian.  He  believed  in  God,  and  served 
him  first  and  always,  and  was  known  and  respected  as  a  religi- 
ous man.  Like  the  late  Governor  Seymour,  who  was  his  inti- 
mate friend,  he  honored  religion  and  was  esteemed  and  trusted 
by  men  of  the  church,  as  well  as  by  men  of  the  world  who  knew 
his  staunch  integrity,  and  by  men  of  the  state  who  knew  his 
political  virtue.  He  was  a  simple,  humble  Christian,  who 
often  opened  the  meetings  of  boards  where  he  presided  with 
prayer,  and  who,  though  firm  in  his  own  opinions,  had  charity 
and  kindness  for  those  who  held  different  ones.  His  life  was 
long  honored  and  useful,  his  name  will  be  cherished  by  many 
whom  he  has  befriended,  and  will  be  recorded  among  the  edit- 
ors, the  statesmen  and  the  benefactors  of  this  century  in  the 
state  of  New  York  and  in  the  United  States  of  America.  His 
last  public  service  was  in  connection  with  the  Indian  conference 
at  Lake  Mohonk  in  October,  from  which  he  returned  seriously 
ill,  and  his  last  literary  work  was  a  review  of  that  conference 
which  he  wrote  for  the  ''New  York  Observer."*  Mr.  Brooks 
died  November  25th,  1886.  His  loss  was  deeply  felt,  not  only  in 
his  family  and  the  community  in  which  he  lived,  but  through- 
out the  whole  country.  The  newspapers,  of  which  he  was  so 
thorough  an  advocate,  were  filled  with  eulogistic  articles  tak- 
ing up  the  story  of  his  life  anew.  With  his  death  passed  from 
the  stage  of  action  one  of  the  noblest  and  brightest  examples 
of  old  fashioned  statesmanship  and  patriotism.  Staten  Island 
had  in  him  a  true  citizen,  a,nd  its  society  profitted  by  associa- 
tion and  acquaintance  with  him. 

*  This  life  of  Mr.  Brooks,  with  slight  modification,  appeared  in  the  "New  York 
Observer,"  Dec.  9th,  1886. 


346  HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Cornelius  A.  Hart. — Perhaps  no  young  man  in  Richmond 
county  has  so  distinguished  himself  for  his  energy  and  busi- 
ness ability  as  has  the  present  county  clerk,  Cornelius  A  Hart. 
Born  under  no  advantageous  circumstances— surrounded  by 
none  of  those  conditions  which  usually  foster  ambition  and 
create  desire  to  shine,  lee  ^as  yet,  though  but -thirty-seven  years 
of  age,  succeeded  in  gaining  for  himself  a  sornid  aiid  practical 
education,  the  possession  of  ample  fortune  and  a  popularity 
second  to  that  of  no  other  individual  on  Staten  Island. 

Mr.  Hart  was  born  in  New  Brighton  in  1851.  After  a  pre- 
liminary course  at  the  public  school  in  that  village  he  attended 
the  academy  conducted  by  Dr.  Scheck  in  the  building  now 
known  as  "Belmont  Hall."  In  1868  he  commenced  a  course 
of  study  at  the  New  York  Commercial  College,  which  he  left 
to  enter  the  importing  house  of  James  Reid  &  Co.,  of  New 
York  city.  Here  in  a  short  period  of  time  he  succeeded  in 
raising  himself  from  the  lowest  to  the  highest  position  in  the 
employ  of  the  firm,  passing  through  every  grade  in  the  office 
and  having  nine  clerks  under  his  charge  at  the  time  of  his  leave 
taking. 

Mr.  Hart's  father,  Patrick  Hart,  had  been  for  many  years  a 
prominent  and  successful  contractor  on  Staten  Island.  It  was 
he  who  laid  oiit  Bard  avenue  and  many  of  the  principal  streets 
in  the  neighborhood  of  New  Brighton,  and  his  son,  influenced 
by  his  example,  left  the  firm  with  which  he  was  employed  to  en- 
gage in  the  same  business.  His  remarkable  success  in  it  is  well 
known  to  the  people  of  Staten  Island. 

Mr.  Hart's  connection  with  the  laying  out  of  new  streets  and 
with  improvements  generally,  has  induced  him  to  make 
numerous  and  large  investments  in  real  estate  which  he  is 
constantly  imj^roving  and  reselling  in  lots  to  suit  purchasers. 
In  1884,  he  bought  a  large  tract  of  land  in  New  Brighton 
through  which  he  has  opened  seven  avenues.  Forest,  Hart, 
Sharon,  Oakwood,  Greenwood,  Laurel  and  University  place. 
The  whole  is  divided  into  three  hundred  and  fifty  city  lots  and 
situated  in  one  of  the  most  attractive  localities  on  the  island. 
Mr.  Hart  is  one  of  the  largest  tax-payers  in  the  town  of  Cas- 
tleton.  He  has  also  recently  purchased  other  lots  in  New 
Brighton,  a  large  plot  of  ground  in  West  Brighton  and  the 
residence  and  grounds  of  the  late  Commodore  Sloat,  com- 
mander of  the  United  States  Navy.     His  extensive  advertise- 


Bi^'h/AHTMcldi 


(Jl/nitiM 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  347 

ments  in  the  New  York  "  World''  and  other  New  York  daily 
papers  are  rapidly  bringing  him  into  prominence  as  a  real  estate 
speculator  and  owner. 

To  speak  of  Mr.  Hart's  political  career  is  bat  to  repeat  what 
is  already  known  throughout  the  whole  of  Richmond  county. 
From  his  boyhood  days  he  took  an  interest  in  politics  and  his 
connection  with  the  democratic  party  has  resulted  in  benefit 
both  to  it  and  himself.  In  1876  he  was  elected  trustee  of  the 
village  of  New  Brighton  by  the  largest  majority  ever  given  a 
candidate  from  the  Second  ward.  In  1878  he  was  elected  county 
clerk  by  a  phenominally  large  majority,  was  reelected  to  the 
position  in  1881,  his  antagonist  receiving  but  278  votes  out  of  a 
total  of  about  7,000  cast,  and  was  again  elected  in  1884,  when  he 
ran  1,000  votes  ahead  of  the  Cleveland  majority,  in  itself  the 
largest  ever  received  by  a  presidental  ticket  in  the  county. 
When  he  first  entered  the  clerk's  office  at  Richmond  he  found 
books  and  papers  scattered  about  in  confusion,  and  the  most 
valuable  historical  documents  in  process  of  slow  destruction 
from  want  of  the  most  ordinary  care.  He  immediately  set  him- 
self to  work  with  that  determination  and  will  which  character- 
ized all  his  actions,  and  in  a  short  time,  to  the  great  relief  of 
the  legal  fraternity  with  whom  he  has  most  of  his  dealings, 
had  so  thoroughly  straightened  affairs  as  to  draw  down  upon 
himself  the  enconiums  of  the  entire  county  press  irrespective 
of  party.  The  lack  of  partiality  which  he  has  shown  in  all 
his  dealings  has  not  been  the  least  noticeable  feature  of  his  ad- 
ministration at  Richmond,  and  his  pleasant  word  for  all  policy 
has  greatly  added  to  his  popularity  as  a  man. 

He  numbers  among  his  friends  and  adherents  both  democrats 
and  republicans,  rich  and  poor,  young  and  old.  His  benevo- 
lent and  charitable  disposition  is  widely  known  and  appreciated, 
and  his  brilliant  parts  are  constantly  attracting  to  him  the  notice 
of  substantial  and  thoughtful  business  men.  This  is  shown  by 
the  fact  that  he  was  chosen  by  the  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Com- 
pany to  represent  their  cause  at  Washington,  which  he  did  with 
ability  and  with  success. 

Mr.  Hart  was  married,  June  23, 1875,  to  Miss  Hannah  Bowman 
of  New  Brighton,  whose  exemplary  life  won  for  her  many  friends, 
and  whose  sad  death,  July  25,  1882,  was  deeply  felt  through- 
out the  entire  community.  Mr.  Hart  is  a  member  of  St.  Peter's 
church,  New  Brighton,  and  is  liberal  in  his  gifts  toward  its  sup- 


348  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

port.  He  is  also  connected  witli  many  clubs,  societies  and 
social  organizations.  In  his  tastes  he  is  domestic,  though  he  is 
fond  of  athletic  sports,  especially  of  hunting  and  fishing, 
which  he  frequently  travels  long  distances  to  enjoy.  He  is  on 
intimate  terms  with  many  of  the  foremost  newspaper  men  in 
the  country,  and  extracts  in  the  daily  papers  referring  to  him 
are  numerous,  some  coming  even  from  California.  The  many 
incidents  and  laughable  stories  relating  to  him  which  have  been 
published  will  long  be  remembered,  and  the  popularity  which 
he  has  acquired  by  his  fine  social  qualities  is  built  on  a  lasting 
foundation.  We  take  pleasure  in  presenting  this  short  sketch 
of  his  life,  especially  to  his  many  young  friends  on  Staten 
Island.  His  history  strikingly  illustrates  the  truth  of  the  fol- 
lowing lines  from  a  poem  which  he  has  preserved  in  a  scrap  book 
containing  many  allusions  to  him,  now  in  the  author's  posses- 
sion. 

"There  is  no  chance,  no  destiny,  no  fate 
Can  circumvent  or  hinder  or  control 
The  firm  resolve  of  a.  determined  soul. 

»  *  *  *  # 

Let  the  fool  prate  of  Luck.    The  fortunate 

Is  he  vs'hose  earnest  purpose  never  swerves, 

Whose  slightest  action  or  inaction  serves 

The  one  great  aim.     Why,  even  death  stands  still 

And  waits  an  hour  sometimes  for  such  a  will." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


CHURCHES   AND    RELIGIOUS    ORGANIZATIONS. 


The  Dutch  Reformed  Churches. — The  Episcopal  Churches. — Baptist  Churches. — 
Methodist  Churches. — The  Moravian  Church. — The  Roman  Catholic  Churches. 
— The  Church  of  the  Huguenots. — Unitarian  Church. — Presbyterian  Churches. 
— Lutheran  Churches. — Y.  M.  C.  A. 


FOR  a  large  part  of  the  history  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  de- 
nomination on  the  island  we  are  indebted  to  the  vener- 
able pastor  of  the  church  at  Port  Richmond,  Rev.  James 
Brownlee,  D.  D.,  who  enjoys  the  very  unusual  honor  of  a  pas- 
torate of  more  than  fifty  years'  duration. 

There  is  evidence  enough  to  prove,  in  an  unbroken  chain,  the 
identity  of  this  church,  from  the  time  when  the  little  band  of 
Waldenses  first  settled  on  these  shores  and  established  the  wor- 
ship of  the  Redeemer  for  whom  they  had  suffered  so  much. 

It  would  be  a  matter  of  great  interest  to  us  now  to  know 
more  of  the  way  in  which  our  ancestors  worshipped  ;  their  dif- 
ficulties, and  struggles,  and  successes.  Even  their  names, 
standing  on  the  record,  would  be  of  interest  to  their  descend- 
ants. Many  of  these,  indeed,  we  have,  in  an  old  register  of 
baptisms  in  the  Dutch  language,  from  1696  onward,  and  many 
names  of  families  also  which  have  no  living  representatives  on 
the  island.  This  record  will  be  found  in  another  part  of  this 
work. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  Drisius,  who  was  one  of  the  pastors  of  the 
Dutch  church  in  New  York,  then  New  Amsterdam,  from  1652 
to  1682,  preached  regularly  once  a  month  to  the  Waldenses  on 
Staten  Island  from  about  1660  onward.  It  may  be  fairly  in- 
ferred from  that  fact,  that  there  was  a  little  church  ,of  that 
noble  and  devoted  people  established  here  ;  not  a  church  build- 
ing, perhaps,  till,  later,  but  a  little  band  of  Christ's  people,  wor- 
shipping in  some  spot  where  they  found  it  most  convenient  ;  it 
might  be  in  one  of  de  Vries'  buildings  for  the  dressing  of  buck- 


350  HISTOEY  OF  BICHMOND  CODNTY. 

skin  ;  it  might  be  under  some  spreading  oak  of  the  primeval 
forest  at  "  Oude  Dorp,"  where  their  first  settlement  was  made. 
Doctor  De  Witt,  some  years  before  his  death,  in  a  brief  note  to 
Doctor  Brownlee,  says  on  this  subject : 

"During  the  Dutch  Colonial  government  there  was  a  settle- 
ment of  the  persecuted  French  Vaudois,  or  Waldenses,  on  Sta- 
ten  Island,  as  early  as  1660.  The  Rev.  Samuel  Drisius,  of  our 
church  in  this  city,  crossed  the  bay  once  a  month  to  preach  to 
them.  There  was  a  Huguenot  settlement  on  the  Island  a  short 
time  afterward,  parties  of  these  having  fled  to  Holland  to  escape 
from  persecution,  and  having  come  over  to  New  Netherlands  in 
company  with  their  new  friends.  After  a  season  the  French 
church  and  organization  passed  away,  and  the  great  body  of  its 
members  became  blended  with  the  Dutch  inhabitants,  in  the 
Reformed  Dutch  church.  The  fact  of  the  settlement  of  a  con- 
siderable number  of  the  persecuted  Waldenses  on  Staten  Island 
is  very  interesting.  They  had  fled  from  the  dreadful  persecu- 
tions in  the  valleys  of  Piedmont,  to  Holland,  and  were  sent,  at 
the  expense  of  the  city  of  Amsterdam,  amply  provided  for,  to 
New  Netherlands  in  America." 

We  may  be  certain  that  these  martyrs  for  the  faith  of  Christ, 
whose  religion  was  everything  to  them,  would  not  be  long  con- 
tent without  some  regular  church  organization,  and  the  stated 
enjoyment  of  ordinances  ;  and  therefore  we  conclude  that  soon 
after  1660,  under  thfe  care  of  Dominie  Drisius,  this  privilege 
was  secured  by  them. 

In  1661  grants  of  land  on  the  island  were  made  to  several 
persons,  among  whom  were  some  Waldenses,  and  also  many 
Huguenots,  who  had  fled  hither  from  La  Rochelle.  They 
commenced  a  new  settlement  a  few  miles  south  of  the  Narrows 
near  that  of  de  Vries  already  mentioned,  and  built  a  little  vil- 
lage of  twelve  or  fourteen  houses,  and  a  block-house  with  two 
small  guns  and  a  garrison  of  ten  soldiers,  for  protection  against 
the  Indians.  It  was  to  this  little  colony,  at  their  earnest  re- 
quest, that  Dominie  Drisius,  who  could  preach  in  French,  min- 
istered once  a  month,  dispensing  the  sacraments  at  regular  in- 
tervals, while  the  colony  was  too  feeble  to  support  a  minister 
of  its  own.  The  descendants  of  these  Waldenses  and  Hugue- 
nots are  still  numerous  on  the  island,  and  bear  some  of  the  old- 
est and  most  honored  names  among  us.  Many  of  them  have 
become  connected  with  other  denominations,  partly  from  con- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  351 

venience  of  residence,  but  more  on  account  of  the  persist- 
ence of  the  Dutch  church  in  the  use  of  the  language  of  the 
Fatherland,  long  after  English  had  become  the  prevailing 
tongue. 

In  the  year  1680  it  is  known  that  there  were  two  churches, 
with  houses  of  worship  on  the  island.  One,  and  perhaps  the 
first  built,  was  a  church  of  the  Huguenots  at  Fresh  kill,  on 
what  is  known  as  the  Seaman  farm.  The  services  in  this 
church  for  nearly  forty  years  later  were  conducted  in  French, 
and  although  all  vestiges  of  the  church  building  have  disap- 
peared, there  is  still  the  little  grave-yard  with  a  few  dilapidated 
gravestones  to  mark  (he  spot  were  it  stood. 

Very  soon  after  this  there  was  another  French  church  built 
at  Stony  Brook,  on  the  road  from  Quarantine  to  Amboy,  not 
far  from  what  was  long  known  as  the  Black  Horse  tavern.  This 
was  built  by  the  Waldenses  from  "Oude  Dorp,"  whose  num- 
bers had  increased  and  led  them  to  extend  their  settlements. 
All  remains,  save  some  stones  of  the  foundation  of  this  church, 
have  disappeared,  but  here,  too,  there  are  some  graves  of  these 
noble  exiles. 

About  the  same  time  (1680)  there  are  traces  of  a  church  on 
the  north  sidje,  in  which  the  services  were  in  the  Dutch  language, 
the  Hollanders  having  settled  in  considerable  numbers  along 
the  kills. 

As  yet  these  churches  had  no  settled  pastor  of  their  own. 
Along  with  Dominie  Drisius,  Dominie  Selyns,  who  was  pastor 
of  the  churches  of  Brooklyn,  Bnshwick  and  Gravesend,  from 
1660  to  1701 — with  an  interval  of  some  years,  during  which  he 
revisited  Holland — preached  to  the  churches  here  at  stated 
times. 

In  1682  and  1683,  Dominie  Tarchemaker,  from  the  University 
of  Utrecht,  supplied  the  churches  on  the  island.  He  afterward 
removed  to  Schenectady,  and  perished  there  in  a  massacre  by 
the  Indians  in  February,  1690. 

The  Rev.  Pierre  Daille,  who  had  been  professor  in  the  Col- 
lege of  Saumur,  and  who  came  to  America  in  1688,  and  was 
colleague  to  Dominie  Selyns  from  that  year  to  1692,  preached 
frequently  to  the  Huguenots  on  Staten  Island,  and  also  at  New 
Rochelle,  and  elsewhere  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York.  Domi- 
nie Selyns,  in  a  letter  to  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  speaks  of 
him  as  being  "  full  of  fire,  godliness  and  learning.     Banished 


352  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

on  account  of  his  religion,  he  maintains  the  cause  of  Christ 
with  untiring  zeal." 

About  this  time,  from  1687  onward,  for  nearly  two  years,  the 
church  at  Stony  Brook  was  supplied  by  a  certain  Laurentius 
Van  den  Bosch,  or  Van  Bosen,  as  it  was  sometimes  written. 
His  character  seems  to  have  been  under  a  cloud,  for  he  was 
suspended  from  the  ministry  by  Dominie  Selyns  and  others, 
who  could  not  wait  for  the  slow  process  of  sending  their  pro- 
ceedings to  be  reviewed  by  the  authorities  in  Holland,  which 
in  those  times  frequently  consumed  a  whole  year.  Van  Bosen 
afterward  went  to  Maryland. 

From  1694  for  about  three  years  the  churches  were  without 
any  stated  supply.  They  were  visited  frequently,  however,  and 
the  ordinances  administered  to  them  by  the  ministers  of  New 
York  and  Long  Island.  There  are  also  frequent  records  of 
baptisms  by  Dominie  Batolvius,  as  it  is  written,  and  also  by 
Dominie  Gilliam,  whose  residence  is  not  mentioned.  It  lias 
been  ascertained  that  these  names  indicate  the  Kev.  Guillaume 
Bertholf,  who  was  pastor  of  the  churches  of  Aquachanonck 
and  Hackensack,  N.  J.,  from  1694  to  1724,  and  whose  services 
were  much  in  demand  on  the  island. 

In  1697  the  French  church  at  Freshkill  obtained  the  services 
■of  a  pastor  of  their  own.  The  Rev.  Dr.  David  Bonrepos,  who 
had  been  settled  several  years  at  New  Rochelle,  came  to  Staten 
Island,  and  remained  till  1717,  preaching  also  to  the  church  at 
Stony  Brook.  In  the  latter  year  the  good  old  pastor  was  com- 
pelled by  age  and  infirmities  to  relinquish  his  charge,  and  left 
the  island. 

In  1714  a  grant  was  made  by  Governor  Hunter,  to  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  "Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church,"  to 
erect  a  new  house  of  worship  at  some  convenient  place  on  the 
north  shore,  the  place  not  specified.  The  grant  for  a  new 
church  implies  an  old  one  previously  existing.  The  grant  itself 
is  still  extant,  and  in  perfect  preservation.  It  is  signed  by  the 
governor,  and  dated  at  Fort  George,  September  3,  1714. 

Before  1717  there  must  have  be^n  a  Dutch  church  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Richmond,  although  no  record  of  it  exists.  In  that 
year,  after  the  retirement  of  Dr.  Bonrepos,  the  churches  at 
Freshkill  and  at  Stony  Brook  united  with  the  Dutch  inhab- 
itants, who  had  gradually  become  the  preponderating  element 
in  the  population,  and  together  built  a  new  church  in  the  vil- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  353 

lage  of  Richmond,  which  stood,  probably,  in  or  near  a  little 
graveyard  nearly  opposite  the  court  house. 

About  the  same  time  as  this  grant  from  Governor  Hunter,  or 
perhaps  a  year  earlier,  in  the  twelfth  year  of  the  reign  of  Queen 
Anne,  which  would  be  1713,  St.  Andrew's  church  in  Richmond 
was  erected.  The  first  accounts  of  the  settlement  of  the  Eng- 
lish church,  as  it  was  then  called;  are  interesting  and  character- 
istic. There  is  a  "  Historical  account  of  the  society  for  propa- 
gating the  gospel  in  the  British  Colonies,"  by  David  Hum- 
phreys, D.  D.,  published  in  London,  1730.  A  copy  is  to  be 
found  in  the  rooms  of  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society,  in 
Brooklyn. 

It  appears  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  McKenzie  was  sent  here  as  a 
missionary  in  1704,  and  met  with  a  very  kind  reception  from 
the  people,  although  scarcely  one  third  of  them  were  English. 
The  rest  were  Dutch  and  French.  The  French  had  a  minister 
of  their  own,  and  had  built  a  church.  The  English  had  no 
place  convenient  for  divine  worship,  and  the  French  generously 
granted  the  use  of  their  church  to  Mr.  McKenzie,  which  he  oc- 
cupied for  seven  years,  till  St.  Andrew's  was  built.  That  was 
characteristic  of  the  French  and  the  Dutch,  who  were  by  this 
time  cordially  blending  in  their  worship,  as  their  doctrines 
were  identical. 

It  is  said  that  the  Dutch  were  at  first  somewhat  averse  to  the 
English  liturgy,  but  as  it  was  taken  for  granted  that  their  ob- 
jections could  only  arise  from  their  ignorance  of  it,  Mr.  Mc- 
Kenzie sent  to  London  for  a  good  supply  of  prayer  books  in 
Dutch,  and  distributed  them  freely  among  the  people,  after 
which,  it  is  added,  "  they  found  no  fault  with  it,  and  began  to 
have  a  just  esteem  for  our  excellent  form  of  worship."  That 
was  a  wise  scheme,  and  accounts,  in  part  at  least,  for  so  many 
Dutch  and  French  names  in  St.  Andrew's  church. 

Then  again  Mr.  McKenzie,  who  seems  to  have  been  a  very 
zealous  man,  had  the  island  divided  into  three  precincts,  and  a 
teacher  was  appointed  in  each,  who  was  supported  by  a  grant 
from  the  society  in  London.  These  taught,  of  course,  in  the 
English  language,  and  also  taught  the  children  in  the  church 
catechism,  with  the  explanations,  and  taught  them  also  to  join 
in  public  worship. 

In  1712  "  the  Justices  of  Richmond  County,  the  High  Sheriff, 
the  Clerk  and  the  Commander-in-Chief  of  Her  Majesty's  militia 

33 


354  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTiT. 

in  the  County,  as  well  for  themselves  as  in  the  name,  and  at 
the  desire  of  the  other  inhabitants  of  the  said  County  members 
of  the  Church  of  England,"  return  thanks  to  the  society  in 
London  for  the  support  of  their  worthy  pastor,  whom  they 
highly  and  justly  praise.  And  then  they  go  on  to  say,  "  upon 
his  first  induction  there  were  not  above  four  or  five  in  the  whole 
county  who  knew  anything  of  our  excellent  liturgy  and  form 
of  worship,  and  many  of  them  knew  little  more  of  any  religion 
than  the  common  notion  of  a  Deity;  and  as  their  ignorance  was 
great,  so  was  their  practice  irregular  and  barbarous.  But  now, 
by  the  blessing  of  God  attending  his  laboi'S,  our  church  in- 
creases; a  considerable  reformation  is  wrought,  and  something 
of  the  face  of  Christianity  is  seen  among  us." 

It  will  be  observed  that  this  is  written  while  they  had  as  yet 
no  place  of  worship  of  their  own,  and  were  still  occupying  the 
French  church  "by  suflerance,"  as  they  themselves  express  it. 
And  yet  these  blessed  justices  and  high  sheriff  and  the  rest 
ignore  with  celestial  complacency  the  fact  that  there  had  been 
Christian  worship  on  the  island  for  more  than  fifty  years,  and 
at  least  three  Christian  churches  built  for  more  than  thirty 
years,  and  sustained  by  the  descendants  of  the  Waldenses  and 
Huguenots,  among  the  noblest  Christian  men  and  women  the 
world  has  ever  seen;  that  one  of  these  churches  for  seven  vears 
past  had  charitably  given  shelter  to  these  members  of  the  Eng- 
lish church  in  their  religious  services. 

In  the  meantime  the  church  on  the  north  side,  although  a 
house  of  worship  was  erected  at  a  very  early  period,  seems  to 
have  been  dependent  on  such  occasional  services  as  the  neigh- 
boring ministers  were  able  to  render.  Besides  those  of  Drisius, 
Selyns,  Daille  and  Bertholf,  there  were  frequent  services  by 
Dominie  Freeman,  of  J^Tew  Utrecht,  on  Long  Island,  and  also 
by  Dominie  Anthonius,  of  Flatbush,  Flatlands  and  Bushwick, 
Long  Island.  In  one  instance  a  baptism  is  recorded  as  per- 
formed by  "Dom.  Anthony  of  Staaten  Eiland,"  but  it  is  evi- 
dently a  mistake  for  Long  Island.  There  are  also  frequent 
records  of  baptisms  "door  Dominy  uit  Esopus,"  whose  name 
is  not  mentioned,  but  who  was  without  doubt  the  Rev.  Petrus 
Vas,  who  was  minister  at  Esopus,  or  Kingston,  and  afterward 
at  Rhinebeck  from  1710  to  1756,  and  who  died  at  the  age 
of  96. 

After  the  retirement  of    Dr.  Bonrepos,  in  1717,    the   three 


HISTORY  OF  llICflirOND  COUNTY.  355 

churches,  of  the  Waldenses  at  Stony  Brook,  of  the  Huguenots 
at  Freshkill,  and  the  Dutch  at  Richmond,  united  and  came  to 
worship  together  at  Eichmond.  We  can  find  no  account  of  this 
Dutch  church  further  than  the  fact  of  their  having  a  house  of 
worship  to  offer  to  the  united  churches,  which  is  a  matter  of 
record.  In  that  year  the  church  at  the  north  side  and  this 
united  church  at  Richmond  joined  in  a  call  to  Rev.  Cornelius 
VanSantvoord,  of  Leyden,  in  Holland.  He  accepted  the  call, 
and  came  over  to  this  country  in  1718,  when  he  was  settled  as 
pastor  over  these  churches.  It  was  thus  that  the  churches  on 
the  island  became  blended  into  one,  and  transmitted  to  us  here 
the  honorable  ancestry  to  which  we  lay  claim,  as  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Waldenses  and  the  Huguenots,  merging  their 
organization  at  length  in  that  of  the  more  rapidly  increasing 
Dutch. 

There  is  no  date  of  the  settlement  of  Dominie  Van  Santvoord 
extant;  but  the  first  baptism  administered  by  him  is  recorded 
April  20th,  1718,  the  child's  name  being  Johannes  Van  JS"amen. 
Dominie  Van  Santvoord  was  a  man  of  admirable  character  and 
abilities,  and  is  known  to  have  ministered  with  great  accept- 
ance from  time  to  time,  in  the  neighboring  churches  of  JSTew 
Jersey  and  Long  Island  as  well  as  in  the  city.  He  remained  in 
his  charge  here,  preaching  also  frequently  at  Second  River, 
now  Belleville,  N.  J.,  until  1742,  when  he  removed  to  Schenec- 
tady. Among  the  papers  in  possession  of  the  consistory  there 
is  a  bundle  of  receipts  for  salary  from  Dominie  Van  Santvoord, 
extending  over  several  years.  They  are  written  in  beautiful 
handwriting,  and  are  sometimes  given  for  very  small  sums,  on 
one  occasion  "Twee  ponden,  acht  schellingen,"  being  carefully 
acknowledged.  They  indicate  the  fact  of  his  ministering  to 
the  two  churches,  that  on  the  north  side  being  evidently  the 
principal  one.  He  was  the  author  of  several  works  of  a  theo- 
logical character.  He  also  kept  up  a  correspondence  with  the 
professors  of  the  University  of  Leyden,  by  whom  he  was  much 
esteemed. 

After  Dr.  Van  Santvoord  left  the  island  there  is  an  interval 
of  eight  years,  up  to  1750,  of  which  no  record  can  be  found. 
Occasional  services  were  performed,  and  baptisms  administered 
by  ministers  from  the  city,  and  also  by  Dominies  Vas  and 
Anthonius  as  before. 

In  1750  the  church  on  the  north  side  united  with  that  at  Ber- 


356  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUWTY. 

gen,  N.  J.,  in  a  call  to  a  minister  to  supply  them  in  common. 
His  name  was  Petrus  De  Wint.  The  agreement  drawn  up  by 
the  consistories  regarding  their  respective  shares  of  the  ser- 
vices, and  their  contributions  for  the  minister's  support,  is  very 
specific.  Each  was  to  have  a  righteous  half  of  the  services, 
and  to  make  a  righteous  half  of  the  payment.  The  church  at 
Bergen  was  to  furnish  a  parsonage  and  suflBcient  firewood. 
That  on  Staten  Island  engaged  to  give  "an  able  riding  horse, 
with  all  that  belongs  to  it."  After  that  it  was  stipulated  that 
"  the  dominie  was  to  look  out  for  his  own  horse." 

De  Wint  accepted  the  call,  and  commenced  his  labors  in  the 
two  churches  in  1751  ;  but  these  did  not  continue  long.  The 
call  had  to  be  sent  to  Holland,  to  be  approved  by  the  Classis 
of  Amsterdam,  and  they  immediately  wrote  back  to  the  con- 
sistory at  Bergen  that  De  Wint  was  an  imposter,  and  that  the 
credentials  by  which  he  had  obtained  a  favorable  reception 
were  forgeries.  Of  course  he  was  at  once  discharged  by  the  two 
consistories  ;  and  a  final  settlement  was  had  with  him  at  Ber- 
gen, which  is  recorded  in  the  minutes  of  that  consistory,  June 
22,  1752. 

In  June,  1753,  the  two  churches  again  joined  in  calling  Mr. 
William  Jackson,  then  a  student  under  the  care  of  Rev.  John 
Frelinghuysen,  of  Raritan,  N.  J.  By  the  terms  of  the  call 
Mr.  Jackson  was  to  proceed  to  Holland  to  complete  his  studies 
there,  the  churches  agreeing,  in  the  meantime,  to  pay  him  an 
annual  sum  for  his  support.  He  remained  in  Holland  four 
years  and  a  half,  and  was  ordained  there.  On  his  return  he 
was  installed  pastor  of  the  two  churches,  in  1757. 

Mr.  Jackson  was  much  esteemed  as  a  preacher,  and  in  the  re- 
formed Dutch  churches  in  Middlesex  and  Somerset  counties, 
had  a  reputation  as  a  field  preacher  scarcely  inferior  to  Whit- 
field. Instances  are  recorded  in  which  the  crowds  assembled  to 
hear  him  could  not  be  contained  in  any  church,  and  the  ser- 
vices had  to  be  held  in  the  open  air.  lifter  ministering  for  up- 
ward of  a  quarter  of  a  century,  he  became  subject  to  fits  of 
mental  aberration  ;  not  frequent  at  first,  but  very  afflictive-  and 
while  suffering  from  them  he  would  say  strange  things  in  the 
pulpit,  by  which  the  gravity  of  his  hearers  was  sorely  dis- 
turbed, while  the  body  of  his  discourse  would  be  sound  and 
edifying.  His  illness  at  last  increased  to  such  a  degree  that  the 
two  churches  had  to  apply  to  the  Classis  of  Hackensack  for  a 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  357 

commission  to  inquire  into  Ms  case.  This  met  in  December, 
1789,  and  after  a  patient  investigation,  continued  during  three 
days,  Mr.  Jackson's  insanity  was  deemed  to  be  such  as  to  pre- 
clude the  hope  of  his  farther  usefulness,  and  he  was  advised  to 
return  his  call.  This  he  finally  did,  although  with  extreme  re- 
luctance, for  his  heart  was  set  upon  his  Master's  work.  He 
never  seemed  willing  to  stop  when  preaching.  On  one  occasion, 
when  at  New  Brunswick,  his  audience  became  so  weary  that 
his  friend,  Hon.  James  Schureman,  ventured  to  give  him  a  hint 
by  holding  up  his  watch.  The  dominie  said  to  him  quietly, 
"Schureman,  put  up  your  watch,  Paul  preached  till  mid- 
night." 

He  finally  bound  himself  under  a  penalty  of  five  hundred 
pounds  not  to  pr.each,  or  administer  the  sacraments  within  the 
bounds  of  the  two  churches.  His  ministry  lasted  thirty-two 
years,  and  the  two  churches,  greatly  to  their  honor,  united  in 
making  a  comfortable  provision  for  their  pastor  as  long  as  he 
lived. 

After  Mr.  Jackson  resigned  his  ministry  the  connection  be- 
tween the  two  churches  of  Bergen  and  Staten  Island  was  dis- 
solved, having  continued  harmoniously  thirty-nine  years.  In 
1769  a  deed  was  given  by  Jacob  Rezeau  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Jack- 
son and  the  consistory  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  church  at  Rich- 
mond and  the  session  of  the  English  Presbyterian  church  at 
Stony  Brook,  for  land  in  the  village  of  Richmond  on  which  to 
build  a  church,  these  two  bodies  being  desirous  of  uniting. 

From  this  it  would  appear  that  after  the  Waldenses  left 
Stony  Brook,  in  order  to  unite  with  the  Dutch  and  the  French 
Huguenots  in  1717,  as  already  mentioned,  a  Presbyterian  church 
was  formed  in  the  place  which  they  had  occupied.  The  deed 
mentions  the  names  of  James  Rezeau  and  Samuel  Broome  as 
"  the  present  Elders  of  the  English  Presbyterian  Church,  ac- 
cording to  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  Catechism 
and  Directory,  agreeable  to  the  present  established  Church  of 
Scotland."  The  deed  conveyed  a  small  lot,  sixty-five  feet  by 
fifty-five,  to  these  parties.  As  far  as  we  can  understand  it  this 
is  the  ground  on  which  the  present  Reformed  church  in  Rich- 
mond stands.  The  church  then  standing  at  Stony  Brook  was 
to  be  removed  and  rebuilt  on  this  lot.  The  deed  was  granted 
by  the  donor  "in  consideration  of  the  pious  and  laudable  de- 
sign of  the  said  parties,  and  also  of  the  sum  of  ten  shillings, 


358  IIISTOKY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

lawful  money  of  the  province  of  New  York,  to  him  in  hand 
paid."  It  is  distinctly  specified  that  if  ever  any  attempt  shall 
be  made  to  alienate  the  property  from  sacred  to  secular  pur- 
poses, it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  grantor,  his  heirs  or  assigns,  to 
enter  on  it  and  reclaim  it.  This,  unhappily,  seems  a  not  im- 
possible contingency,  in  the  present  condition  of  that  church. 
The  first  minutes  of  the  consistory  of  the  Port  Richmond 
church,  preserved  in  regular  form,  are  dated  June  25,  1785. 
At  a  meeting  then  held,  this  minute  is  recorded,  along  with 
some  others  not  of  interest,  "our  house  of  worship — the  six- 
sided  building  described  before— having  been  destroyed  in  the 
late  unhappy  war,  it  was  resolved  to  build  a  new  one,  of  brick." 
The  account  is  that  the  building  was  greatly  injured  by  fire  by 
the  British  troops,  and  afterward  blown  down  in  a  severe  storm. 
A  committee  was  appointed  to  raise  money  for  the  purpose  at 
home  and  in  the  neighboring  churches,  and  to  superintend  the 
building.  There  are  no  particulars  of  the  progress  of  the  work, 
but  it  was  ready  for  service  in  March,  1788. 

In  1790,  the  Rev.  Peter  Stryker  was  ordained  minister  of 
this  church,  and  remained  till  1794,  when  he  accepted  a  call 
from  Second  River,  now  Belleville,  N.  J.  During  his  incum- 
bency the  church  was  incorporated,  in  1792,  under  the  style  and, 
title  of  "  The  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church,  on  Staten 
Island,"  the  names  of  the  incorporators  being  Rev.  Peter  Stry- 
ker, Hendrick  Garretson,  John  Van  Pelt,  Wilhelmus  Yreeland, 
John  Grarretson,  William  Merrill,  Peter, Haughwout,  Abraham 
Prahl,  and  Nicholas  Haughwout. 

After  Mr.  Stryker' s  departure,  the  church  remained  without 
a  pastor  for  three  years,  when  Mr.  Thomas  Kirby  was  ordained 
over  it.  He  remained  a  little  over  three  years,  when  he  was 
obliged  to  resign  ;  the  means  of  his  support  having  been  almost 
entirely  withdrawn.  He  was  an  Englishman  without  culture, 
unable  even  to  spell  correctly,  and  the  minutes  in  his  hand- 
writing are  such  as  would  disgrace  a  schoolboy.  Fifty  years 
ago  there  were  many  living  who  had  sat  under  his  ministry, 
and  knew  him  well.  He  soon  showed  himself  to  be  a  man  with- 
out much  character,  and  his  habits  were  so  gross  as  to  disgust 
most  of  those  who  came  into  contact  with  him.  He  was 
suspended  from  the  ministry  for  intemperance  after  leav- 
ing the  island,  but  was  afterward  restored,  and  went  to 
Canada. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  359 

The  churcb  at  Richmond,  erected  on  Mr.  Eezeau's  grant, 
was  burnt  down  also,  during  the  war,  by  the  British  troops, 
because  it  was,  as  they  termed  it,  a  rebel  church.  "This 
speaks  well,"  says  Doctor  Brownlee,  "for  the  descendants  of 
the  Waldenses  and  the  Huguenots,  and  the  Dutch 
with  whom  they  blended  ;  and  their  descendants  may  feel 
proud  that  it  did  not  earn  the  distinction  of  being  al- 
lowed to  stand.  There  were  no  tories  then  in  our  churches,  here 
or  at  Richmond  ;  and  so  both  of  them  were  burnt." 

During  Mr.  Kirby's  ministry,  an  application  was  made  by 
Benjamin  Swaim  and  Israel  Oakley,  for  the  concurrence  of  the 
consistory  here  in  building  a  new  church  at  Richmond,  on 
the  foundation  of  the  old  French  church  ;  and  steps  were  taken 
to  organize  a  church,  by  ordaining  two  elders  and  two  deacons. 
Very  particular  arrangements  were  also  made  as  to  the  times  and 
the  amount  of  service  to  be  rendered  by  the  pastor  ;  but  Mr. 
Kirby  was  not  the  man  to  succeed  in  a  work  of  that  kind, 
and  the  project  was  not  carried  out  till  some  years  later. 

On  the  16th  of  May,  1802,  Rev.  Peter  I.  Van  Pelt,  after- 
ward Doctor  "Van  Pelt,  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  church, 
and  remained  till  1835,  when  the  relation  between  him  and  the 
church  was  dissolved  by  mutual  consent.  Dr.  Van  Pelt's 
labors  were  exceedingly  popular  and  successful  from  the  first  ; 
and  numerous  additions  were  made  to  the  membership  of  the 
church  at  almost  every  communion. 

During  the  incumbency  of  Dr.  Van  Pelt,  a  building  was 
erected  on  the  spot  now  occupied  by  the  brick  stores  in  Port 
Richmond,  then  the  property  of  the  church,  wdth  the  view  of 
establishing  a  parochial  school,  under  the  care  of  the  church. 
The  project,  however,  did  not  succeed  very  well  ;  and,  after 
trying  two  or  three  teachers,  it  was  finally  given  up.  What  is 
chiefly  interesting  in  connection  with  this,  is  the  fact  of  a  Sab- 
bath school  being  opened  in  the  building  as  early  as  1812,  and 
believed  to  have  been  among  the  earliest  in  this  country. 

In  1835,  on  the  fourth  Sabbath  of  August,  the  present  pastor. 
Rev.  James  Brownlee,  was  ordained  ;  and  through  a  kind 
Providence  remains  to  this  day.  During  all  these  years  the 
church  has  been,  on  the  whole,  growing,  and  has  made  many 
efforts  and  some  sacrifices  to  reach  its  present  position,  and 
"provide  things  honest  in  sight  of  all  men." 

"  Soon  after  my  settlement,  says  Dr.  Brownlee,   "it  was  de- 


360 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 


termined  to  repair  the  old  church,  which  had  become  much 
dilapidated.      This  was  immediately  done,  at  a  cost  of  over 
$4,000.     The  next  year  lots  were  purchased  for  a  parsonage,, 
and  a  house  was  erected,  the  whole  costing  over  $3,000. 

"In  1845  it  was  found  that  the  church  was  not  large  enough 
for  those  desiring  to  worship  in  it,  and  after  much  discussion 
as  to  enlarging  the  old  building  or  erecting  a  new  one,  it 
was  finally  resolved  to  build  anew.  This  was  accordingly  done, 
and  the  house  which  is  now  occupied  was  built,  at  a  cost  of 


POET  RICHMOND  DUTCH  KEFOEMED  CHURCH. 

$10,000,  and  dedicated  in  February,  1846,  the  Rev.  Dr.  De 
Witt,  and  other  clergymen  participating  in  the  services.  Since 
then  the  parsonage  has  been  enlarged  and  beautified  at  a  cost  of 
$5,000,  and  is  now  one  of  the  most  convenient  and  comfortable 
anywhere  to  be  found. 

"Anecessity  having  long  been  felt  for  some  additional  burying 
ground,  that  around  the  church  as  far  as  it  is  available  being 
almost  completely  filled  up,  about  the  year  1874  the  consistory 
purchased  a  piece  of  ground  for  a  cemetery,  most  eligibly  situ- 
ated, and  in  one  of  the  most  beautiful  spots  on  the  island. 


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HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  361 

The  consistory  felt  that  this  was  necessary,  as  they  had  no 
proper  space  to  bury  their  dead,  and  the  time  cannot  be  far  dis- 
tant when  the  increase  of  population  and  the  demands  of 
business  may  render  it  necessary,  as  in  so  many  other  places, 
to  remove  the  dead  farther  from  the  dwellings  of  men. 

"During  all  these  years  the  church  has  been  much  favored  in 
spiritual  things.  For  a  time  after  my  settlement  there  was  a 
most  depressing  state  of  coldness — almost  of  lethargy — in  the 
church.  But  we  had  a  band  of  praying  men  among  us,  men  of 
faith,  who  never  ceased  to  plead  before  the  mercy  seat  ;  and 
speedily  their  prayers  were  heard.  Converts  began  to  come  in 
in  numbers,  into  our  fold  ;  and  from  that  time  to  the  present,  a 
year  has  never  passed,  and  rarely  a  communion  season,  without 
some  additions  to  our  membership.  In  1838,  thirteen  were  added 
to  our  list  of  members,  by  confession.  In  the  year  following, 
sixteen,  and  so  on.  God  never  left  himself  without  a  witness 
among  us. 

"  We  also  have  had  our  seasons  of  gracious  revival — but  reviv- 
al of  the  right  sort ;  not  that  which  is  got  up,  but  that  which 
comes  down  ;  which  begins  to  show  itself  in  a  silent,  prevalent 
earnestness,  and  diligent  attendance  on  the  prayer-meetings 
and  other  means  of  grace.  Of  that  kind  was  the  gracious  sea- 
son of  1843-44,  when  twenty-eight  were  brought  into  the 
church  ;  some  of  whom  are  among  the  most  warm-hearted  and 
devoted  followers  of  Christ  among  us  to  this  day. 

"In  1858,  there  was  another  very  remarkable  outpouring  of 
the  spirit  among  us.  It  began  as  before,  silently  and  without 
any  concerted  action. 

"  The  consistory  and  myself  sought  rather  to  guide  and  reg- 
ulate, than  to  stimulate  it ;  while  at  the  same  time  we  could 
not  but  discern  and  gratefully  recognize  the  hand  of  the  Lord. 
In  April  of  that  year,  fifty  were  received  in  fellowship  at  one 
communion;  and  within  the  year  thirty-three  more,  making 
eighty- three  in  all.  It  was  a  season  that  stirred  the  souls  of 
God's  people  to  their  depths,  in  joy  and  praise,  and  caused 
their  Christian  graces  to  shine  forth  with  new  and  holy  lustre. 

"Our  Sabbath  school  has  long  been  prosperous.  It  has  for 
years  been  under  the  very  best  management,  without  any  at- 
tempt at  display  ;  without  any  efforts  or  contrivances  to 
allure  teachers  or  scholars  from  quarters  to  which  courtesy  for- 
bade us  to   apply.     We  have  kept  to   the  steady  purpose  of 


362  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

cultivating  (he  useful  and  solid,  rather  than  the  entertaining. 

"  It  would  be  interesting,  if  space  permitted,  to  give  short 
sketches  of  some  of  the  fathers  of  the  church,  who  have  gone 
to  their  reward  from  among  us.  Allow  me  very  briefly  to  men- 
tion a  few. 

"  The  first  to  pass  away  were  Jacob  Bodine  and  Joshua  Mer- 
sereau,  both  of  Huguenot  origin,  and  both  exhibiting  the  inef- 
faceable traits  of  their  lineage,  in  the  vivacity  and  energy  which 
we  usually  attribute  to  the  French  blood.  Mr.  Bodine  was  for 
many  years  a  member  of  the  consistory,  and  an  active  and  un- 
tiring friend  of  the  church.  He  and  Mr.  Mersereau,  along  with 
Dr.  Clark,  had  the  whole  burden  of  remodelling  the  old  church 
to  bear,  and  of  building  the  parsonage;  and  amid  many  diffi- 
culties, chiefly  met  and  surmounted  by  Mr.  Bodine' s  business 
skill  and  tact,  they  succeeded,  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  con- 
cerned. 

"Mr.  Mersereau  was  somewhat  reserved  in  his  manner; 
prompt,  decided,  and  resolute.  He  had  the  appearance,  to 
those  who  did  not  know  him,  of  being  rather  stern;  but  his 
friends  knew  him  to  be  of  the  most  kiiidly  and  genial  disposi- 
tion, when  he  met  them  in  the  quiet  family  circle.  He  was  a 
man  of  incorruptible  integrity,  before  whom  no  one  could  safely 
venture  to  commit  any  mean  act.  He,  too,  was  a  life-long  steady 
friend  of  his  church. 

"  Then  there  was  Judge  Tysen,  who  had  been  member  of 
congress,  and  for  many  years  first  associate  judge  of  the 
county;  a  most  careful  and  accurate  business  man,  for 
many  years  the  treasurer  of  the  church;  always  ready,  by 
word  and  deed,  to  advance  the  interests  of  the  church;  faith- 
ful and  liberal  in  all  his  ways.  To  him,  along  with  George  Cad- 
mus and  myself,  was  committed  tlie  duty  of  overseeing  the  build- 
ing of  the  present  church,  and  on  him  fell  by  far  the  heaviest 
share.  He  was  indefatigable  in  his  attention  to  the  work  while 
it  was  in  progress,  and  professed  himself  amply  rewarded  for 
his  labor  when  he  saw  the  building  completed— which  had  a 
much  more  creditable  appearance  then  than  it  bears  to-day, 
among  the  many  new  church  edifices  which  have  been  built  all 
around  us.  He  was  re-elected  to  the  office  of  elder  again  and 
again,  as  long  as  he  would  consent  to  serve;  and  when  he  was 
taken  away,  in  ripe  old  age,  it  seemed  as  if  the  most  prominent 
place  in  the  church  was  left  empty. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  363 

"There  was  Aartie  Housman,  as  he  was  commonly  called. 
His  name  is  entered  on  the  record  as  Aaron,  but  I  think  it  must 
have  been  a  mistake  for  Arthur.  Many  will  remember  him  as 
he  sat  under  the  gallery,  with  his  tall,  erect,  massive  frame, 
and  his  magnificent  head,  with  flowing  white  hair,  which  at  once 
attracted  the  notice  of  every  stranger  who  entered  the  pulpit, 
and  which  might  have  served  as  a  model  for  a  head  of  Jupiter. 
He  was  a  man  of  but  limited  education,  but  of  strong  good 
sense  and  natural  intelligence;  who  with  greater  advantages  of 
training,  could  not  have  failed  to  distinguish  himself. 

"  Garrit  Martling,  for  many  years  an  elder  and  warm  friend 
of  the  church,  was  a  man  of  few  words,  but  his  face  beamed 
with  the  kindliness  which  filled  his  heart;  and  when  any  one 
asked  a  favor  of  him,  he  always  granted  it  as  if  it  were  con- 
ferred upon  himself,  delighted  with  the  opportunity  of  doing  a 
kind  act. 

"  Solomon  Zeluif  was  long  an  elder.  Quiet  and  reserved  in 
manner,  but  faithful  to  all  that  he  deemed  right;  he  was  a  man 
of  prayer,  and  earnestly  attached  to  the  doctrines  and  iisages 
of  his  church. 

"  George  Cadmus  was  not  a  member  of  the  church,  but  a 
constant  and  generous  friend.  Without  doubt,  he  was  a  true 
Christian  for  years  before  his  death,  although,  from  unaffected 
humility,  he  shrank  from  taking  the  name  openly.  Open 
hearted,  full  of  quips  and  jokes,  he  was  a  most  attractive  com- 
panion and  friend,  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him. 

"  Paul  La  Tourette,  also  long  an  elder,  was  of  Huguenot  ori- 
gin, and  showed  it  in  form  and  manner.  A  man  of  prayer  and 
faith  beyond  many,  he  was  strong  in  the  Scriptures.  Indeed, 
his  Bible  was  almost  his  exclusive  study.  His  mind  was  clear 
and  logical,  grasping  at  once  the  main  points  of  any  subject  ; 
and  although  he  had  not  enjoyed  many  advantages  of  education 
in  early  life,  there  were  very  few  who  could  hold  an  argument 
with  him  successfully  on  any  Scriptural  or  doctrinal  point.  He 
was  remarkably  fluent  in  prayer  ;  and  so  warm  were  his  feelings 
and  so  much  did  he  become  engaged  that  sometimes  he  would 
pray  for  half  an  hour,  or  even  three-quarters  ;  and  would  be 
surprised  when  his  friends  told  him  how  long  he  had  been  on  his 
knees. 

"  Time  would  fail  to  speak  of  all  whom  we  lovingly  remem- 
ber.    But  I  must  mention  John  Garretson  (Judge  Garretson,  as 


364  HISTOEY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

he  was  commonly  called),  who  had  also  been  in  congress.  His 
name  is  the  first  of  those  subscribed  to  my  call ;  and  he  was  the 
first  to  depart.  He  and  his  wife  Martha  were  the  oldest  mem- 
bers of  the  church  at  Richmond,  having  been  received  in  Dominie 
Jackson's  time.  He  was  a  devoted  Christian,  and  one  of  the 
finest  specimens  of  the  Christian  gentleman  ;  polished,  and  even 
courtly  in  his  manners,  which  his  usual  dress  and  appearance 
did  not  lead  one  to  expect.  He  was  a  man  of  very  extensive 
information,  and  clear,  incisive  intellect  ;  and  would  have 
greatly  surprised  any  stranger  who  might  have  taken  him  for 
nothing  more  than  the  plain  farmer  he  appeared  to  be.  His 
household  was  one  of  the  most  delightful  I  ever  knew.  It  was 
probably  the  last  in  the  county  in  which  the  Dutch  language 
was  spoken.  He  and  his  wife  always  used  it  when  alone  ;  and 
when,  at  my  request,  they  would  speak  it,  it  seemed  to  lose 
every  trace  of  uncouthness,  which  those  unacquainted  with  it 
are  apt  to  attribute  to  it,  and  to  be  the  very  dialect  of  warm, 
homely,  household  regard. 

"  The  judge  used  to  ride  to  church  at  Port  Richmond  every 
Sabbath,  for  years,  till  the  Richmond  church  was  built,  in  1808; 
and,  although  he  lived  twelve  miles  away,  there  was  no  more 
regular  attendant  than  he.  I  remember  well  his  saying,  '  I  do 
not  know  what  has  come  to  our  young  people  now  ;  it  takes  so 
little  to  keep  them  home  on  a  Sabbath  day.  I  have  gone  for 
years,  through  all  weather,  and  it  never  hart  me.'  And,  look- 
ing kindly  at  his  aged  companion  he  added,  '  and  the  j'ufvrouw 
always  went  with  me.  It  took  a  storm— mind,  I  say  a  storm— 
to  keep  her  home.' 

"  I  cherish  his  memory  with  grateful  affection.  He  was  the 
first  to  speak  words  of  encouragement  to  me  when  I  came  here, 
without  experience  in  the  ministry  ;  and  to  predict  that  there 
was  in  the  young  dominie  '  something  that  would  wear.'  He 
was  my  kind  friend  to  his  dying  day." 

Rev.  Alfred  H.  Demarest  was  called  as  associate  pastor  to 
Doctor  Brownlee,  and  was  ordained  and  installed  November  6 
1884. 

The  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  settlement  of  Doctor  Brownlee 
was  celebrated  on  Sunday,  August  23,  1885.  At  that  time  it 
was  said  that  Mrs.  Martha  Miller,  of  Mariners'  Harbor,  was  the 
only  person  living  who  was  a  communicant  of  the  church  at  the 
time  of  Doctor  Brownlee's  installation.     Several  of  the  neigh- 


^^^-^ 


CBnsraved  from  a  tracing,  made' ty  K.  M.  Blay  lei,  from  the  original  sketch} 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  365 

boring  churches  suspended  services  in    the  morning  out  of 
respect  to  this  celebration. 

At  that  time  Doctor  Brownlee  had,  during  the  lifty  years  of 
his  pastorate,  baptized  eight  hundred  and  thirty-nine  children 
and  seventy  adults;  married  six  hundred  and  twenty-four 
couples,  attended  about  six  hundred  and  fifty  burials  ;  received 
seven  hundred  and  twenty-one  persons  into  the  communion  of  the 
church  ;  preached  four  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty- six 
written  sermons,  and  delivered  about  five  thousand  extempore 
addresses  at  evening  prayer-meetings,  funerals  and  on  other 
occasions.  The  fact  was  a  remarkable  one  that  he  had  married 
a  couple,  not  long  before,  whose  parents  he  had  married  in  1860, 
and  whose  grand-parents  he  had  married  in  1838. 

The  record  of  baptisms  belonging  to  this  early  church,  and 
covering  about  half  a  century  from  1696  onward,  has  been 
transcribed  for  this  work,  and  will  be  found  in  this  chapter. 

Accompanying  this  article  will  be  found  a  diagram  of  the 
second  edifice  of  this  church  which  stood  at  Port  Richmond 
about  where  the  present  church  stands.  It  was  built  about 
1714  and  destroyed  during  the  revolution.  The  following  ex- 
planations of  the  diagram  of  the  old  church  were  given  by  Mr. 
J.  J.  Clute. 

Translation  of  the  title:  "  Plan  of  the  Christian  Low  Dutch 
Church  on  Staten  Island,  the  30th  September,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  1751  ,  made  by  Daniel  Corsen." 

A.   Predikestoel — Pulpit.     B.   Ouderlingen — Elders.     C.   Diakenen — Deacons. 
1  Boumeester's  Plaats  en  Kerkmeester's  Plaats — The  Master-Builder's  Place  and 
the  Church-Warden's  Place. 

2  Plaats  voor  den  Overheidt — Place  for  the  Magistrate. 

3  Nicholas  Backer,  23  Johannes  Simonson, 

4  Douwe  Van  Wogelom,  The  succeeding  nine  are  vacant, 

5  Ernst  Lende,  Henrik  Croesen,  33  Antonie  Van  Pelt, 

6  Jan  Veghte,  84  Jon  Roll,  Junr., 

7  Jacob  Corsen,  Comelis  Corsen,  35  Joseae  Morseroe,  Junr. , 

8  Gerrit  Croesen,  Abraham  Croesen,        36  Cornelius  EUes, 

9  Joshua  Mersereaux,  87  Vacant, 

10  Gen-it  Kroessen,  88  Art  Simonson  or  Simonze, 

11  Gerrit  Post,  Cors  Krock,  39  Richard  Merrell, 
13  Pieter  De  Groot,                                      40  Jan  Roll, 

13  Johannes  De  Groot,  41  Cornelius sen., 

14  Jan  Van  Pelt,  and  another  illegible,     43  Isaac  Simonze, 

J,5  JoriS'Prall,       -      ^  43  Johanna  Vanwagena, 

(  'jGThomafi  Jtuxbaafcr-"  44  Wilhelmus  Vreelandt, 

Iv  Jacob  Van  Pelt,  45  Cornelius  Corsen, 

18  Peter  Martlinghe,  46  Christian  Corsen, 

19  Cornelius  Croesen,  47  Otto  Van  Tuyl, 

30  Egbert  Hagabot,  48  Jacob  Corsen, 

31  Robert  De  Groot,  49  Vacant, 

33  Hendrik  Proll,  and  another  erased,      50  Nealtje  Hagewout, 


366  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

51  Cornelia  Corsen,  64  Elsje  Merrill, 

53  Aaltje  Van  Pelt,  65  Gwrtruyde  Merrell, 

53  Jan  Veghte,  66  Antje  Corsen, 

54  Cornelia  Veghte,  67  Cornelia  Croesen, 

55  Vacant,  68  Qerret  Croesen, 

56  Helena  Croesen,  6tf  Simonse, 

57  Elisabet  Corsen,  Sister  Bock,  70  Cornelia 

58  Maria  Praal,  71  De  Nakomelings  van  (the  descendants 

59  Catrina  Berckelo,  of)  Catharine  Hoogelandt, 

60  Sara  Elles,  '  72  Vacant, 

61  Arayaentie  Elles,  73  Knelia ricke, 

62  Elizabeth  Baker,  74  Magritie  Gerrode, 

63  Sara  Post,  75  Jannetje  Van  Woggelom, 

64  Belitie  De  Groot,  76  Maria  Beekman, 

65  Elizabeth  De  Groot,  77  Fermie  Van  B . 

66  Aeyea  Speer,  78  Vacant, 

67  Vacant,  79  Fytie  Mersereau, 

68  Maria  Mersereau,  '       80  Lena  Van  Wagene, 

69  Fransyntje  Post,  and  another  erased,    81  Maria  Prall, 

60  Marigrita  Sifitom^,  82  Annietie  fountain, 

C^TKarrif/e  SMrbcmip  83  Wintie  Van  Tuyls, 

03~iVeHete-4^reB?S5i3i7  84  Rebecca  Staats. 
63  Ainatie  Martlinghs, 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  numbers  from  60  to  69,  both  in- 
clusive, are  duplicated.  It  will  also  be  observed  that  according 
to  the  universal  custom  in  the  olden  times,  the  sexes  were  sepa- 
rated in  their  seats. 

Across  the  ends  of  76,  77  and  78  are  written  the  words 
''  Stoelen  voor  den  Predikant" — Chairs  for  the  Preacher. 

This  was  the  second  church  edifice  ;  it  was  built  about  1714, 
partially  destroyed  by  fire  by  the  British  early  in  the  revolu- 
tion as  a  rebel  church,  and  what  was  left  standing  was  subse- 
quently blown  down,  in  a  heavy  gale. 

The  name  of  Daniel  Corsen  does  not  appear  among  those  of 
the  pew-holders;  but  as  he  was  generally  the  incumbent 
of  some  civil  office,  his  seat  was  in  No.  1  or  2.  He  was  county 
clerk  at  the  time  he  made  the  diagram. 

Soon  after  the  settlement  of  Dr.  Van  Pelt  the  plan  of  re- 
building the  church  at  Richmond  was  revived,  and  through 
the  energetic  efforts  of  the  pastor,  it  was  carried  successfully 
into  execution.  The  church  now  standing  was  built,  and  ready 
for  service  in  July,  1808,  when  it  was  dedicated  ;  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Livingston,  of  New  York,  conducting  the  services.  Prom  that 
time  on  Doctor  Van  Pelt  ministered  to  this  church  and  that  at 
the  north  side  until  1835,  when  Doctor  Brownlee,  his  successor, 
ministered  to  both  until  1858.  The  connection  between  the  two 
churches  was  dissolved  in  1854,  when  the  church  in  Richmond 
became  a  distinct  and  separate  ecclesiastical  organization.  Its 
first  pastor  after  that  event  was  the  Rev.  Thomas  R.  G.  Peck, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  367 

and  his  successors  have  been  Rev.  Erskine  N.  White,  Rev. 
Jacob  Fehrinann,  Rev.  J.  H.  Sinclair,  and  the  pulpit  was  for  a 
v^hile  supplied  alternately  with  that  of  the  church  of  the 
Huguenots,  by  Rev.  Dr.  F.  M.  Kip.  This  church  has  a  chapel 
at  Giflord's. 

The  building  of  a  new  church  was  talked  of  in  1818,  and 
Governor  Tompkins  gave  two  lots  at  Tompkinsville,  on  which, 
to  erect  it.  The  work  was  commenced  and  the  corner  stone 
laid  October  20,  1818.  The  church  was  completed,  and  dedi- 
cated July  23,  1820.  Rev.  Peter  I.  Van  Pelt  of  the  Port  Rich- 
mond church  occupied  the  pulpit  till  May,  1823,  when  this 
church  became  a  distinct  society  and  separate  charge,  its  incor- 
poration being  effected  the  same  year.  This  enterprise  was  car- 
ried to  completion  through  the  perseverance  of  Doctor  Van  Pelt, 
assisted  by  the  munificence  of  Vice-President  Tompkins,  who 
donated  the  land  and  contributed  a  large  sum  of  money  toward 
building  the  church.  Doctor  Van  Pelt  supplied  the  pulpit 
until  18^3,  when,  as  an  independent  church,  the  Rev.  John  E. 
Miller  became  its  pastor.  He  was  installed  October  19,  1823, 
and  for  nearly  twenty-four  years  was  pastor  of  the  church.  He 
died  August  24,  1847,  and  the  Rev.  Alexander  R.  Thompson 
became  the  second  pastor,  in  1848.  During  his  incumbency, 
some  of  the  members  withdrew  their  connection,  and  organized 
a  church  at  Stapleton,  nearer  their  own  residences,  with  which 
Mr.  Thompson  identified  himself,  after  having  served  this 
church  three  years  and  three  months.  The  vacancy  thus  left 
by  him  was  filled  by  the  Rev.  Philip  M.  Brett,  who  was  in- 
stalled December  24,  1851,  and  died  January  14,  1860.  He  was 
succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Edward  W.  Hitchcock,  who  was  ordained 
and  installed  August  8,  1860.  It  was  his  first  pastorate.  He 
resigned  March  1,  1866.  It  was  during  his  pastorate  that  the 
new  church  edifice  was  built,  on  what  is  known  as  Brighton 
HeightSj._on^ a  hill  commanding  a  fine  view  of  the  bay.  New 
York  city  and  Long  Island.  The  corner  stone  of  this  church 
was  laid  October  27,  1863,  and  it  was  dedicated  November  3, 
1864.  The  cost  of  the  church  was  $14,300.  Its  site  is  diagon- 
ally opposite  the  northwest  corner  of  the  old  quarantine 
grounds. 

The  old  church  building  was  sold,  and  has  since  been  used 
for  a  variety  of  purposes,  at  times  as  a  feied  store,  confectionery 
shop,  political  headquarters  and  carriage  shop,  in  which  use  it 


368  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

is  Still  occupied.  Some  of  the  older  people,  as  well  as  the 
former  pastors,  who  have  precious  memories  connected  with 
religious  work  within  the  ancient  edifice,  deplore  the  action 
which  consigned  the  building  to  such  unhallowed  uses.  It 
may  Justly  be  claimed  that  a  respectful  regard  for  the  good 
and  faithful  ones  who  founded  the  church,  and  the  pious  men 
and  women  who  maintained  its  services  during  so  many  years 
of  its  history,  and  a  wholesome  reverence  for  the  cause  it  re- 
presented, ought  to  have  prompted  those  who  had  the  manage- 
ment of  the  matter,  to  have  held  the  building  from  the  pur- 
poses of  secular  business,  for  the  possibilities  of  further  use  in 
connection  with  some  of  the  enterprises  of  the  church. 

Rev.  Herman  R.  Timlow  was  installed  October  24,  1866,  and 
resigned  November  1,  1867.  Rev.  I.  Ralston  Smith  supplied 
the  pulpit  in  1868.  Rev.  Thomas  G.  Watson  'was  installed 
May  13,  1869,  and  resigned  September  11,  1871.  Rev.  William 
T.  Enyard  was  installed  April  13, 1873,  and  resigned  on  account 
of  ill  health,  July  13,  1879.  He  died  April  26,  1880.  Rev. 
William  Walton  Clark,thesucceeding  pastor  was  installed  March 
16,  1880.  During  his  pastorate,  the  church  was  entirely  released 
from  debt,  and  a  beautiful  Sunday  school  and  lecture  room 
was  built  in  the  rear  of  the  church.  The  expense  of  building  and 
furnishing  the  Sunday  school  and  lecture  room,  and  repairing 
and  refurnishing  the  church  in  1881,  amounted  to  $9,980.73. 

The  Ancient   Baptismal   Record   of  the    Early    Dutch 

Church. 

This  book,  beginning  in  1696,  and  containing  apparently  a 
complete  record  of  the  baptisms  of  the  early  Dutch  church  on 
Staten  Island  for  a  period  of  more  than  half  a  century,  is  still 
in  existence,  being  now  in  the  keeping  of  the  consistory  of  the 
Dutch  Reformed  church  at  Port  Ricmond.  This  venerable  and 
valuable  relic  several  years  ago  fell  into  bad  company  and  be- 
came degraded  to  the  level  of  common  garret  rubbish.  While 
in  this  condition,  and  just  as  it  was  about  to  be  consigned  to  a 
bonfire  by  those  who  had  no  knowledge  of  its  value,  it  was 
rescued  from  destruction  by  Mr.  Alfred  de  Groot,  who 
promptly  placed  it  in  the  hands  of  its  proper  custodians.  Its 
records  contain  valuable  genealogical  data  touching  almost 
every  old  family  of  the  island  and  many  others.  It  is  written 
in  Dutch,  and  is  now  considerably  defaced  by  time  and  wear 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  369 

and  much  of  it  quite  difficult  to  read.  Those  who  would  con- 
sult it  also  find  a  still  greater  difficulty  in  the  utter  absence 
of  any  order  in  its  arrangement,  so  that  to  sarely  find  whether 
any  desired  name  is  contained  in  it  or  not,  the  whole  book 
must  be  gone  through.  These  obstacles  united  render  the 
record  practically  a  "sealed  book,"  except  to  those  who  have 
the  ability  to  read  faded  Dutch  manuscript,  and  the  time  and 
patience  to  search  through  such  a  long  list  to  find  the  names 
they  wish  to  see.  Believing  that  the  service  of  unlocking  this 
sealed  treasure  will  be  appreciated  by  those  who  may  have 
occasion  to  refer  to  it,  we  have  transcribed  the  entire  list,  as 
far  as  it  has  any  genealogical  significance,  and  have  arranged 
the  entries  all  in  the  alphabetic  order  of  the  surnames  of  the 
fathers. 

The  custom  prevailed  of  baptizing  children  at  a  very  tender 
age.  In  the  early  years  of  the  record  occasionally  the  date 
of  birth  is  given  together  with  the  date  of  baptism,  as  in  the 
following  entry  : 

"  Cornells  Tyssen  zyne  gedoopte  Kinderen  zyn  Dochter 
Elizabeth  is  gebooren  den  1705  28  van  May  ende  heef  t 
zynen  Doop  ontfangen  den  2  Augustus  De  Gretuygen 
bennen  Leenert  Smack  de  ende  Sara  Smack." 

In  the  very  early  records  it  will  be  noticed  the  mother's  name 
is  not  given.  In  most  cases  two  "getuygen"  or  witnesses, 
names  appear  in  connection  with  each  baptism,  though  in  some 
only  one  appears,  and  in  others  none  at  all. 

The  record  contains  many  old  Dutch  words  and  phrases  now 
more  or  less  obsolete,  which,  through  the  kindness  of  Dr. 
Brownlee,  who  has  made  the  book  a  matter  of  considerable 
study,  we  are  able  to  bring  together  in  the  following  list,  with 
their  parallel  English  words  or  expression.  We  give  the  Dutch 
in  Roman  type,  and  the  corresponding  English  in  italics  : 

OviwdieYs— parents;  'kiudieien— children;  getrajgen— witness- 
es ;  gedoo-pt— baptized  ;  den— tJie  or  then  ;  de—the;  van— of ; 
dese— these;  zjne—his  ot  her ;  soon,  or  zoon— sow  ;  bennen— 
are;  dochter-daughter  ;  en— and;  gehorn— born;  met— with; 
gemelle,  or  tweelings— ^zoms;  bediening— o^ce,  employment  or 
service  ;  \ieeft— has  ;  de  com-^eex-god-f other  ;  de  ^eet— god- 
mother; doo^— baptism;  ChriStelycken—  Christian;  onfangen— 
obtained  or  received;  haar,  or  haaren— Aer  ;  \evwo\gh— contin- 
uation; eene—a  or  one;  voov— for;   op— of;  het— the;  genaemt 

34 


370  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

—is  named ;  z\e—see;  dezer—tJiis;  donderdagh.— Thursday ; 
dingsday — Tuesday;  sonne  o-pgang— sunrise;  omtrent — about; 
Keeren— the  Lord;  naa,m— name;  opgegeven— p-Z^jew  tip. 

The  book  also  contains  records  of  later  date,  of  children 
baptized  hj  Rev.  William  Jackson  for  the  Reformed  Protestant 
Dutch  church  at  the  north  side  of  Staten  Island,  July  9,  1786  to 
October  29  of  the  same  year,  7:  in  the  "  new  church  at  the 
North  Side,"  from  May  27,  1787  to  October  11,  1789,  31:  by 
Rev,  Peter  Stryker,  from  October  17,  1790  to  November  14, 
same  year,  9.  Mr.  Stryker  was  installed  in  this  church  by  Mr. 
Livingston,  Thursday,  November  11,  1790.  The  record  of  bap- 
tisms was  kept  by  Mr.  A.  Ryersz.  The  fee  of  one,  or  some- 
times two  shillings,  which  was  sometimes  paid,  was  duly  en- 
tered. The  names  of  "parents  or  witnesses"  accompany  the 
entry  of  each  baptism  in  that  list  in  such  a  way  as  to  leave  no 
way  of  distinguishing  between  the  two  classes,  hence  the  omis- 
sion of  all  names  on  that  list. 

The  title  page  bears  the  following  inscription: 

"Register  Boek  Van  De  K d  Namen  Der  Kinderen  De- 

welck  Gedoopt  Bennen  Op  Staten  Eylandt  Van  D Beginne 

Van  flet  Jaer  Anno  1696." 

In   the  following  list,   the  date  of  baptism  is  followed  by 

the  names  of  child,  father  and  mother,  in  the  order  mentioned. 

Oct.  8,  1721,  Hilletje,  Gozen  Adriaannsz,  Femmetje  vand'rBilt. 

May  17,  1724,  Leah,  Jan  Andrevet,  Leah  Sweem. 

Apr.  7,  1729,  Jan,  Jan  Andrevet,  Leah  Sweem. 

Aug.  26,  1722,  Neeltje,  Jan  Andrevet,  Leah  Sweem. 

Mar.  27,  1720,  Rebecca,  Pieter  Andrevet,  Rebecca  Cole. 

Dec.  25,  1723.  Elisabet,  Pieter  Andrevet,  Rebecca  Cole. 

Jan.  I,  1726,  Elisabet  and  Anna,  twins,  Pieter  Andrevet,  Rebecca  Cole. 

Mar.  25,  1701,  Andrys,  Andrys  Andryssen. 

1707.  Lontys,  Joseph  Bastido. 

July,  3,  1707,  Rossanna,  Joseph  Bastido. 

July,  26,  1711,  Bastido,  Joseph  Bastido. 

May  4,  1 7 14  Jan,  Joseph  Bastido. 

Jan.  18,  1717,  maria,  Joseph  Bastido. 

Oct.  18,  1719,  Pieter,  Joseph  Bastido,  Judith  Ryke. 

Apr.  22,  1707,  Tryntie,  Nicolaas  Backer. 

Oct.  31,  1756,  Jacob,  Niclos  Backer,  Liesabet  toret. 

Feb.  26,  1758,  Mary,  Niclos  Backer,  Liesabet  Latoret. 

Oct.  21,  1707,  Nicolaas,  Hendricus  Backer. 

Aug.  24,  1729,  Catharina,  Jacobus  Bakker,  Rebecca  Staats. 

Jan.  3o,_i.2^^^Nicolaas^  Jacobus  Bakker,  Rebeeca  _Staats. 

TVIar.  28,  i7367tj5eTfje7jan  Barbank,  LeatTllagewoutr 

Dec.  8,  1728,  Thomas,  Jan  Barbank,  Leah  Hagewout. 

'  lar.  28,  1736,  Maria,  Lucas  Barbank,  Martha  Baile. 


HISTOEY  PF_EICHM0ND  COUNTY.  371 

J^il_-i4-i-7S^ Maria,  Jan  Barbank,  Lea  Hagewout.        --. 
/Apr.  13,  1742,  Catharina,  Lucas  Barrabank,  Martha  Baely.  \ 
^ct.  II,  I7JQ,-Maria.  Thomas  Barbanck,  M^rrifjfl  M,r?,n'i^"-g^ 
Sep.  22,  1723,  Abraham,  Pieter  Barbaric,  Elisabet  du  Secoy. 
Jan.  I,  1729,  Cornelia,  Jacob  Bergen,  Maria  Croesen. 
Sep.  23,  1731,  Jacob,  Jacob  Bergen,  Maria  Croesen. 
May  6,  1745,  Grietje,  Jacob  Bergen,  Grietie  Bennet. 
June  10,  1747,  Gerretye,  Jacb  bergen,  Margrietye  bennet. 
May  3,  1749,  adriaen,  Jacob  Bergen,  maragreta  Bennet. 
Sept.  4,  1737,  Cornelia,  Jacob  Bergen,  Maria  Croesen. 
Apr.  29,  1722,  Gerritje,  Fredrik  Bergen,  Gerritje  Veghte. 
Sept.  26,  1725,  Henrik,  Frederik  Bergen,  Gerritje  Veghte. 
Mar.  12,  1732,  Elsje,  Fredrik  Bergen,  Gerritje  Veghte. 
May  21,  1727,  Elisabet,  Jacob  Bennet,  Elisabet  Brouwer. 
May  26,  1729,  Willem,  Jacob  Bennet,  Elisabet  Brouwer. 
Dec.  20,  1724,  Juriaan,  Jacob  Bennet,  Elizabet  Brouwer. 
Sept.  24,  1732,  Cornelius,  Jacob  Bennet,  Elisabet  Brouwer. 
Qgtr-^S.  r7-2^T-Aallje,  Jacob  BennetJ.lj?;iihpt  Brouwer. 
.ASJL  22,  1707,  Aeltie,  Thom^^s  R^?KaSS-J 
Nov.  2,  1754,  Cattriena,  Abraham  Beckelo,  Cattriena  Ebis. 

July  28, ,  Gerret, Berkelo, EUes. 

Oct.  13,  1747,  Cornelius,  Abraham  berkelau,  catrina  Ellis. 
Oct.  19,  1708,  Daniel,  Issac  Bellin. 
Mar.  14,  172^,  Maria,  Jacobus  Biebaut,  Maria  Sweem. 
May  5,  1729,  Petrus,  Jacobus  Biebant,  marytje  Sweem. 
Feb.  19,  1727,  Elisabet,  Jacubus  Biebant,  Maria  Sweem. 
July  16,  1721,  Jacobus,  Jacobus  Biebant,  Maria  Sweems. 
Nov.  2,  1718,  Isaak,  Teunis  Bogaart,  Catharina  Hegeman. 
Dec.  18,  1720,  Adriaan,  Teunis  Bogaart,  Catharina  Hegeman. 
Dec.  30,  1722,  Margareta,  Simon  Bogaart,  Margrietje  Ten  Eyk. 
Jan.  19,  1729,  Gysbert,  Simon  Bogaart,  Margrietje  ten  Eyk. 
Oct.  18,  1719,  Elisabet,  Simon  Bogaart,  Margrietje  ten  Eik. 
May  ig,  1726,  Simon,  Simon  Bogaart,  Margrietje  Ten  Eyk. 
Apr.  21,  1723,  Abraham,  Teunis  Bogaart,  Catharina  Hegeman. 
Mar.  28,  1725,  Maria,  Teunis  Bogaart,  Catharina  Hegeman. 
Mar.  2,  1729,  Cornelius,  Teunis  Bogaart,  Catharina  Hegeman. 
Feb.  13,  1732,  Sarah,  Simon  Bogaart,  Margrietje  Ten  Eyk. 
Nov.  29,  1719,  Jean,  Francois  Bodin,  Maria  Dey. 
Nov.  3,  1754,  Eliesebeth,  Nettenel  Bos,  Jannetye  Post. 
Sept.  17,  1758,  Gerret,  Nettenel  bos,  Jannetye  Post. 

1706,  Samuel,  Josua  Bosch. 

May  6,  1745,  Antje,  Nicklas  Bos,  Elisabet  Drenkwater. 

Sept.  8,  1734,  Barent,  Nicolaas  Bosch,  Elisabet  Drinkwater. 

Nov.  21,  1731,  Margareta,  Nicolaas  Bosch,  Elisabet  Drinkwater. 

July  13,  1740,  Nicolaas,  Nicolaas  Bosch,  Elisabet  Drinkwater. 

Nov.  24,  1728,  Eduard,  Nicolaas  Bosch,  Elisabet  Drenkwater. 

Dec.  II,  1737,  Samuel,  Louis  du  Bois  Jun'r,  Catharina  van  Brunt. 

Apr.  22,  1718,  Anna,  James  Bosler,  Sara  Pereine. 

Apr.  I,  1728,  Forms,  Andries  Bowman. 

Mar.  20,  1716,  Andries,  Andries  Bowman. 

May  6,  1745,  aeltje,  Cornelus  Bowman,  Aeltje  Titus. 

Apr.  19,  1715,  Neeltje,  Cornells  Bouwman. 


372  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  OOTJNTY. 

Sept.  14,  1742,  Neeltje,  Jacob  bowman,  Maria  Williams. 

Jan.  16,  1732,  Harmen,  Pieter  Bouwman,  Elsje  van  Pelt. 

Sept.  14,  1742,  Neeltje,  pieter  bowman,  Elsje  Van  pelt. 

Apr.  23,  1739,  Pieter,  Pieter  Bouwman,  Elsje  van  Pelt. 

July  24,  17 10,  Joris,  Harmen  Bowman. 

Oct.  23,  1711,  Tryntie,  Harmen  Bowman. 

May  4,  1714,  Jacob,  Harmen  Bowman. 

June  15,  1716,  Cornells,  Harmen  Bowman,  Neeltje  Staats. 

May  15,  1720,  Neeltje,  Cornells  Bouwman,  Antje  Staats. 

Apr.  22,  1707,  Elisabeth,  Jores  Bowman. 

Sept.  22,  1709,  Johanna,  Jores  Bowman. 

Feb.  12,  1758,  Catriena,  Antony  brat,  neety  haagewout. 

July  20,  17 18,  Cornells,  Cornells  Brees,  Saia  SchilTnaiig^^ 

Aug.  18,  1741,  Jan,  Johanes  Brestede,  Trintie  Hagewout. 

Aug.  16,  1743,  Pieter,  Johannes  Brestade,  Treintje  hagewout. 

Apr.  22,  1746,  Eckbert,  Johannes  brested^r-Catherina  hagewouyt. 

171S1  Johannes,  Willem  breetstede. 

1715,  Andries.  Willem  breetstede. 

Jan.  18,  1719,  Andries,  Willem  Breetstede,  Christina  Bouwman. 

Aug.  13,  172 1,  Engeltje,  Willem  Breetstede,  Christina  Bouwman. 

Sept.  9,  1722,  Henrik,  Henrik  Bries,  Dina  du  Cecoy. 

Jan.  31,  1725,  Sara,  Henrik  Bries,  Dina  du  Secoy. 

Apr.  9,  1732,  Sara,  Nathanael  Britton,  Esther  Billeville. 

Apr.  23,  1707,  Jeams,  Joseph  Britten. 

Oct.  II,  1708,  William,  Nicolaes  Britten. 

Apr.  20.  174.Q.  Maria.  John  Brown,  Susanne-Ra&eaHr-..^ 

•"AugTT^TjjAS-  r^,nT7an  JDurbanck,  ,Lee_a  hagewout. ^ 

""Vpfr  2  2,~T746,  Abraham, -John  burbanck.  Lea  kagewo.ut. 

i^eb.~237n-724.  Nathgn7"Elias"Burgerj~Susanna  Whitman. 

Oct.  19,  1718,  Samuel,  Samuel  Burnet,  Obiit,  Antje  Mangels  Ral. 

June  8,  173.S,  Sara,  James  Butler,  Sara  Parain. 

Apr.  9,  1732,  Jan,  James  Butler,  Sara  Parem. 
'    Nov.  18,  1733,  Andries,  Dirk  Cadmus,  Jannetje  van  Hoorn. 

Oct.  31,  1731,  Cathrina,  Dirk  Cadmus,  Jannetje  van  Hoorn. 

July  19,  1724,  Rutgers,  Dirk  Cadmus,  Jannetje  van  Hoorn. 

Dec.  IX,  1720,  Frederyk,  Dirk  Cadmus,  Jannetye  van  Hoorn. 

Apr.  22,  1746,  Elizabeth,  Jar.  Cahon,  maria  Egberts. 

Aug.  26,  1739,  Catharina,  Jean  Canon,  Maria  Egberts. 

July  19,  1748,  Jacobus,  John  Canone,  Maria  Egberts. 

Oct.  22,  1707,  Margriete,  Beniamin  Carenton. 

June  6,  1715,  Jannetie,  Joseph  Carrinton. 

Nov.  29,  1719,  Philip,  Philip  Casier,  Catharina  Hooglant. 

Aug.  28,  1726,  Casparus,  Jsak  Caspers,  Elisabet  Lisk. 

Jan.  21,  1739,  Cornelia  and  Antje,  twins,  Johannes.  Cavelier,  Catlyntje 
Andriessen. 

April  10,  1726,  Jacobus,  Phillippe  Cazier,  Catharina  Hooghlant. 

Mar.  15,  1724,  Dirk,  Philip  Cazier,  Catharina  Hooghlant. 

Jan.  14,  1722,  Catharina,  Philip  Cazier,  Catharina  Hooglant. 

Aug.  23,  1730,  Petrus,  Phillipe  Cazier,  Catharina  Hooghlant. 

Sept.  14,  1718,  Elsje,  Pieter  Cielo,  Blandina  van  Pelt. 

Oct.  14,  1722,  Peter,  Pieter  Ceilo,  Blandina  van  Pelt. 

June  6,  1725,  Cornelia,  Peter  Ceilo,  Blandina  van  Pelt. 


HISTOKY  OP  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  373 

July  9,  1727,  Sara,  Pieter  Ceilo,  Blandina  van  Pelt. 

Jan.  12,  1729,  Daniel,  Pieter  Ceilo,  Blandina  van  Pelt. 

Mar.  14,  1731,  Wilhelmus,  Pieter  Ceilo,  Blandina  van  Pelt. 

Nov.  16,  1735,  Johannes  and  Maria,  twins,  Peter  Ceilo,  Blandina  van 
Pelt. 

Aug.  4,  1703,  Niclaes,  Barent  Christoffelzen. 

Apr.  23,  1706,  Catharyna,  Barent  Christoffelzen. 

Apr.  20,  17 — ,  Rebecka,  Barent  Christoffelzen. 

1710,  Maria,  Barent  Christoffelzen. 

Aug.  13,  1716,  ane  catryn  and  Barent,  Barent  Christofer. 

Jan.  II,  17 19,  Susanna,  Barent  Christopher,  Anna  Cathrina  Stilwel. 

Nov.  27,  1726,  Barent,  Nicolaas  Christpher,  Christina  Bowman. 

Sept.  26,  173 J,  Anna  Catharina,  Nicolaas  Christopher,  Christina  Bouw- 
man. 

Apr.  16,  1732,  Johannes,  Hans  Christopher,  Jane  Arrowsmith. 

Apr.  14,  1734,  Barent,  Hans  Christopher,  Jane  Arrowsmith. 

Aug.  8,  1736,  Joseph,  Hans  Christopher,  Jane  Arrowsmith. 

Sept.  30,  1739,  Richard,  Hans  Christopher,  Jane  arrowsmith. 

Oct.  22,  1701,  Femmetye,  Derek  Claassen. 

Apr.  20,  1703,  Hendrickie,  Derek  Claassen. 

Apr.  23,  1706,  Jacobus,  Derek  Claassen. 

June   8,  1718,  Francyntje,  Jan  Claatz,  Maria  de  Chene. 

Apr.  22,  1707,  Femmetie,  Cobus  Claazen. 

Aug.  30,  1743,  Maria,  Walter  Clendenne,  pieternfel  Olfer.  , 

May  6,  1745,  Johannes,  Walter  Clendenne,  Nieltje  ollifer. 

Apr.  22,  1747,  Jacob,  waiter  clendenne,  peternella  Oliver. 

Sept.  17,  1748,  Cathilyna,  Walter  Clendenne,  Piternela  Oliver. 

May   II,  173s,  Patience,  adam  Clendenny,  Eva  Johnson. 

Oct.  31,  1756,  Jeams,  Jeams  Clendeny,  rabecke  Jonson. 

June   24,  1759,  Antye,  Walter  Cleninne,  nelli  alever. 

Oct.  21,  1707,  Dorote,  Jan  Clerck.  , 

Apr.  19,  1709,  Dorothea,  Jan  Clerck. 

Apr.  17,  1711,  Jan,  Jan  Clerck. 

July   14,  1 7 13,  Sara,  Jan  Clerck. 

July   14,  1713,  Rachel, Clindinne. 

July   28, ,  Walteris, Clindinne,  nelli  alver. 

May   I,  1753,  Pieternelle,  waiter  Clindinne,  Pieternelle  alver. 

Feb.  16,  175s,  Joseph,  Walter  Clindinne,  nelli  allever. 

Mar.  13,  1720,  Abraham,  Jan  Cochean,  Elisabet  Jackson. 

Apr.  18,  1725,  Femmetje,  Teunis  Coevert,  Femmetje  vander  Schure. 

Oct.  5,  1766,  willim,  Andru  Colter,  Mary  Clendenny. 

Aug.  26,  1759,  Andries,  David  Cornon,  Aaltye  Praal. 

Nov.  2,  1754,  Aront,  Davit  Cornon,  Aaltye  Praal. 

Jan.  29,  1756,  Davit.  Davit  Cornon,  Aaltye  Praal. 

Aug.  26,  1759,  Danal,  Peatar  Cornon,  Mally  Stebs. 

May  4,  1714,  Cornelis,  Beniamin  Corsen. 

Aug.  13,  1716,  Maria,  Benjamen  Corssen. 

Aug.  3,  1718,  Benyamin,  Benyarain  Corsen,  Blandina  Vile. 

Nov.  24,  1723,  Maria,  Cornelius  Corssen,  Jannetje  Boskerk. 

Aug.  13,  1725,  Pieter,  Cornelius  Corssen,  Jannetje  Boskerk. 

Feb.  26,  1727,  Christiaan,  Cornelius  Corssen,  Jannetje  Boskerk. 

Feb.  23,  1728,  Cornelius,  Cornelis  Corssen,  Jannetje  van  Boskerk. 


374  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUJ^TY. 

Feb.  21,  1731,  Cornelius,  Cornells  Crossen,  Jannetje  van  Boskerk. 

Oct.  10,  1731,  Henrik,  Cornells  Croesen,  Helena  van  Tuyl. 

Oct.  22,  1732,  Jacobus,  Cornelius  Corssen,  Jannetje  van  Boskerk. 

Sept.  19,  1736,  Catharina,  Cornelius  Corssen,  Jannetje  van  Boskerk. 

Mar.  25,  1 70 1,  Suster,  Jacob  Corssen. 

Oct.  21,  1707,  Jacob,  Jacob  Corssen. 

Apr.  I,  1718,  Beniamyn,  Jacob  Corssen. 

Apr.  18,  1743,  Cornelia,  Jacob  Corsen,  Cornelia  Croesen. 

Dec.  23,  1739,  Maria,  Jacob  Corssen  Junior,  Cornelia  Croesen. 

Oct.  13,  1747,  Jacob,  Jacob  Corsen  Jun'r,  cornelia  kroese. 

Aug.  25,  175 1,  Neelty,  Jacob  Corsen  Juner,  Cornelia  Croesen. 

Nov.  7,  1753,  Richard,  Daniel  Corsen,  Maria  Stilwel). 

Nov.  7,  1753,  Daniel,  Daniel  Corsen,  Maria  Stilwell. 

Sept.  17,  1758,  Cornelius,  Daniel  Corsen,  Liesebeth  bogert. 

Oct.  5,  1755,  ragel,  Douwe  Corson,  Janntye  Conein. 

Nov.  4,  1722,  Pieter,  Jaques  Coteleau,  Jacomyntje  van  Pelt. 

Dec.  26,  1720,  Debora,  Jaques  Coteleau,  Jacomyntje  van  Pelt. 

May   29,  1726,  Neeltje,  Jaques  Coteleau,  Jacomyntje  van  Pelt. 

Nov.  21,  1731,  Maria,  Samuel  Couwenhoven.  Sara  Drinkwater. 

Apr.  3,  1720,  Anna,  Jacobus  Craven,  Antje  Iniaart. 

Dec.  23,  1722,  Christina,  Jacobus  Craven,  Antje  Iniaart. 

Sept.  26,  1725,  Esther,  Jacobus  Craven,  Antje  Iniaart. 

Apr.  22,  1707,  Elsie,  Cobus  Creven. 

July   27,  1714,  Johannes,  Cobus  Creven. 

Apr.  I,  1718,  Gillis,  Cobus  Creven. 

Mar.  30,  1740,  Abraham,  Daniel  Crocheron,  Maria  du  Puy. 

Dec.  8,  1723,  Henrik,  Gerrit  Croesen,  Henriks  Zoon,  Geestruyd  van 
Tuyl. 

Sept.  13,  1728,  Femmetje,  Gerrit  Croesen,  Henriks  zoon,  Geertruyd 
van  Tuyl. 

Aug.  6,  1732,  Abraham,  Gerrit  Oroesen,  Henriks  zoon,  Geerttuyd  van 
Tuyl. 

Aug.  27,  1740,  Cornelia,  Gerrit  Croesen,  Claasje  Brinkerhof. 

Apr.  18,  1743,  Maria,  Gerret  Croesen,  Claesje  Blenkerhof. 

June   24,  1752,  Hendrick,  Gerret  Croesen,  Claesye  Blinckerhof. 

July   29,  1733,  Abraham,  Cornells  Croesen,  Helena  van  Tuyl. 

Mar.  9,  1735,  Daniel,  Cornelius  Corssen,  Jannetje  van  Boskerk. 

Aug.  8,  1736,  Cornelius,  Cornells  Croesen,  Helena  van  Tuyl. 

July   14,  1713,  Elisabeth,  Jan  Crosson. 

Oct.  5,  1760,  Marya,  Charsels  daecr,  maccy  maral. 

Aug.  26,  1759,  Andro,  Sammual  Danges,  Jenny  ryt. 

Feb.  7,  1720,  Samuel,  Henry  Day,  Maria  van  Pelt. 

June   7,  1724,  Petrus,  Henry  Day,  Maria  van  Pelt. 

May  30,  1726,  Maria,  Heny  Day,  Moria  van  Pelt. 

Aug.  II,  1728,  Simon,  Henry  Day,  Maria  van  Pelt. 

Feb.  15,  1730,  William,  John  Day,  Anne  More. 

Oct.  31,  1736,  Johannes,  John  Day.  Hanna  More. 

June  7,  1719,  Laurens,  Gideon  de  Camp,  Hendrikje  Elles. 

Aug.  30,  1724,  Bastiaan,  Gideon  de  Camp,  Hendrikje  Elles 

Oct.  15,  1727,  Gideon,  Gideon  de  Camp,  Henrikje  Elles. 

Aug.  2,  1719,  David,  Hendrik  de  Camp.  Maria  La  mes. 

May   21,  1721,  Gideon,  Hendrik  de  Camp,  Maria  La  mes. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  375 

Feb.  13,  1726,  Christoffcl,  Hendrik,  de  Camp,  Maria  La  Mes. 
Feb.  6,  1728,  Charles,  Charles  Dekker,  Lena  Sweem. 
Apr.  5,  1730,  Matthys,  Charles  Dekker,  Lena  Sweem. 
Oct.  29,  1732,  Magdalena,  Charles  Dekker,  Lena  Sweem. 
Mar.  i5,  1735,  Mattheiis,  Charles  Dekker,  Lena  Sweem. 
Jan.  8,  1738,  Esther,  Charles  Dekker,  Lena  Sweem. 
May   7,  1741,  Eva,  Charles  Decker,  Helena  Sweam. 
July   28,  1751,  raarya,  Charlis  Deckker,  helena  Sweem. 
July  3.  1726,  Maria,  Johannes  Dekker,  Maria  Sweem. 
Apr.  21,  1728,  Sarah,  Johannes  Dekker,  Maria  Sweem. 
Apr.  19,  1743,  Johannes,  Johannes  Decker,  nence  Merrel. 
Apr.  26,  1748,  Richard,  John  Decker,  Anna  Merrell. 
Apr.  22,  1747  Elstye,  mattheus  decker,  Elstye  Merrill. 
Sept.  7,  169-,  Johannes,  Mattheus  De  Decker. 
Oct.  21,  1707,  Abraham,  Mattheus  De  Decker. 
Apr.  17,  1711,  Elisabeth,  Mattheus  De  Decker. 

,  1715,  Mattheus,  Mattheus  De  Decker. 

July   27,  175s,  Cattriena,  Pieter  Degroot,  Claartye  Post. 

July   25,  1758,  Geertruy,  Pieter  Degroot,  Claartye  Post. 

Aug.  6,  1745,  Vereltje,  Bjltes  Dehart,  Maria  Phillipel. 

Sept.  17,  1746,  catalyna,  baltus  dehart,  mary  phillipse. 

May   20,  1750,  Samuel,  Samuel  Dehart,  Abigael  Jones. 

Sept.  21,  1718,  Maria,  Pieter  Dekker,  Susanna  Hetfeel. 

July   24,  1720,  Johannes,  Pieter  Dekker,  Susanna  Hetfeel, 

May   24,  1724,  Susanna,  Pieter  Dekker,  Susanna  Hetfeel. 

Oct.  23,  1726,  Sara,  Pieter  Dekker,  Susanna  Hetfeel. 

June    10,  1728,  Mattheus,  Pieter  Dekker,  Susanna  Hetfeel. 

Mar.  26,  1732,  Eva,  Pieter  Dekker,  Susanna  Hetfeele. 

Apr.  7,  173s,  Abraham,  Pieter  Dekker,  Susanna  Hetfield. 

May   7,  1 741,  Jacob,  Peter  Decker,  Susane  Helfeull. 

Apr.  5,  1730,  Eva,  Seger.  Dekker,  Elisabet  du  puy. 

Apr.  8,  1733,  Eva,  Zeger  Dekker,  Susanna  Jones. 

May   24,  1730,  Matthys,  Johannes  Dekker,  Maria  Sweem. 

Mar.  25,  1739,  Eva,  Joh:  Dekkers,  Marytje  Sweem. 

Apr.  13,  1742,  Johannes,  barend  de  pu,  Elsje  Peljoung. 

Oct.  13,  1747,  Elizabeth,  barent  depuy,  Elsye  poilyon. 

Nov.  3,  1754,  Johannis,  Barent  depue,  Elsye  Puelyon. 

Oct.  21,  1707,  Lambert,  Jan  Dorlandt. 

Apr.  17,  171 1,  Joris,  Jan  Dorlandt. 

Apr.  17,  1717,  Isack,  Jan  dorlandt. 

Apr.  3,  1720,  Harmpje  and  Eva,  twins,  Jan  Dorlant,  Barbara  Aukes. 

Aug.  29,  1725,  Abraham,  Jan  Dorlant,  Barbara  Aukes. 

Oct.  26  1729,  Anthony,  Cornelis  Dorlant,  Saartje  van  Pelt. 

Jan.  17,  1754,  Maria,  Thomas  Doghety,  Sara  Van  Naame. 

June  3,  1739,  Margrietje,  Pierre  Drageau,  Elisabet  Gewan. 

Oct.  9,  1720,  Cornelius,  Michiel  du  Chene,  Susanno  vandr  Hoven. 

May  21,  1 7 16,  Valentyen,  Machayel  Due  Seen. 

May  20,  1750,  Martha,  Barent  Dupue,  Elsye  Puilyon. 

Apr.  6,  1734,  Catharina,  Nicolaas  du  puy.  Neeltje  Dekker. 

Nov.  7,  1749,  Benyamen,  Jacus  Ecbers,  Catharina  Backer. 

June   6,  1 7 15,  Abraham,  Abraham  Egbertsen. 

Apr.  JO,  1720,  Johannes,  Abraham  Egbertsen,  Francyntje  Parain. 


376  HISTOEY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Jan.  17,  1722,  Elisabet,  Abraham  Egbertsen,  Francyntje  Parain. 

Apr.  17,  1744,  Elisabet,  Abram  Egbertse,  Elisabet  Gerresen. 

July   28,  1751,  Hester,  Abraham  Egbertse,  Elizabet  Gerretse. 

July   13,  1713,  Abraham,  Egbert  Egbertsen. 

Apr.  10,  1720,  Isaak,  Egbert  Egbertse,  Francyntje  de  Chene. 

May,  20,  1722,  Johannes,  Egbert  Egbertszen,  Francyntje  du  Chene. 

Feb.  14,  1720,  Maria,  Jacodus  Egbertsen,  Catharina  Dey. 

Oct.  8,  172 1,  Teunis,  Jacobus  Egbertsfen,  Catharina  Dey. 

July,  14,  1723,  Johannes,  Jacobus  Egbertzen,  Catharina  Deuy. 

Mar.  24,  1724-5,  Laurens,  Jaqnes  Egbertszen,  Catharina  Deuy. 

Mar.  23,  1729,  Nicolaas,  Jaques  Egbertszen,  Catharina  Bakker. 

June,  7,  1 73 1,  Piecer,  Jaques  Egbertszen,  Catharina  Bakker. 

Nov.  4,  1733,  Susanna,  Jaques  Egbertsz,  Catharina  Bakker. 

Apr.  18,  1736,  Abraham,  Jaques  Egbertsen,  Catharina  Bakker. 

Aug.  20,  1738,  Elisabet,  Jaques  Egbertzen,  Catharina  Bakker. 

Oct.  II,  1743,  Catrina,  Jacus  Egberts,  trintje  Backer. 

Apr.  22,  1747,  Antye,  Jacus  Egberts,  Catrina  backers. 

Aug.  10,  1718,  Teunis,  Teunis  Egbertsen,  Jannetje  Chesne. 

Dec.  12,  1745,  Johines,  Teunes  Egbertse,  Peternel  Depey. 

Oct.  13,  1747,  abrahem,  tunes  Egljertse,  Peternella  depuy. 

Nov.  7,  1749,  Barent,  teunis  Egbertsen,  Pieternelle  depu. 

Apr.  I,  1718,  Altje,  Cornells  Egmont. 

Apr.  30,  1721,  Femmetje,  Cornells  Egmont,  Elsje  de  Camp. 

July,  21,  1723,  Zeger,  Cornells  Egmont,  Elsje  de  Camp. 

Jan.  2,  1726,  Christoffel,  Cornelius  Egmont,  Elsje  de  Camp. 

May,  7,  17 19,  Johannes,  Charles  Ellens,  Marytje  de  Camp. 

Aug.  30,  1724,  Catharina,  Bastiaan  Elles,  Sara  Neesjes. 

Nov.  7,  1725,  Cornelius,  Bastiaan  Elles,  Sara  Neesjes. 

Oct.  I,  1727.  Hagtje,  Bastiaan  Elles,  Sara  Neesjes. 

Jan.  31,  1730,  Sara,  Bastiaan  Elles,  Sara  Neesjes. 

Apr.  22,  1746,  Maria,  basteyaen  Elles,  Sara  neefyes. 

Aug.  26,  1759,  Saara,  Cornelius  ellis,  Leena  vanderbilt. 

Apr.  17,  1744,  Antje,  Wellim  Elsewart,  Babecca  Stilwel. 

Apr.  17,  1744,  Mareitje,  Wellim  Elsewart. 

Apr.  18,  1743,  Elisabet,  Mathies  Enjard,  Elisabet  Gerreson. 

July,  28,  1728,  Esther,  Andre  Escord,  Catline  Richand. 

Jon.  4,  1730,  Maria,  Andre  Escord,  Catline  Richaud. 

Oct.  18,  1715,  Susan,  tunes  Exberson. 

May,  4,  1714,  Hieronimus,  Stieven  Feteto. 

Feb.  8,  1769,  Daniel,  hanry  fiaban,  eghije  vanwinkel. 

May,  II,  1729,  Antje,  Anthony  Fountain,  Belitje  Byvank. 

Nov.  20,  1754,  Johannis,  Antoni  founten,  Anaatye  gerretson. 

Nov.  3,  1754,  Antoni,  Antoni  founten,  Anaatye  Gerretson. 

Mar. — ,  1756,  Maragrietye,  Antoni  founen,  Anaatye  Gerretson. 

Dec.  23,  1759,  Cornelus,  Antony  founten,  Annaetye  Gerritson. 

Feb.  17,  1723,  Usselton,  Robert  Frost,  Sara  Usselton. 

Mar.  2  1,  1731.  Christopher,  Isaac  Garritzen,  Maria  Christopher. 

June  12,  1726,  Metje,  Jacob  Gammaux,  Dirkje  van  Tilburgh. 

June  27,  1736,  Daniel,  Cornells  Gerritzen,  Aaltje  van  Winkel. 

Apr.  12,  1719,  Charles,  Charles  Gerritsz. 

Nov.  4,  1759,  Neeltye,  Christeyaan  Gerrebrans,  Marya  Post. 

Nov.  4,  1759,   Maragrietye,  Johannis  Gerritson,  Marritye  deraot. 


HISTORY  OF  EIOHMOND  COUNTY.  377 

May  5,  1696,  Daniel,  Lambert  Gerritzen. 

July  14,  1713,  Lambert,  Lambert  Gerritzen. 

Mar.    I,  1719,  Magdalena,  Lambert  Gerritysz  Junior,   Lysbet   Swweem. 

July  2,  1721,  Nicolaas,  Lambert  Gerritz  Junior,  Lysbet  Sweem. 

Aug.  25,  1723,  Abraham,  Lambert  Gerritzen  Jun'r,  Lysbet  Sweem. 

May  24,  1730,  Elisabet,  Lambert  Gerretzen,  Lysbet  Sweem. 

May  26,  1729,  Elisabet,  Frans  Gerbrantsz,  Neeltje  Corssen. 

Apr.  19,  1743,  France,  Frances  Gerrebrats,  Nieltje  Cossen. 

Sept.  17,  1746,  Daniel,  frans  Gerrtbratse,  neeltye  corsen. 

June  26,  1726,  Nicolaas,  Nicolaas  Gerritson,   Christina   v.  Woggelum. 

Jan.  28,  1728,  Susanna,   Nicolaas   Gerritsen,   Christina  V.   Woggelum. 

Sept.  14,  1729,  Jan,  Nicolaas  Gerritzon,  Christina  van  Woggelum. 

Aug.   13,  1732,  Lambert,  Nicolaas  gerritzen,  Christina  van  Woggelum. 

Aug,   12,   1738,  Zeger,  Nicolaas   Gerritzen,   Christina   van   Woggelum. 

June  15,  1740,  Blandina,  Nicolaas  Gerritzen,  Christina  v.  Woggelum. 

,  1742,  Zeger,  nicklaes  Gerresen,  Crestina  Van  Woglom. 

Sept.   18,  1744,  Abraham,  Nicolaes  Gerresen,  Cristina,  Van  Wogelom. 

June  3,  1734,  Marytje,  John  Gold,  Antje  Wynants. 

Oct.  5,  173s,  Jan,  John  Gold,  Antje  Wynants. 

Aug.  13,  1716,  Johannes,  Jacob  Gramo. 

Oct.  26,  17 18,  Catharina,  Jacob  Grameaux,  Dirkje  van  Tilburgh. 

Aug.   6,  1721,  Anna  Catharina,  Jacob  de  Garemeaux,  Dirkje  van  Til- 
burgh. 

Nov.   24,  1723,  Matthys,  Jacob  de  grammeaux,  Derkje  van   Tilburgh. 

May  26,  1728,  Agneta,  Jacob  de  Gramo,  Dirkje  van  Tilburgh. 

Dec.  25,  i73[,  Jacob,  Jacob  de  Gramo,  Dirkje  van  Tilburgh. 

Apr.  15,  1734,  Dirkje,  Jacob  ke  Gramo,  Dirkje  van  Tilburgh. 

Oct.  18,  1719,  Martinus,  Thomas  Greegs,  Lena  du  Puy. 

May  7,  172  r,  Preternelle,  Thomas  Greegs,  Lena  du  Puy. 

May  20,  1722,  Anna,  Thomas  Greegs,  Lena  du  Puy. 

Apr.  19,  1724,  John,  Thomas  Greegs,  Lena  du  Puy. 

Dec.  12,  1725,  Maria,  Thomas  Greegs,  Lena  du  Puy. 

Sept.  15,  1723,  Isaak,  Abraham  Gray,  Ariaantje  Aarisen. 

Apr.  II,  1 73 1,  Pieter,  Jeah  Grondin,  Marguerite  du  Bois. 

Oct.  10,  1731,  Robbert,  Johannes  de  Groot,  Elisabet  Sikkels. 

Feb.  I,  1736,  Johannes,  Johannes  de  Groot,  Elisabet  Sikkel. 

July  30,  1750,  Elizabeth,  Pieter  D  Grood,  Claertye  Post. 

Aug.  25,  1751,  Gerret,  Pieter  D  Grood,  Claerty  Post. 

May  I,  1753,  Johannes,  Pieter  D  Grood,  Claertye  Post. 

Apr.  20,  1729,  Susanna,  Louis  Guineau,  Anna  Cisenu. 

Nov.  5,  1738,  Esther,  Elisee  Gulledet,  Magdelaine  Gendron. 

M:^4,  1 7 14,  Derckie,  Egbert  Hagewout. 
/Mar.  8,  1772,  Danniel,  egbert  haugwout,  elener  garebrantz. 
/   Oct.  16,  1720,  Aaltje,  Jan  Hagewout,  Eiisabet  Hooghlant. 

Apr.  I,  17 18,  pieter,  pieter  hagewont.  \, 

Dec.  26,  17 19,  Nicolaas,  Pieter  Hagewout,  Neeltje  Bakkers.  '. 

Feb.  25,  1722,  Dirkje,  Pieter  Hagewout,  Neeltje  Bakkers.  \ 

Oct.  16,  1726,  Egbert,  Pieter  Hagewout,  Neeltje  Bakkers. 

Dec.  22,  1728,  Neeltje,  Pieter  Hagewout,  Neeltje  Bakkers. 

Mar.  14,  1 73 1,  Jacobus,  Pieter  Hagewout,  Neeltje  Bakker.  1 

Jan.  13,  1734,  Geertruyd,  Pieter  Hagewout,  Neeltje  Bakker. 

Oct.  3,  1736,  Margreta,  Pieter  Hagewout,  Neeltje  Bakker. 


378  HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

July  28,  1751,  neeltye,  Pieter  Hagewout,  aeltye  Bennet. 
June  24,  1752,  Pieter,  Pieter  Hagewout,  aeltye  bennet.        \ 
May  I,  1753,  Annaetye,  Peter  Hagewout,  aeltye  Bennet. 
July  27,  17515,  Gryetye,  Pieter  Hagewout,  Altye  Bennet.         j 
\     Mar.  12,  1758,  Necclos,  Pieter  haagewout.  Altye  bennet. 
Apr.  20,  1760,  wynant,  Peter  Haagewout,  Aaltye  bennit, 
Sept.  2.8,.,i735j.Isaakj.  Symon  Hansaen  trPSyrnbnsTTlelena  Sweem. 
Aug.  18,  1728,  Jacob,  Benyarain  Haste,  Jannesje  Johannis. 
Mar.  29,  1730,  Johannes,  Benyamin  Haste,  Jannesje  Johannis. 
Mar.  19,  1731-2,  Benjamin,  Benjamin  Haste,  Jannetje  Johannis. 
Aug.  6,  1721,  Jacob,  Jonannes  Hasten,  Marytje  Johannesz. 
Mar.  21,  1724-5,  Johannes,  Johannes  Hasten,  Marytje  Johannetz. 
Oct.  22,  1707,  Daniel,  Daniel  de  Hart. 
Apr.  17,  171 1,  Saartie,  Daniel  de  Hart. 

1715,  Matthys,  Daniel  de  Hart. 

Apr.  19,  1715,  Elisabeth,  Daniel  de  Hart. 
Aug.  —  1717,  Sameuel,  Daniel  de  hart. 

1700,  Elisabeth,  Ryck  Hendrickzen. 

1700,  femmetye,  Ryck  Hendrickzen. 

1700,  Marytie,  Ryck  Hendrickzen. 

May  22,  1718,  Syraon,  Ryk  Hendriksz,  Ledy  Henriks. 

May  22,  1718,  Jan,  Ryk  Hendriksz,  Ledy  Henriks. 

Feb.   26,  1727,  Catharina,  Johan   Henrick  Packer,  Anna  Maria   Juger. 

Jan.  7,  1722,  Sara,  Jaques  Hervan,  Charite  Bries. 

May  17,  1724,  Cornelis,  Jaques  Hervan,  Geertje  Bries. 

Sept.  3,  1 72 1,  Jenneke,  Dirk  Hogelant,  Maria  Slot. 

Apr.  26,   1748,  Cornelia,  Christophel  Hoogelandt,  Jannetye  Veghten. 

May  5,  1696,  Marytie,  Jores  Hoogelandt. 

Apr.  6,  1735,  Rachel,  Clement  Hooper,  Mary  Stilwell. 

May  26,  1723,  Joseph,  obadias  Holmes,  Susanna  du  Puy. 

May  30,  1725,  Susanna,  obadias  Holmes,  Susanna  du  Puy. 

June  18,  1727,  Johannes,  Obadias  Holmes,  Susanna  du  Puy. 

Oct.  II,  1743,  Elisabet,  Johannes  huisman,  Weintje  Seimesen. 

Oct.  6,  1765,  baarent,  Johannes  Huisman,  Antye  Merling. 

Oct.  31,  1756,  Mary  Miglen,  Matteus  hus,  Attrena  hus. 

Nov.  23,  1718,  Anna,  Johannes  Huysman,  Christina  Hoppe. 

Jan.  15,  1721,  Rachel,  Johannes  Huysman,  Christina  Hoppe. 

Sept.  4,  1726,  Anna,  Johannes  Huysman,  Wyntje  Symons. 

May  26,  1728,  Pieter,  Johannes  Huysman,  Wyntje  Symons. 

Feb.  IS,  1730,  Aarz,  Johannes  Huysman,  Wyntje  Simons. 

Jan.  I,  1732,  Margareta,  Johannes  Huysman,  Wyntje  Symons. 

Jan.  13,  1734,  Johannes,  Johannes  Huysman,  Wyntje  Symons. 

Feb.  29,  1736,  Dirk,  Johannes  Huysman,  Wyntje  Symons. 

Dec.  9,  1739,  Abraham,  Johannes  Huysman,  Wyntje  Symons. 

July  19,  1748,  Jemynna,  Johannes  Huysman,  Wyntye  Symensse. 

Jan.  I,  1738,  Maria,  Johannes  Huysman,  Wyntje  Simons. 

Apr.  22,  1746,  Catherina,  Johannes  huysman,  wyntye  Symonson. 

Jan.  7,  1730,  Matthys,  Matthys  Jniaart,  Elisabet  Gerritzen. 

Apr.  22,  1746,  nicklaes,  matthys  inyard,  Elizabeth  Gerretse. 

June  12,  1725,  Rachel,  Gerrit  Jacobusz,  Ann  van  nes. 

Mar.  25,  1701,  Jacobus,  Jacob  Jansen. 

Apr.  22,  1707,  Johanna,  Jacob  Jansen. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  379 


1707,  Wyntie,  Jacob  Jansen. 


Apr.  19,  1709,  Jacobus,  Jacob  Jans. 

June  12,  1716,  Beletje,  Tyes  Jansen. 

May  22,  1718,  Maria,  Thys  Jansz. 

July  17,  1726,  Elisabet,  Jan  Janssen,  Jannetje  Glascow. 

Apr.  19,  1719,  Johannes,  Johannes  Jansz,  Johanna  Stol. 

June  19,  1720,  Matthys,  Mathys  Jansz,  Elisabet  Ward. 

Jan,  17,  1722,  Rachel,  Matthys  Jansz,  Elisabet  Ward. 

July  14,  1713,  Marytie,  Hendrick  Jansen. 

May  29,  1719,  Matthys,  Hendrik  Janszen,  Abigail  Britton. 

July  16,  1727,  Henrik,  Hendrik  Janszen,  Francyntje  Parein. 

Apr.  22,  1728,  Belitje,  Hendrik  Janszen,  Francyntje  Parein. 

Aug.  31,  1729,  Esther,  Hendrik  Janszen  obit,  Francyntje  Parein. 

Apr.  6,  1724,  Sara,  Cornelia  Janszen,  Sara  Manbrut. 

Feb.  20,  1726,  Maria,  Cornelis  Janszen,  Sara  Manbrut. 

Dec.  25,  1728,  Rachel,  Cornelis  Janszen,  Sara  Mambrut. 

Nov.  10,  1728,  Elsje,  Jan  Janszen,  Mayke  Verkerk. 

May  5,  1696,  Winnefrit,  Lambert  Janzen. 

Sept.  7,  1698,  Aefye,  Lambert  Janzen. 

Aug.  29,  1731,  Wynant,  Matthys  Janszen,  Geertje  Wynants. 

May  30,  1726,  Thomas,  Thomas  Janszen,  Antje  van  Pelt. 

Dec.  16,  1733,  Femmetje,  Williem  Janszen,  Lena  van  Gelder. 

Jan.  13,  1737,  Henricus,  Willem  Janszen,  Lena  van  Gelder. 

Mar.  18,  1739,  Wynant,  Willem  Janszen,  Lena  van  Gelder. 

1710,  Johannes,  Michiel  De  Jeen. 

Apr.  17,  1744,  Aentje.  Jan  Jennens,  Aeltje  Marteling. 
July  19,  1748,  Enne,  Joseph  Jeuvson,  Wenne  Johnson. 
June  s,  1720,  Sara,  John  Jennes,  Antje  Wouters. 
Sept.  17,  1748,  Willem,  John  Jenner,  Aeltye  martlinghs. 

Sept.  I,  1734,  Elsje,  John  Jennes, Johnson. 

Oct.  I,  1752,  Elsye,  Joh  Jenners,  aeltye  meerlings. 

Oct.ii,  T748,  Maria,  Lambert  Jenners,  Anna  Martelinghs. 

Apr.  22,  1746,  John  or  Jan,  John  Jennens,  aeltje  martlings. 

May  6,  1745,  Sara,  Lummert  Jinnens,  annatje  Marteling. 

June  24,  1752,  Antye,  Willem  Jinnes,  Jannetye  Gerretse. 

June  22,  1735,  Esther,  Eneas  Johnson,  Sara  Morgan. 

Feb.  29,  1736,  Thomas,  Johannes  Johnson,  Jannetje  Glascow. 

Nov.  7,  1753,  Pieter,  John  Johnson,  Cornelia  Cello. 

June  I,  1729,  Albert,  Johannes  Johnson,  Jannetje  Glascow. 

Nov.  19,  1738,  Henricus,  Nathanael  Johnson,  Sophia  van  Gelder. 

June  17,  1746,  Wynant,  nathaniel  Johnson,  Mary  Cole. 

July  II,  1 731,  Francyntje,  Niers  Johnson,  Sara  Morgan. 

Dec.  23,  1739,  Sara,  Niers  Johnson,  Sara  Morgan. 

Oct.  2,  1755,  Johnneton,  Pieter  Johnson,  malli  lister. 

June  30,  1738,  Casparus,  Thomas  Johnson,  Anna  Bouwman. 

July  20,  1 718,  Eduard,  Eduard  Jones,  Catharina  Dekkers. 

Nov.  8,  1719,  Mattheus,  Eduard  Jones,  Catharina  Dekkers. 

Apr.  22,  1722,  Abigail,  Eduard  Jones,  Catharina  Dekkers. 

Aug.  14,  1726,  Eduard,  Eduard  Jones,  Catharina  Dekkers, 

June  7,  1730,  Maria,  John  Jones,  Rachel  van  Engelen. 

Apr.  10,  1732,  Elisabet,  John  Jones,  Rachel  van  Engelen. 

Mar.  9,  1735,  Johannes,  John  Jones,  Rachel  van  Engelen. 


380  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Sept.  i8,  1737,  Rachel,  John  Jones,  Rachel  van  Engelen. 
Mar.  30,  1740,  Lucretia,  John  Jones,  Rachel  van  Engelen. 

May  6,  1745 Jan  Jones,  Ragel  Van  Engelen. 

Apr.  22,  1747,  Isaac,  John  Jones,  rachel  van  engelen. 

June  7,  1743,  Catrina,  Mateus  Jones,  Margrietje  Gowen. 

May  I,  1753,  Jannetye,  Abraham  Joons,  Jannetye  peestnet. 

Dec.  17,  1732,  Gillis,  Matthys  Jniaarx,  Elisabet  Gerritzen. 

May  4,  1735,  Susanna,  Matthys  Jniaars,  Elisabet  Gerritzen. 

Apr.  23,  1739,  Catharina,  Matthys  Jniaars,  Elisabet  Gerritzen. 

July,  30,  1750,  Eefye,  Joseph  Juessen,  Wynty  Clindinne. 

Jan.  15,  1721,  Johanna,  Jan  Jurks,  Agneetje  Staats. 

May  23,  1723,  Pieter,  Jan  Jurks,  Agnietje  Staats. 

Oct.  10,  1725,  Rachel,  Jan  Jurks,  Agnietje  Staats. 

Apr.  28,  1728,  Catharina,  Jan  Jurks,  Agnietje  Staats. 

May  20,  1746,  Joseph  Juwsen,  Joseph  Juwsen,  Venne  Johnson. 

July  24,  1752,  Sara,  David  kanon,  Aeltye  Prael. 

May  J,  1753,  marytye,  David  kanon,  aeltye  Prael. 

May  7,  1741,  Abraham,  Jan  Kanon,  Maria  Egberts. 

June  24,  1752,  Jenneke,  Joris  katmus,  Jannetye  vreland. 

Mar.  27,  1720,  Samuel,  Samuel  Kierstede,  Lydia  Deuy. 

Apr.  14,  1723,  Johannes,  Samuel  Kierstede,  Lydia  Deuy. 

Feb.  14,  1725,  Lydia,  Samuel  Kierstede,  Lydia  Deuy. 

Aug.  7,  1754,  Liesabet,  Jacob  Korson,  Cornelia  Kroeson. 

Mar.  3,  1734,  Samuel,  Samuel  Kouwenhoven,  Sara  Drinkwater. 

Oct.  23,  171 1,  Cornelis,  Gerrit  Kroese. 

Dec.  —  1698,  maritje,  Heuderyck  Kroesen. 

May  20,  1703,  gerret,  Henderyck  Kroesen. 

Oct.  —  1708,  Cornelis,  Henderyck  Kroesn. 

Apr.  22,  1713,  neelje,  Henderyck  Kroesen. 

Aug.  26,  1759,  Cornelius,  Cornelius  kroeson,  Beelitye  Degroot. 

Dec.  18,  1755,  Geertruy,  Gerret  Kroesen,  Klaasye  Blencrof. 

Oct.  18,  1715,  dirrick,  Gerrit  Kroesen. 

Apr.  I,  1718, son,  gerret  Kroesen. 

Oct.  19,  1708,  Gornelis,  Hendrick  Kroesen. 

,  1715,  Neeltie,  Hendrick  Kroesen. 

Oct.  30,  1716,  Cornelya,  Hendrick  kroesen. 

May  5,  1696,  Niekasa,  Derek  Kroessen. 

Oct.  22,  1701,  Derek,  Derek  Kroessen. 

July  30,  1707,  Hendrick^  Derek  Kroessen. 

Sept.  17,  1758,  Geertruy,  Abraham  Kroeson,  Antye  Symonson. 

Jan.  14,  1760,  Johannis,  Abraham  kroeson,  Antye  Symonson, 

Oct.  II,  1748,  Claeseye,  Gerret  kroose,  Claesye  Blinckerof. 

Feb.  26,  1758,  Isak,  Nattenal  Laacerman,  marya  raarel. 

Nov,  3,  1754,  Susanna,  Nettenel  Laakerman,  Mareytye  Merrel. 

Oct.  31,  1756,  Nettenel,  Nettenel  Laakerman,  Mareytye  Merel. 

June  10,  1747,  Jacob,  Jan  laarens,  Caatye  backer. 

May  3,  1749,  Jan,  John  Laarens,  Catherina  Backer. 

July  28,  1751,  Antye,  John  Laarns,  kaetye  Backer. 

Nov.  26,  1752,  Catharina,  John  laarns,  Catharina  Backer. 

Oct.  19,  1718,  Thomas,  Thomas  Lake,  Jannetje  Stryker. 

Mar.  26,  1 73 1,  Abraham,  Joseph  Lake,  Aaltje  Barbank. 

May  23,  1731,  Louis,  Isak  Lakerman,  Catharina  Christopher. 


HISTORY  OP  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  381 

Feb.  lo,  1760,  richard,  John  Lams,  Caatye  backer. 
Mar.  3,  1728,  Daniel,  Pierre  La  Tourette,  Mariamne  Mersereaux. 
Oct.  II,  1730,  David  and  Jaques,  twins,  Pierre  La  Tourette,  Mariamne 
Mersereaux. 

Mar.  24, 1734,  Marie  Susanne,  Pierre  La  Tourette,  Mariamne  Mersereaux 

Apr.  26,  1736,  Elisabet,  Pierre  La  Tourette,  Mariamne  Mersereaux. 

Mar.  19,  1732,  Jaques,  David  La  Tourette,  Catherine  Poillon. 

Sept.  I,  1734,  Marie,  David  la  Tourette,  Catherine  Poillon. 

Apr.  24,  1726,  David,  Jean  La  Tourette,  Marie  Mersereaux. 

Sept.  8,  1728,  Marie,  Jean  La  Tourette,  Marie  mersereaux. 

Jan.  24,  1 73 1,  Henricus,  Jean  La  Tourette,  Mane  Mersereaux. 

May  II,  173s,  Maria,  Joseph  Leak,  Aaltje  Barbank. 

Apr.  13,  1735,  Jacob,  Richard  Lean,  Sara  Johnson. 

Oct.  10,  1736,  John,  Richard  Lean,  Sara  Johnson. 

Apr.  20,  1708,  Joseph,  Abraham  Leeck. 

July  25,  1710,  Margariet,  Abraham  Leeck. 

17^5,  Abraham,  Abraham  Leeck. 

Mar.  25,  1701,  Jan,  Jeems  Lesck. 

July  27,  175s,  Necclos,  John  Lerns,  kaatye  backer. 

Sept.  II,  1757,  Mareia,  John  Lerns,  kaatye  backer. 

Jan.  21,  1728;  Jacob,  John  Lisk,  Rachel  Hagewout. 

Aug.  24,  1729,  Sara,  Thomas  Lisk,  Catlyntje  van  Pelt. 

Mar.  26,  1731,  Margriet,  Thomas  Lisk,  Catlyntje  van  Pelt. 

Nov.  4,  1736,  Sara,  Thomas  Lisk,  Catlyntje  van  Pelt. 

May  6,  1745,  Martha,  tomas  lisk,  Catlintje  van  Pelt. 

Sept.  17,  1746,  antye,  thomas  leisk,  catlyna  Van  Pelt. 

Dec  s,  1731,  Neeltje,  John  Lion,  Maria  Hauraens  Bouwman. 

1715.  Elisabeth,  Engelbart  Lot. 

June  18,  1717,  Pieter,  Engelbart  Lot. 
Aug.  6,  1745,  Wellem,  John  Lawrance,  Derkje  Van  pelt. 
May  21,  1744,  Elisabet,  Carel  Mackleen,  Maria  Corsen. 
Jan,  I,  1721,  Maria,  William  Mackelien,  Elisabet  Merl. 
Oct.  13,  1747,  Jannetye,  Charles  McClean,  Maria  corsen. 
Nov.  7,  1753,  Maria,  Charles  McLean,  Maria  Corsen, 
Sept.  19,  1749,  Willem,  Cherles  makleen,  Marytye  Corsen. 
Apr.  20,  1708,  Margriet,  Jan  Maklies. 
May  26,  1723,  Abraham,  Abraham  Manez.  Anna  Jansen. 
Apr.  20,  1729,  Petrus,  Abraham  Manez,  Sara  du  Chine. 
Oct.  25,  1730,  Antje,  Abraham  Manez,  Sara  du  Chene. 
Jan.  4,  1732,  Maria,  Abraham  Manez,  Sara  du  Chesne. 
Apr.  4,  1736,  Catherine,  Abraham  Manez,  Sara  du  Chesne.. 
Mar.  26,  1738,  Rachel,  Abraham  Manez,  Sara  du  Chesne. 
Mar.  30,  1740,  Sara,  Abraham  Manez,  Sara  du  Chesne. 
Aug.  8,  1725,  Maria,  Pieter  Manez,  Mary  Brooks. 
Jan.  I,  1758,  John,  John  marel,  Anna  marel. 
Aug.  13,  1716,  Isack,  Pieter  Marlyngh. 
Aug.  6,  1745,  Maria,  Barent  Marteling,  Susana  Gerresen. 
Oct.  13,  1747,  Jannety,  barent  martlinghs,  Susanna  gerretse. 
Apr.  15,  1722,  Anna,  Isaak  Martling,  Anna  van  Namen. 
Jan.  10,  1724-5,  Aaltje,  Isah  Martling,. anna  van  namen. 
Feb.  21,  1731,  Johannes,  Isaak  Martling,  Anna  van  Namen. 
June  I,  1718,  Petrus,  Pieter  Martlings,  Antje  Vielen. 


382  HISTOEY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

June  26,  1720,  Barent,  Pieter  Martlings,  Antje  Vilen. 

Aug.  19,  1722,  Debora,  Pieter  Martlings,  Antje  Vilen. 

Nov.  18,  1733,  Catharina,  Pieter  Martlings,  Marytje  Andries. 

Oct.  II,  1743,  Johannes,  peter  marteling,  annatje  hegeman. 

Apr.  26,  1748,  Johannes,  Piter  martlings,  Jannetye  Heereman. 

Apr.  22,  1746,  rachel,  Josua  masciro,  maria  Corsen. 

Jan.  I,  1760,  marya,  John  Marssero,  Marya  Praal. 

Mar.  4,  1759,  John,  Denel  marsero,  Cornelia  vanderbilt. 

Oct.  31,  1750,  Mareya,  Jacob  marsero,  fitye  rol. 

July  27,  1755,  Cattriena,  Cherls  mechleen,  maria  Corson. 

Oct.  31,  1756,  Annaetye,  tammas  Merel,  eva  yoons. 

Aug.  26,  1759,  tammes,  tammas  Merel,  eva  yoons. 

Jan.  I,  1721,  Lambert,  Richard  Merl,  Elsje  Dorlant. 

Sept.  13,  1724,  Susanna,  Richard  Merl,  Elsje   Dorlant, 

Sept.  22,  1709,  Richard,  Richart  Merrel. 

1715.  Richard,  Richart  Merrel. 

Apr.  I,  1708,  elsje,  Richart  Merrel. 

Sept.  14,  1741,  Jan,  Jan  Merrel,  Aeltie  Bennit. 

May  6,  1745,  Sara,  Jan  Merrel,  Aeltje  Bennet. 

May  6,  1745,  Seiraon,  Jan  Merrel,  Aeltje  Bennet. 

Oct.  2,  1755.  Sara,  John  merrel,  Anna  merrel. 

Apr.  19,  1743,  Annatje,  Richard  Merrell,  Jannetje  Gowns. 

Nov.  7,  1753,  Wintie,  Jan  Merrell,  Anna  Merrell. 

May  3,  1749,  Gertruyt,  John  Merrell,  Anna  merrell. 

July  4,  1725,  Catharina  and  Susanna,  twins,  Philip  Merril,  Elisabet 
Bakker. 

Feb.  24,  1727,  Phillip,  Phillip  Merril,  Elisabet  Bakker. 

Sept.  9,  1726,  Geertruyd,  John  Merril,  Geertruyd  Syraonsz. 

Oct.  31,  1736,  Annatie,  Richard  Merril,  Thomas  Zoon,  Jenne  Gewan. 

Nov.  24,  1728,  Nicolaas,  Philip  Merril,  Elisabet  Bakker. 

Jan.  17,  1731,  Mary,  Phillip  Merril,  Elisabet  Bakker. 

Apr.  8,  1733,  Elisabet,  Philip  Merril,  Elisabet  Bakker. 

Mar.  9,  1735,  Neeltje,  Philip  Merril,  Elisabet  Bakker. 

Mar.  8,  1772,  anney,  honnis  merril,  cherrety  merril. 

Jan.  I,  1738,  Margareta,  Richard  Merril,  Thomas  Zoon,  Jenne  Gewan. 

Apr.  22,  1747,  richard,  Johannes  Merrill,  aeltye  Dennet. 

Apr.  22,  1747,  Joida,  John  merrill,  antye  merrill. 

Dec.  12,  1745,  Elsse,  Lodewik  Metchel,  Ragel  Sayler. 

Nov.  2,  1 7 18,  Elisabet,  Charles  Messiel,  Marytje. 

Aug.  30,  1719,  Aaje  and  Abraham,  twins,  Johannes  Metselaar,  Cath- 
ryna  neesjes. 

Oct.  15,  1721,  Harmpje,  Johannes  Metzelaar,  Cathryna  Neesjes. 

July  21,  1723,  Cornelis,  Johannes  Metzelaar,  Cathryna  Neesjes. 

Dec.  26,  1725,  Cornnelis  and  Sara,  twins,  Johannes  Metzelaar,  Cath- 
ryna neesjes. 

Feb.   II,  1728,  Joha,nnes,  Johannes  Metzelaar,  Tryntje  Neesjes. 

Apr.  19,  1715,  Jacobus,  Abraham   Metzelaer. 

July  8,  1722,  Harmpje,  Pieter  Metzelaar,  Maria  Neesjes. 

June  7,  1724,  Cornelius,  Peter  Metzelaar,  Maria  Neesjes. 

June  26,  1726,  Aaghtje,  Pieter  Metzelaar,  Maria  Neesjes. 

May  20,  1750,  abraham,  Pieter  meerlings  Jun.  anne  Heereman. 

Sept.  17,  1752,  Benyaman,  Pieter  meerlings  Junier,  Annaetye  Heereman. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  383 

June  24,  1752,  Antye,  Barent  meerlings,  Susanna  Gerretse. 

Daniel,  Estienne  Mersereaux,  Anne  Michel. 

Jan.  I,  1735,  Marie,  Estienne  Mersereaux,  Anne  Mitchel. 
May  25,  1740,  Richard,  Estienne  Mersereaux,  Anne  Mitchel. 
Oct-  13.  1728,  Josua,  Josue  Mersereaux,  Maria  Corsen. 
May  24,  17,30,  Jacob,  Josue  de  mersereaux,  Maria  Corssen. 
Mar.  26,  1732,  Johannes,  Josue  Mersereaux,  Maria  Corssen. 
Jan.  20,  1734,  Elisabet,  Josue  Mersereaux,  Maria  Corssen. 
Oct.  9,  1768,  Allada,  John  Mercereau,  Mary  Prall. 
Feb.  28,  1731,  Josua,  Jean  Mersersaux,  Elisabet  Creage. 
July  18,  1731,  Daniel,  Jean  Mersereaux,  Elisabet  Mersereaux. 
Apr.  22,   1707,  Hendriekie,  Evert  Mesker. 

,  1707,  Neeltie.  Evert  Mesker. 

,  1715,  Mattheus,  Evert  Mesker. 

,  1707,  Neeltie,  Harmen  Mesker. 

July  23,  1707,.  Johannes,  Harmen  Mesker. 

Oct.   19,   1714,  Abraham,  Harmen  Mesker. 

Nov.  7,  1749,  Barent,  Barent  merilings  Juner,  Susanna  Gerretse. 

Jan.  I,  1739,  Francyntje,  Thomas  Milbourn,  Anna  Preyer. 

Apr.  22,  1747,  harmentye,  leuues  mitchel,  rachel  tyler. 

Nov.  7,  1749,  Joannis,  Lewis  Mitchel,  Rachel  Teeler. 

Apr.  18,  1743,  Elisabet,  Josua  Mossero,  Maria  Corsen. 

July  4,  1731,  Elisabet,  Laurens  More,  Sara  Marobrut. 

July  7,  1734,  Johannes,  Laurens  More,  Sara  mambrut. 

Aug.  20,  1738,  Rachel,  Laurens  More,  Sara  Mambrut. 

Oct.  23,  1703,  Margrietye,  Jarels  Morgen. 

Apr.  20,  1708,  Sarah,  Jarels  Morgen. 

May  9,  1725,  Maria,  Charles  Morgan,  Sara  Lorson. 

Dec.  II,  1726,  Thomas,  Charles  Morgan  Jun'r,  Sara  Rutan. 

June  28,  1730,  Abrahm,  Charles  Morgan,  Sara  Rutan. 

July  30,  1732,  Charles,  Charles  Morgan,  Sara  Rutan. 

Apr.  7,  173s,  Thomas,  Charles  Morgan,  Sara  Rutan. 

May  5,  1696,  Abraham,  Thomas  Morgen. 

Sept.  7,  1698,  Martha,  Thomas  Morgen. 

Feb.  7,  1725,  Elisabet,  Thomas  Morgan,  Magdalena  Staats. 

Feb.  12,  1727,  Magdalena,  Thomas  Morgan,  Magdalena  Staats. 

Mar.  9,  1729,  Pieter,  Thomas  Morgan,  Magdalena  Staats. 

Oct.  10,  1731,  Thomas,  Thomas  Morgan,  Magdalena  Staats. 

July  18,  1736,  Annatje,  Thomas  Morgan,  Magdalena  Staats. 

Sept.  16,  1739,  Sara,  Thomas  Morgan,  Magdalena  Staats. 

Apr.  22,  1746,  Pieter,  Pieter  nartlings,  anna  heeveman. 

1700,  Metye,  Cornells  Neesies. 

1707,  Cornells,  Cornells  Neesies. 

Dec.  13,  1724,  Pieter,  Johannes  Neesjes,  Antje  gerritsz. 
June  19,  1717,  Eeohtje,  Jornis  nestjes. 

Sept.  13,  1719,  Johannes,  Joris  Netsjes,  Willtmpje  Borkelo. 
Oct.  15,  1721,  Margarietje,  Joris  Neesjes,  Willempje  Borkelo. 
Jan.  12,  1724,  Pieter,  Joris  Neesjes,  Willempje  Borkelo.        ""- , 
Jan.  30,  1426,  Aaghje,  Joris  Neesjes,  Willempje  Borkelo. 
Sept.  14,  17 18,  Dirkje,  Johannes  Neul,  Geertje  Hagewout. 
Mar.  6,  1720,  Henrik,  Johannes  Neul,  Geertje  Hagewou±«^-- .  ^ 
Dec.  24,  1721,  Margareta,  Johanh-es  Neul,  Geertje  Hagewout.    ^ 


384  HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Apr.  17,  171 1,  Cornelis,  Joris  Nevins. 

1715.  Margrietie,  Joris  Nevins. 

1 7 15.  J^")  Joris  Nevins. 

Oct.  23,  1711,  Cornelis,  Johannes  Nevins. 

July  14,  1713,  Gerrit,  Johannes  Nevins. 

Sept.  16,  1739,  Carel,  Card  nyts,  Rebecca  Winter. 

Sept.  8,  1717,  Annetje,  Cornelis  Oenaert. 

Apr.  19,  1709,  Margarietie,  Donckin  Oliver. 

July  27,  1718,  Catharina,  Samuel  Olivier,  Catharina  du  Pay. 

Aug.  12,  1722,  Petronella,  Samuel  Oliver,  Catharina  du  Puy. 

Jan.  16,  1734,  Eduard,  Jean  Parlie,  Abigail  Jones. 

Jan.  20,  1740,  Petrus,  Pierre  Parlier,  Martha  du  Bois. 

June   13,  1736,  Pieter,  Jean  Parliez,  Abigail  Jones. 

Apr.  26,  1748,  Adriaen,  Johannes  Pelt,  Anna  Huysman. 

June   13,  1731,  Jannetje,  George  Personet,  Jannetje  Mangels. 

Aug.  17,  173s,  Johannes,  George  Personet,  Jannetje  mangels. 

May  31,  1730,  Elisabet,  Charles  Petit,  Anna  Perliez. 

June  7,  1730,  Willem  Jorisze,  Arent  Praal,  Marytje  Bouwman. 

Oct. 7,  1733,  Henricus,  Arent  Praal,  Marytje  Bouwman. 

May  II,  1735,  Henderske,  arent  Praal,  Marytje  Bouwman. 

June  6,  1715,  Elisabeth,  Aron  Praal  Junior. 

Apr.  17,  1717,  Aaron,  Aron  Paraal. 

Feb.   14,  1720,  Anna,  Arent  Praal  Junior,  Antje  Staats. 

Sept.  20,  1724,  Pieter,  Arent  Praal  Junior,  Antje  Staats. 

July  28,  1751,  Lowies,  Isaak  Prael,  marya  de  baa. 

Nov.   2,  1754,  Abraham,  beniemen  Praal,  Sara  Sweem. 

Aug.  26,  1766,  Johannis,  beniemen  Praal,  Sara  Sweem. 

Apr.   13,  1742,  Catharina,  Isaac  Praal,  Maria  du  bois. 

July  ig,  1748,  Maragritye,  ysaac  Praal,  Maria  Dubaa. 

Oct.   ir,  1719,  Aaltje,  Johannes  Praal. 

1698,  Arent,  Pieter  Praal. 

1705,  Abraham,  Pieter  Praal. 

Oct.  21,  1707,  Antie,  Pieter  Praal. 

July  25,  1710,  Isaac,  Pieter  Praal. 

May  21,  1744,  Petrus,  Isaak  Pral,  Maria  Du  bois. 

Sept.  16,  1746,  Altye,  ysack  prael,  maria  de  baa. 

Sept.  8,  1 71 7,  pieter,  Valeteyn  Presser. 

Feb.  17,  1722-3,  Andries,  Jacob  Preyer,  Lea  Beekman. 

July  31,  1726,  Johanna,  Jacob  Preyer,  Lea  Beekman. 

Feb.  14,  1732,  Pieter,  Jacob  Preyer,  Lea  Beekman. 

May  20,  1722,  Anna,  Johannes  Preyer,  Maria  Ral. 

Dec.  12,  1725,  Andries,  Johannes  Preyer,  Maria  Rail. 

Oct.  20,  1728,  Jannetje,  Johannes  Preyer,  Maria  Rail. 

Mar.  18,  1733,  Catharina,  Johannes  Preyer,  Marytje  Roll. 

June  10,  1747,  Jan,  andries  Pryor,  helena  Dorlandt. 

1698,  Jan,  Thomas  Possel. 

Aug.  7,  1754,  Gerrit,  Gerrit  Post,  Sara  ellis. 

Mar.  12,  1758,  Abraham,  Gerrit  Post,  Sara  ellis. 

Apr.  19,  1743,  Abraham,  Johannes  post,  Antje  huisman. 

July  28,  1751,  Leya,  Johannes  Post,  Antye  Huysman. 

Oct.  22,  1707,  Elisabeth,  Johan  Pue. 

July  27,  1 7 14,  Moses,  Johan  Pue. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  385 

Dec.  9,  1739,  Elsje,  Barent  du  Puy,  Elsje  Poillon. 

Oct.  9,-1726,  Mattheus,  Nicolaas  du  Puy,  Neeltje  Dekkers. 

June  27,  1726,  Johannes,  Nicolaas  du  Puy,  Neeltje  Dekkers. 

Jan.  4,  1730,  Nicolaas,  Nicolaas  du  Puy,  Neeltje  Dekkers. 

Oct.  29,  1732,  Moses,  Nicolaas  du  Puy,  Neeltje  Dekker. 

Aug.  26,  1739,  Aaron,  Nicolas  du  Puy,  Neeltje  Dekkers. 

May  26,  1740,  Fytje,  Jan  Ral  Junior,  Fytje  van  Boskerk. 

May  20,  1746,  Abraham,  Joseph  ralph,  neeltye  Croese. 

Apr.  26,  1748,  Benyamen,  Joseph  Ralph,  Neeltye  Kroose. 

Nov.   7,  1749,  Elizabeth,  Joseph  Ralph,  Neltye  kroesen. 

Oct.   18,  1 7 15,  Elesabet,  Reick  Reyken. 

May  6,  1745,  Susanna,  Jacob  Resoe.  Susanna  Merrel. 

July  24,  1752,  Geertruy,  Jacob  reso,  Susanna  merrel. 

Nov.     2,  1754,  Catriena,  Jacob  resoo,  Susanna  merel. 

July  17,1720,  Lea,  Joh:  Richaud,  Amy  Carber. 

Oct.  20,  1728,  Elsje,  Johannes  Richand,  Amy  Corbet. 

Sept.   17,  1748,  margret,  William  Richardson,  Anne  fisher. 

Apr.   23,  1707,  Jacob,  Johannes  Richau. 

Oct.  22,  1707,  Daniel,  Paul  Richau. 

Dec.   25,  1725,  Rachel,  Johannes  Richaud,  Amy  Carbet. 

Apr.  20,  1708,  Isaack,  Johannes  Richgan. 

Apr.  17,  1711,  Mary,  Sohannes  Richgan. 

1715,  Antie,  Johannes  Richgan. 

June  18,  1745,  Ragel,  Abraham  Rigga,  annatje  Van  Woglom. 

May  23,  1749,  Philip,  Charlens  Rollens,  Susanna  merrell. 

Sept.  18,  1744,  Cornelia,  Joseph  Rolph,  Nieltje  Croesen. 

Apr.  19,  1743,  Weintje,  Jacob  Rooso,  Susanna  Merrel. 

Feb.  25,  1739,  Petrus.  Jacob  Roseau,  Susanne  merril. 

Sept.  14,  1718,  Nicolaas,  gerret  Rosen,  Judith  Toers. 

Aug.  13,  1717,  Jacob,  Pieter  Rycke. 

Mar.  25,  1 701,  Johanes,  Pieter  Rycken. 

Apr.  20,  1703,  Hendricus,  Peter  Rycken. 

Apr.  23,  1706,  Pieter,  Pieter  Rycken. 

Apr.  17,  1711,  Abraham,  Pieter  Rycken. 

July  14,  1714,  Isaac,  Pieter  Rycken. 

Feb.  16,  17SS,  Luwes,  Adriaan  Ryerse,  Hester  Debaa. 

Aug.  17,  1718,  Femmetje,  Abraham  Ryke,  Anneken  Oliver. 

Jan.  25,  1 720-1,  Abraham,  Abraham  Ryke,  Anneke  Oliver. 

Nov.  23,  1715,  Abraham,  Johannes  Ryke. 

Oct.  19,  1718,  Femmetie,  Ryk  Ryken. 

Oct.  23,  171 1,  Lena,  Ryk  Ryken. 

May  4,  1 7 14,  Sofia,  Ryk  Ryken. 

Mar.  15,  1719,  Henricus,  Ryk  Ryken,  Willempje  Clement. 

Dec.  18,  1726,  Rebecca,  Albert  Rykman,  Catharina  Christopher. 

Oct.  26,  1729,  Albert,  Albert  Rykman,  (obit),  Cathrina  Christopher. 

May  20,  1722,  Maria,  Jacob  Ryt,  Anna  Ral. 

Sept.  25,  1757,  Hanna,  richard  Sandars,  ragel. 

Oct.  5,  1760,  Sara,  richard  Sandars,  ragel. 

Dec.  22,  1728.  Jacoba,  Corn:  v.  Santvoord,  Anna  Staats. 

Oct.  7,  1733,  Zeger,  Corn:  v.  Santvoord,  Anna  Staats. 

Mar.  6,  1720,  Maria  Catharina,  Corn:  v.  Santvoord,  Anna  Staats. 

July  23,  1 72 1,  Anna,  Corn:  v.  Santvoord,  Anna  Staats. 

25 


386  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Mar.  8,  1723.  Cornelius,  Corn:  v.  Santvoord,  Anna  Staats. 

Mar.  21,  1725,  Staats,  Corn:  v.  Santvoord,  Anna  Staats. 

July  27,  1755,  Susanna,  John  Schinnis,  Aaltye  Maerling. 

Apr.  17,  1720,  Adriaan,  Ary  Schouten,  Maria  van  Pelt. 

June  3,  1722,  Anna,  Israel  du  Secoy,  Geertruyd  van  Deventer. 

Apr.  20.  1703,  Gabriel,  Marcus  Du  Secoy. 

Sept.  22,  1723,  Johannes,  Job  du  Secoy,  Sarah  Denis. 

Dec.  12,  1725,  Jonas,  Jean  Seguin,  Elizabet  Hooper. 

Mar.  3,  1728,  Sara,  Jaques  Seguin,  Lady  mambrut. 

Mar.  19,  1732,  Jean,  Jaques  Seguin,  Lady  Mambru. 

Mar.  19,  1732,  Jaques,  Jean  Seguin,  Elizabet  Hooper. 

June  12,  17 16,  tabeta,  Sande  Semson. 

May  I,  1753,  Antye,  Chrisstoffel  Seymonse,  Catharina  van  Schuere. 

Nov.  26,  1752,  Sara,  Daniel  Seymonse,  mareytye  Decker. 

Sept.  16,  1746,  maria,  Seymon  Seymonse.  Sara  Von  pelt. 

Oct.  13,  1728,  Jacob,  Fredrik  Sharman,  Margreta  Winter. 

July  19,  1730,  Thomas,  Fredrik  Sharman,  Margreta  winter. 

July  27,  175s.  Saartye,  D^neel  Silof,  Henne  klerrc. 

Aug.  26,  1759, 'Danel,  Danel  Silof,  Henne  klac. 

Aug.  7,  1754,  Clandiena,  PieterSielof,  Marya  vanpelt. 

May  6,  1745,  Catrina,  Cristofel  Simesen,  Catrina  Van  Seuren. 

Apr.  19,  1743,  Cristofel,  Cristofel  Simeson,  Catrina  Van  Schuerse. 

June  7,  1743,  Blandena,  Hans  Simonsen,  antje  Van  pelt. 

Apr.  13,  1742,  Van  Pelt,  Simon  Simon sse,  Sara  van  Pelt. 

May  3.,  1749,  Jeremyah,  Simon  Simonsen,  Helena  Sweem. 

June  8,  173s,  Thomas,  Thomas  Simon,  Maria  Johnson. 

Apr.  20,  1708,  Simon,  Aert  Simonszen. 

,  1710,  Hans,  Aert  Simonszen. 

Oct,  23,  17 1 1,  Aert,  Aert  Simonszen. 

July  14,  1713,  Aert,  Aert  Simonszen. 

May    II,  1729,  Aaltje,    Jan    Philip  Simsenbach,  Ule  Catharina    Pikk- 
erling. 

May  2,  1754,  Lammert,  Wellem  Sinnis,  yannetye  gerretse. 

Mar.  26,  1732,  Pieter,  Matthew  Skane,  Jannetje  Tites. 

Dec.  4,  1768,  Peggy,  Abraham  Skirmen,  Alizabeth. 

Oct.  22,  1707,  Johan,  Barent  Slecht. 

Apr.   19,  1709,  Cornelis,  Barent  Slecht. 

Mar.  27,  1720,  Maria,  Henrik  Slecht,  Catharina  Wynants. 

Jan.  7,  1722,  Hilletje,  Henrik  Slecht,  Catharina  Wynants. 

Dec.  13,  1724,  Barent,  Henrik  Slecht,  Catharina  Wynants. 

Mar.   20,  1726,  Jacob,  Henrik  Slecht,  Catharina  Wynants. 

Mar.   17,  1728,  Jan,  Henrik  Slecht,  Catharina  Wynants. 

Apr.   17,  1720,  Cornelia  and  Catharina,  twins,  Johannes  Slecht,  Cathar- 
ina Berger. 

Feb.  29,  1736,  Elisabet,  Johannes  Slecht,  Elisabet  van  Engelen. 

Dec.  9,  1739,  Catharina,  Johan  Adam  Schmit,  Maria  Margareta  Staat. 

July  23,  1707,  Annetie,  Johannes  Smack. 

July  26,  171 1,  Marytie,  Johannes  Smack. 

1707,  Jan,  Thomas  Sotten. 

Feb.  25,  1 72 1-2,  Syrje,  Baay  Spier,  Catalyntje  Hasten. 

July  27,  175s,  Edword,  Willim  Spree,  Cattriena  Maerling. 

Peb.  26,  1758,  Caty,  Willim  Spree,  Cattriena  maarling. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  387 

Mar.  25,  1760. Willim  Spree,  Cattrena  maarling. 

Oct.  21,  1707,  Isaak,  Abraham  Staats. 

May  5,  1696,  Cornelia,  Johan  Staats. 

June  20,  1700,  Annetye,  Johan  Staats. 

Oct.  22,  1707,  Rebecka,  Johan  Staats. 

Apr.  20,  1708,  Edmond.  Pieter  Staats. 

May  4,  1 7 14,  Pieter,  Pieter  Staats. 

June  7,  J  73 1,  Francyntje,   Daniel  Stillwell,  Marie  Poillon. 

Apr.  4,  1736,  Daniel,  Daniel  Stillwell,  Maria  Poillon. 

Mar.  26,   1738,  Jaques,  Daniel  Stillwell,  Marie  Poillon. 

July  31,   1737,  Catharina,  Daniel  Stilwell,  Catharine  Lazilier. 

Nov.  25,  1739,  Richard,  Daniel  StilwellJ;::a4ii&»iw=^zelier. 

Jan.  30,  1726,  Thomas,  Elias  StilweHTAnna  Barbank^ 

Mar.  24,  1728,  Daniel,  Elias  Stilw^liAnna  Barbank^ 

Nov.  15,  1719,  Johannes,  Jan  Stilwell,  H.lisaD'St-ftCfdin. 

June  24,  1752,  Eleyas,  Jan  Stilwil,  helena  van  namen. 

May  23,  1749,  Richard,  Joachim  Stillewel,  Anna  Jenners. 

July  28,  1 75 1,  Jan,  Joackim  Stilwils,  antye  Jinnes. 

Sept.  21,  173s,  Nicolas,  Richard  Stilwell,  Jenneke  van  namen. 

Dec.  22,  1723,  Thomas,  Thomas  Stilwell,  Sara  van  Namen. 

June  10,  1747.  Elias,  Thomas  Stillwell,  debora  martlings. 

Sept.  17,  1752,  Annaetye,  thomas  Stillewil,  Debera  meerlings. 

Feb.  16,  1755,  Antoni,  tammes  Stillwel,  nensy  founten. 

Sept.  6,  1719,  Willem  and  Daniel,  twins,  Willem  Stilwell,  obiit,  Sara 
Pareyn. 

Sept.  5,  1 73 1,  Christoffel,  Jan  Philip  Sumsenback,  Ule  Cathrina  Pik- 
kerling. 

Oct.  18,  1715,  Magyel  (son),  Wellem  Swane. 

May  5,  1728,  Maria,  Anthony  Sweem,  Anna  Brooks. 

Nov.  7,  1731,  Johannes,  Barent  Sweem,  Marie  Canon. 

Apr.  20,  1708,  Annetie,  Johannes  Sweem. 

Apr.  17,  171 1,  Magdalena,  Johannes  Sweem. 

Oct.  19,   1714,  Antie,  Johannes  Sweem. 

,  1715,  Martha,  Johannes  Sweem. 

,  1715,  Tys,  Johannes  Sweem. 

Apr.  I,  1718,  Lysabet,  Johannes  Sweem. 

Oct.  18,  1715,  Albert,  Johannes  Swame. 

July  20,  1718,  Jan,  Johannis  Sweem,  Senior,  Jannetje  La  Forge. 

Mar.  I,  1719,  Jacobus,  Joh:  Sweems,  Anthonysz,  Mary  Rue. 

Aug.  25,  1723,  Elisabet,  Johannes  Sweem,  Mary  Perine. 

Apr.  22,  1718,  Rachel,  Johannes  Sweem,  Mary  Row. 

Oct.  5,  1760,  Marya,  John  Sweem,  Cornelia  bergen. 

,  1707,  Maydaleen,  Matthys  Sweem. 

Apr.  19,  1719,  Anthony,  Matthys  Sweem,  Catharina  Mangels  Ral. 

Oct.  22,  1727,  Jannetje,  Matthys  Sweem,  Catharina  Mangels  Rol. 

Apr.  21,  1734,  Matthias,  Matthys  Sweem,  Cathrina  Mangels  Rol. 

Apr.  19,   1743,  Matties,  Mateis  Swem,  Catrina  Merrel. 

May  6,  1745,  Martinus,  Mattas  Swem,  Catrina  Merrel. 

Sept.  16,  1746,  benyamen,  matthys  Sweem,  catherina  merrill. 

May  23,  1749,  Catherina,  Matthys  Sweem,  Catherina  merrell. 

July  28,  1751,  Isaak,  Mathys  Sweem,  Chatarina  Merril. 

May  I,  1753,  Susanna,  matheus  Swem,  Catharina  merrel. 


388  HISTORY  OF  EIOHMOND  COUNTY. 

Sept.  i8,  1737,  Geertruyd,  Tys  Sweem,  Catharina  Merril. 
Mar.  18,  1739,  Johannes,  Tys  Sweem,  Catharina  Merril. 
Oct.  18,  1719,  Johannes,  Willem  Sweem,  Marya  Lageler. 
Mar.  18,  1722,  Cornelius,  Willem  Sweem,  Marie  Lageler. 

,  Abraham, Symon, Prael. 

Oct.  6, ,  Vredrick, Symonse, Sweem. 

Nov.  4,  1754,  fransintye,  Aart  Symenson,  fransintye  Morgon. 
June  10,  1717,  Christoffel,  Auert  Symensen. 
Aug.  5,  1722,  Anna,  Aart  Symons,  Margriet  Daniels. 
July  26,  1724,  Daniel,  Aart  Symons,  Margriet  Daniels. 
Oct.  16,  1726,  Susanna,  Aart  Symons,  Margriet  Daniels. 
July  14,  1728,  Barent,  Aart  Symons,  Margriet  Daniels. 
Aug.  23,  1730,  Cornelius,  Aart  Symons,  Margriet  Daniels. 
Aug.  4,  1734,  Isaak,  Aart  Symons,  Margriet  Daniels. 
Mar.  25,  i7oi,Wyntie,  Barent  Symessen. 

,  1707,  Johannes,  Barent  Symessen. 

,  1710,  Aron,  Barent  Symessen. 

Aug.  24,  1718,  Maria,  Barent  Symonssen,  ApoUonia  Messeker. 
June  17,  1746,  Symon,  christoffel  Symonse,  Catherina  Van  Spensc. 
April    26,    1748,    nicholaes,    Christophel    Symonson,    Catherina    van 
Schaarc. 

Jan.  24,  1759,  barant,  Cornells  Symonson,  liesebat  depne. 

June  9,  1754,  ,  Daniel  Symeson,  Mally  Decker. 

Feb.  26,  1758,  Abraham,  Daniel  Symenson,  Mally  Dacker. 
Sept.  14,  1735,  Annatje,  Hans  Symons,  antje  van  Pelt. 
Jan.  7,   1739,  Maria,  Hans  Symons,  Antje  van  Pelt. 
May  23,  1749,  Wyntye,  Hans  Symonse,  Anna  Van  Pelt. 
June  12,  1720,  Jeremias,  Isaak  Symons,  Antje  vand'r  Bilt. 
July  8,   1722,  Maria,  Isak  Symonsz,  Antje  vand'r  Bilt. 
Dec.  17,  1732,  Isaak,  Isaak  Symons,  Neeltje  Coteleau. 
Feb.   II,  1733,  Antje,  Johannes  Symons,  Dina  van  Leuwen. 
June  22,   1735,  Isak,  Johannes  Symons,  Dina  van  Leuwen. 
Oct.  3,  1736,  Geertje,  Johannes  Symons,  Dina  van  Leeuwen. 
Sept  9,  1739,  Aaltje,  Johannes  Svmons,  Dina  van  Lawa. 
June  9,  1742,  Johannes,  Johannes  Symonsse,  Suster  Corsse 
May  20,  1746,  Johannes,  Johannes  Symonson,  Antye  Van  Pelt. 
July  21,  1758,  Geertruy,  Johnnis  Symonson,  Antye  banpelt. 
Oct.  2,   1755,  Marretye,  rem  Symeson,  Geertroy  boskere. 
May  2,  1725,  Antje,  Symon  Symonsz,  Maria  Woertman. 
Apr.  9,  1727,  Marritje,  Symon  Symonsz,  Maria  Woertman. 
Mar.  16,  1729,  Maria,  Symon  Symonsz,  Maria  Woertman. 
Apr.  II,  1731,  Simon,  Symon  Symonsz,  Maria  Woertman. 
July   15,  1733,  Cornelia,  Symon  Symonsz,  Maria  Woertman. 
Aug.  I,  1736,  Anna,  Symon  Symonsz  Aarts  Zoon,  Sara  van  Pelt. 
Nov.  4,  1739,  Aaltje,  Symon  Symons  aarts  Zoon,  Sara  van  Pelt. 
Apr.  17,  1744,  Art,  Symen  Symonson,  Sara  Van  pelt. 
July   19,  1748,  Elizabeth,  Symon  Symonson,  Sarah  van  Pelt. 
May  2,  1754,  Johennis,  Symon  Symeson,  Sara  vanpelt. 
Dec    18,  1755,  Eevert,  Symon  Symeson,  Sara  van  Pelt. 
Nov.  20,  1757,  Sara,  Symon  Symonson,  Sara  vanpelt. 
Oct.  23,  171  J,  Ephrum,  Abraham  Talor. 
May  T,  1715,  Altje,  Abram  Talor. 


HISTORY  or  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  389 


Nov.  23,  1 7 15,  maregriet,  Abraam  taylor.  ^,-- ^=~^ 

Aug.  21,  1720,  Rachel,  Abraham  Tailor,  Harmraje  Hagewout.  , 
Nov.  25,   i7?2,  Aaltje,  Abraham  Tailor,  Harmpjs_jiagewoyt. 
July  4,  1725,  Pieter,  Abraham  Tailor,  Harmpje   Hagewout. 
Apr.  6,  1729,  Ephraim,  Abraham  Tailor,  Harmpje  Hagewout. 
Jan.  8,   1720-1,  Isaak,  Auke  Tansz,  Catharina  Sebering. 
Nov.  23,  1715,  Johannes,  Pieter  telburgh. 
Sept.   16,  1746,  david,  Samuel  teeler,  Suster  Waggelom. 
May  5,  i6g6,  Margrietie,  Ephraim  Thealer. 

1696,  Jan,  Ephraim  Thealer. 

Aug.   I,  T731,  Margreta,  Timothy  Thorp,  Margrietje  Heermans. 

Aug.   I,  1 73 1,  Abigail,  John  Thorp,  Appollonia  Heermans. 

Jan.   16,  1732,  Marytje,  Teunis  Tiebout,  Margrietje  Drinkwater. 

Jan.   14,  1733,  Teunis,  Teunis  Tiebout,  Margrietje  Drinkwater. 

Dec.   II,  1720,  Willem,  Pieter  van  Tilburgh,  Metje  Bouwman. 

Feb.  24,  1727,  Henricus,  Pieter  van  Tilburgh,  Metje  Bouwman. 

Feb.  25,  1722,  Cornelis,  Syrah  Tites,  Aaltje  Webs. 

Aug.   16,  1724,  Aaltje,  Tites  Tites,  Blandina  van  Pelt, 

Apr.   10,  1726,  Sara,  Tites  Tites,  Blandina  van  Pelt. 

Mar.  24,  1728,  Maria,  Titus  Titusz,  Blandina  van  Pelt. 

Mar.  6,  1730,  Syrah,  Titus  Titusz,  Blandina  van  Pelt. 

Apr.   15,  1734,  Antje,  Titus  Titusz,  Blandina  van  Pelt. 

May  2,  1736,  Marytje,  Titus  Titusz,  Blandina  van  Pelt. 

May  26,  1740,  Teunis,  Tites  Titesz,  Blandina  van  Pelt. 

June  25,  1727,  Benjamin,  Woodhul  Tourneur,  Anna  Lawrence. 

Mar.  29,  1725,  Willem,  Willem  Tribs,  Catlyna  de  Hart. 

Apr.   I,  1718,  Jorms,  Pieter  tylborgh. 

Aug.  2,  1705,  Elisabeth,  Cornelis  Tyssen. 

Safya, Tytes, Van  Pelt. 

Oct.  30,  1 7 16,  Saertie,  Seymen  van  Amen. 

Apr.  22,  1728,  Rachel,  Matthys  van  Brakel,  Rachel  Jansz. 

Mar.  30,  1730,  Maria,  Matthys  van  Brakel,  Rachel  Jansz. 

Apr.   19,  1709,  Laurens,  Hendrick  Van  Campen. 

Apr.  17,  1711,  Lammert,  Hendrick  Van  Campen. 

171S)  Aeltie,  Hendrick  Van  Campen. 

1 7  IS)  Hendrick,  Hendrick  Van  Campen. 

Apr.   17,  17 17,  Johanes,  Hendrick  Van  Campen. 

Apr.  23,  1707,  Martha,  Johannes  Van  Campen. 

Apr.   II,  1711,  Christina,  Johannes  Van  Campen. 

June  6,  1715,  Arent,  Johannes  Van  Campen. 

Apr.   17,  1717,  gerret,  oydeon  Van  Campen. 

Apr.  26,  1736,  Jan,  Cornelius  van  Cleef,  Sara  Mashal. 

July  27,  1714,  Geesie,  Rut  Van  Den  Bergh. 

Oct.  21,  1713,  Hilletie,  Rem  Van  De  Bilt. 

July  21,  1758,  Liesabet,  Conradus  vanderbeeck,  Catlyntye  Lisk. 

July  26,  1719,  Jan,  Rem  vander  Beek,  Dorothea  Cateleau. 

May  28,  1721,  Rem,  Rem  vander  Beek,  Dorothea  Cateleau. 

June  2,  1723,  Jaques,  Rem  vander  Beek,  Dorothea  Coteleau. 

Jan.  21,  1728,  Dorothea,  Rem  vander  Beek,  Dorothea  Coteleau. 

June  18,  1745,  Doritje,  Jan  Van  Derbek,  Annatje  Martens. 

June  3,  1736,  Lena,  Rem  vander  Beek,  Dorothea  Coteleau. 

Mar.  27,  1720,  Hilletje,  Jacob  vand'r  Bjlt,  Neelje  Denys. 


390  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Feb.  3,  1722-3,  Jacobus,  Jacob  vander  Bilt,  Neeltje  Denys. 
Dec.  25,  1725,  Magdalena,  Jacob  vander  Bilt,  Neeltje  Denys. 
Dec.  .25,  1728,  Johannes,  Jacob  vander  Bilt,  Neeltje  Denys. 
Oct.  24,  1 73 1,  Cornelius,  Jacob  vander  Bilt,  Neeltje  Denys. 
Feb.  24,  1734,  Antje,  Jacob  vander  Bilt,  Neeltje  Denysz. 
May  19,  1739,  Femmetje,  Jacob  vand'r  Bilt,  Neeltje  Denys. 
Jan.  21,  1739,  Gerrit,  Hendrik  vander  Hoef,  Eva  Slot. 
Apr.   19,  1719,  Lea,  Job:  vand'r  Hoeven,  Anna  Sweem. 
Mar.   18,  1722,  Cornelius,  Johannes  vand'r  Hoeven,  Anna  Sweem. 
Feb.  2,  1723-4  Lea,  Johannes  vandr  Howen,  Anna  Sweem. 
May  29,  1726,  Elizabet,  Johannes  vander  Hoeven,  Anna  Sweem. 
Feb.   18,  1728,  Johannes,  Johannes  vander  Hoeve,  Anna  Sweem. 
Jan.  24,  1731,  Anthony,  Johannes  vandr  Hoeven,  Anna  Sweem. 
Aug.   13,  1727,  Catharina,  Jacob  van  Dyk,  Catharina  van  Brunt. 
Feb.  8,  1730,  Catharina,  Jacob  van   Dyk,  Catharina  van  Brunt. 
Feb.   13,  1732,  Zacheus,  Jacob  van  Dyk,  Catharina  van  Brunt. 
Apr.  14,  1734,  Cornelius,  Jacob  van  Dyk,  Catharina  van  Brunt. 

1698,  Annetie,  Hendrick  Van  Dyck. 

June  II,  1 72 1,  Henricus,  Lambert  van  Dyk,  Marritje  Hogelant. 
Apr.   14,  1723,  Elisabet,  Lambert  van  Dyk,  Marritje  Hooglant. 
Oct.  22,  1709,  Rachel,  Ahasuerus  Van  Engelen. 
Apr.   17,  1718,  Johannes,  Ahasuerus  Van  Engelen. 
Aug.  9,  1719,  Frederyk,  Hendrik  van  Leuwen,  Geurtje  Cateleau. 
Oct.  6,  1727.  Lena,  Hendrik  van  Leuwen,  Geurije  Coteleau. 
July  19,  1748,  Aron,  Aron  Van  namen,  Maria  Maclean. 
July  28,  1751,  rschel,  Aron  van  namen,  Mary  Mackleen. 
Mar.  23,  1760,  Moses.  Aron  Vannamen,  Maria  Macleen. 
Feb.   16,  1755,  Antye,  Aron  Vannamen,  Maria  Macleen. 
Apr.  12,  1719,  Johannes,  Engelbert  van  Namen,  Marytje  de  Camp. 
Oct.   15,  1721,  Sara  and  Maria,  twins,  Engelbert  van   Namen,  Marytje 
de  Camp. 

Apr.  22,  1709,  Joseph,  Evert  Van  Namen, 

Aug.  3,  1718,  Maria,  Evert  van  Namen,  Wyntje  Benham. 

May  18,  1 718,  Pieter,  Johannes  Van  Namen. 

Mar.  29,  1725,  Sara.  Johannes  van  Namen,  Marytje  van  Pelt. 

Aug.  17,  1 7 18,  Aaron,  Symon  van  Namen,  Sara  Praal. 

Feb.  21,  1725,  Moses,  Simon  van  Namem,  Sara  Praal. 

, ,  Jannetye,  Van  Pelt,  Valkenburgh. 

Oct.   13,   1747,  maria,  Antoni  Van  Pelt,  Jannetye  Symonse. 

July  30,   1750,  Elizabeth,  Antony  Van  Pelt,  Jenneke  Seymense. 

Jan.  I,  1760,  Sara,  Antony  vanpelt,  Jenneke  Symeson. 

Dec.  10,   1721,  Maria,  Aart  van  Pelt,  Christina  Jmmet. 

May  S,   1696,  Annetie,  Hendrick  Van  Pelt. 

Mar.  25,  1701,  Aeltie,  Hendrick  Van  Pelt. 

Apr.   12,   1719,  Catlyntje,  Hendrik  van  Pelt,  Margrietje  de  Hart. 

Jan.  I,  1 72 1,  Hendrik,  Hendrik  van  Pelt,  Margrietje  de  Hart. 

Apr.  17,  171 1,  Jan,  Jacob  Van  Pelt. 

,   1715,  Derckie  (girl),  Jacob  Van  Pelt. 

,   1715,  Marytie,  Jacob  Van  Pelt.  _^. — s:::;^, 

Apr.  16,  1717,  Pieter,  Jacob  Van  pelt.  ,    '^  ^N,^ 

Nov.  8,  1719,  Cytlyntje,  Jacob  van  Pelt,  Aaltje  Hagewout. 
Sept.  27,  1724,  Catlyntje,  Jacob  Van  Pelt,  Aaltje  Hagewout. 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  OOUNTX.  391 

Oct.  15,  1727,  Jan,  Jacob  Van  Pelt,  AaltjV^Jagewout. 
Jan.   25,  1719,  Sara,  Jan  van  Pelt,  Aaltje  Hoogit 
Oct.  16,   1720,  Catlyntje,  Jan  van  Pelt,  Aaltje  Hooghlant. 
May  25,  1729,  Jan  and  Susanna,  twins,  Jan  Van  Pelt,  Anthony's  zoon, 
Susanna  La  Tourette. 

Apr.  25,  1731,  Maria,  Jan  van  Pelt,  Jan's  zoon,  Tryntje  Bouwman. 
Apr.   15,   1733,   Anthony,  Jan  van    Pelt,  Anthony's    zoon,  Susanne   la 
Tourette. 

Mar.  28,   1736,  Antje,  Jan  van  Pelt,  Pieter's  Zoon,  Jannetje  Adams. 
Apr.  4,  1736,  Joost,  Jan  van   Pelt,  Anthony's  Zoon,  Susanne  La  Tour- 
ette. 

Sept.   14,  1742,  Trientje,  Jan  Van  Pelt,  maria  Bouman. 

Apr.  13,   1742,  William,  Jan  Van  Pelt,  Jannetje  Adams. 

Apr.   17,  1744,  Jannetje,  Jan  Van  pelt,  Jannetje  Adams. 

May  6,   1745,  Nieltje,  Jan  Van  pelt  Jun'r,  Catrina  Bouman. 

Apr.  22,  1746,  maria,  Jan  Van  Pelt,  Jane  adams. 

Apr.   26,   1748,  maragritye,  Jan  Van  Pelt,  Jane  Adams. 

May  20,  1750,  Samuel,  Jan  Van  Pelt,  Jane  adams. 

Apr.  23,  1707,  Blandyena,  Johannes  Van  Pelt. 

Apr.  20,  1708,  Simon,  Johannes  Van  Pelt. 

,  1710,  Cathalyn,  Johannes  Van  Pelt. 

Apr.   19,  1715,  Simon,  Johannes  Van  Pelt. 

Apr.  16,  17 1 7,  Petrus,  Johannes  Van  Pelt. 

June  7,  1719,  Johannes,  Johannes  van  Pelt,  Sara  Le  Roy. 

Jan.  I,  1721,  Sara,  Johannes  van  Pelt,  Sarah  Le  Roy. 

Feb.  16,  i7?i5,  Susanna,  John  Van  Pelt,  Maria  Joons. 

Mar.  8,  1772,  Mary,  John  vanpelt,  Catherine  lawrence. 

May  4,   1 7 14,  Catharina,  Joost  Van  Pelt. 

Sept.  8,  1717,  Johannes,  Joost  Van  Pelt. 

Mar.  20,  1716,  Joost,  Joost  Van  pelt. 

Oct.  21,  1707,  Jan,  Pieter  Van  Pelt. 

July  25,  1 7 10,  Samuel,  Pieter  Van  Pelt. 

Nov.  23,  1715,  Willem,  Pieter  Van  pelt. 

Apr.  16,  1717,  Sameul,  Peter  Van  Pelt. 

Apr.  18,  1743,  Maria,  Petures  Van  Pelt,  Barbara  houltie. 

Sept.  16,  1746,  Johannes,  Pieter  Van  Pelt,  barbara,  hoolten. 

Sept.  17,  1748,  Barbara,  Pieter  Van  Pelt,  Barbara  hoelten. 

Nov.  7,  1753,  Jacob,  Petrus  Van  Pelt,  Barbara  Hulten. 

Oct.  12,  1755,  David,  Pieter  vanpelt.  Barber  Houlton. 

Aug.  26,  1759,  Sara,  Piater  vanpelt.  Barber . 

July  19,  1748,  Pieter,  Samuel  Van  Pelt,  Maria  falkenborgh. 

Apr.  18,  1743,  Maria,  Simon  Van  pelt,  Maria  Adams. 

Aug.  6,  1745,  Sara,  Scimen  Van  Pelt,  Maria  Adams. 

June  10,  1747,  Jennie,  Symon  Van  Pelt,  Malli  adams. 

May  23,  1749,  Peterus,  Symon  Van  Pelt,  mria  Adams. 

,  1696,  Marritsie,  Theunis  van  Pelt. 

Oct.  9,  1726,  Anthony,  Teunis  van  Pelt,  Maria  Drageau. 

Feb.  14,  1731,  Johannes,  Teunis  van  Pelt,  Marie  Drageau. 

June  3,  1734,  Maria,  Teunis  van  Pelt,  Marie  Drageau, 

May  19,  1737,  Joost,  Teunis  van  Pelt,  Marie  Drageau. 

Nov.  19,  1738,  Teunis,  Teunis  van  Pelt,  Marie  Drageau. 

Oct.  22,  1 701,  Stoffel,  Stoffel  van  Santen. 


392  HISTOEY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

-,  1706,  Josua,  Stoffel  van  Santen. 


Feb.  7,  1719-20,  Otto,  Abraham  van  Tuyl,  Femmetje  Denytz. 

Oct.  2,  1705,  Geertruyt,  Abraham  Van  Tuyl. 

Sept.  22,  1709,  Elena,  Abraham  Van  Tuyl. 

June  2,  1734,  Jan,  Abraham  van  Tyl  Isaak's  zoon,  Marytje  ven  Pelt. 

Nov.  18,  1739,  Femmetje,  Abraham  van  Tuyl,  Metje  Vreelans. 

May  7,  1 741,  Machiel,  Abraham  Van  Tuyl,  Metje  Vrielandt. 

Aug.  16,  1743,  femmetje,  Abraham  Vantuyt,  Mitje  freeland. 

Aug.  I,  1731,  Abraham,  Denys  van  Tuyl,  Neeltje  Croesen. 

Sept.  8,  1734,  Denys,  Denys  van  Tuyl,  Neeltje  Croesen. 

Mar.  4,  1739,  Neeltye,  Denys  van  Tuyl,  (obit),  Neeltje  Croesen. 

Sept.  22,  1709,  Catharyntie,  Isaac  Van  Tuyl. 

May  I,  1720,  Catharina,  Isaak  Van  Tuyl,  Sara  Lakerman. 

Apr.  6,  1724,  Geertruyd,  Isaak  van  Tuyl,  Sara  Lakerman. 

May  4,  1735,  Abraham,  Jan  van  Tuyl. 

Sept.  17,  1738,  Johannes,  Johannes  van  Tuyl,  Belitje  Byeank. 

Sept.  16,  1746,  Abraham,  otto  Van  Tuyl,  Tryntye  boskek. 

Nov.  II,  1722,  Femmetje,  Jan  Van  Voorhees,  Neeltje  Neesjes. 

Nov.  II,  1722,  Willemsje,  Jan  Van  Voorhees,  Neeltje  Neesjes. 

Nov.   II,  1722,  [The  two  last,  no  doubt  were  twins.] 

May  9,  1725,  Jacobus,  Jan  van  Voorhees,  Neeltje  Neesjes. 

Mar.  24,  1728,  Roelof,  Jan  van  Voorhees,  Neeltje  Neesjes. 

Apr.  16,  1732,  Neeltje,  Jan  van  Voorhees,  Neeltje  Neesjes. 

Oct.  23,  1737,  Maria,  Roelof  van  Voorhes, Coteleau. 

Dec.   12,  1745,  Aentje,  Cornelus  van  Wagenen,  Hellena  Bon. 

Sept.   17,  1746,  maragrita,  Cornelius  Vanwagenon,  helena  bon. 

July  24,  1752,  Catharina,  Cornelius  van  wagenen,  helena  Bon. 

Feb.  16,  1755,  Lena,  Cornelus  Vanwagenne,  Lena  Bon. 

June  24,   1752,  raarregrietye,  Hendrick  van  wagene,  Palli    Seymense. 

Nov.  7,  1753,  Annatje,  Hendrick  Van  Wagenne,  Maria  Simonse. 

Feb.   16,  i7t;s,  Johannes,  Hendrick  Van  Wagenne,  Maria  Simonse. 

Oct.   If,  1748,  Johsnnes,  Johannes  Van  wagene,  Elsye  Berge. 

Mar.  9,  1729,  Aaghje,  Daniel  van  Winkel,  Jannetje  Vreelant. 

July  27,  1729,  Adriaan,  Adriaan  van  Waggelum,  Celia  Preyer. 

Aug.  8,  1731,  Abraham,  Adriaan  van  Woggelum,  Celitje  Preyer. 

Sept.   18,  1726,  Jan,  Douwe  van  Woggelum,  Jannetje  Staats. 

Feb.  25,  1728,  Jan  Staats,  Douwe  van  Woggelum,  Jannetje  Staats. 

May  21,  1716,  Jan,  Arey  Van  Woglom. 

July  19,  1724.  Zuster,  Douwe  van  Woggelum,  Jannetje  Staats. 

June  28,  1730,  Cornelius,  Douwe  van  Woggelum,  Jannetje  Staats. 

June  27,  1736,  Catharina,  Douwe  van  Woglum,  Jannetje  Staats. 

Sept.   14,  1742,  Antje,  Douwen  Van  Woglom,  Jannetje  Staats. 

Apr.   17,  1711,  Nicolaes,  Jan  Vechten. 

Oct.  22,  1717,  Catharyna,  Johan  Vechten. 

Mar.   20,  1 7 16,  Gerret,  Jan  Veghte. 

Nov.  8,  1719,  Johannes,  Jan  Veghten,  Cornelia  Staats. 

Jan.  24,  1725,  Jannetje,  Jan  Veghte,  Cornelia  Staats. 

June  2f,  1727,  Henrik,  Jan  Veghte,  Cornelia  Staats. 

Apr.  7,  1734,  Jan,  Nicolaas  Veghte,  Neeltje  van  Tuyl. 

Nov.  7,  1753,  Jannetje,  Jan  Veldtman,  Jannetje  Jurks. 

July  28, Hendrick,  Vellman, Jurks. 

Sept.   18,  1744,  Maria,  Jan  Veltman,  Jannetje  Jurcks. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  393 

Apr.  22,  1746,  Jan,  Jan  Veldtman,  Jannetye  Jurks. 
Sept.   17,  1748,  Geertruyt,  Jan  Veltman,  Jannetye  Jurks. 
June  12,  1716,  petrus,  Steven  Vetyto. 

Aug.  5,  1739,  Michiel,  Michiel  Vreelant,  Janneke  van  Houten. 
Sept.   17,  1752,  Johannes,  Helmig  vreland,  neeltye  van  hoor. 
Nov.  3,  1754,  Wachgiel,  Helmis  vrelanf,  Neeltye  vanhoren. 
Oct.  8,  1738,  Jacobus,  Joseph  Walderon,  Aasje  Healaken. 
Apr.   22,  1707,  Lambert,  Lambert  Wels. 
June  26,  1720,  John,  John  Whithead,  Elisabet  Bakker.     > 
Mar.  6,  1725  6,  Maria,  Johannes  Wimmer,  Wyntje  Symons. 
Feb.   I,  1730,  Jesuias,  Jan  Winter,  Martha  Bug. 
Feb.   14,  1732,  Maria,  Jan  Winter,  Martha  Baile. 
May  31,  1719,  Frans,  obadias  Winter,  Susanna  du  Puy. 
May  8,  1737,  Thomas,  Thomas  Wilmot,  Elisabet  Mersereaux. 
^pr.  22,  1707,  Christyntien,  Johan  Woggelum. 
J^ly  26,  1 7 II,  Suster,  Johan  Woggelum. 
t)ec.  25,  1 7 19,  Johanna,  Aryvan  Woglum,  Celia  Preyer. 
Jan.  3,  1722,  Anna,  Aryvan  Woglum,  Celia  Preyer. 
Jan.  27,  1725,  Andries,  Aryvan  Woglum,  Celia  Preyer. 
Aug.  7,  1720,  Hendrikje,  Cornells  Woinat,  Tryntje  Bouwman. 
Sept.   19,  1725,  Jannetje,  Stephen  Wood,  Geertje  Winter. 
Dec.  24,  1727,  Steve  and  Obadia,  twins,  Stephen  Wood,  Geertje  Win- 
ter. 

July  13,  1731,  Richard,  Stephen  Wood,  Jomine  Mott. 

Apr.   20,  1703,  Cornelis,  Jacob  Wouters. 

Oct.  23,  1711,  Beniamin,  Jacob  Wouters. 

Apr.   rg,  1709,  Sara,  Lambert  Wouters. 

1729,  Henricus,  Henry  Wright,  Aaltje  Martlings. 

May  29,  T726,  Susanna,  Jacob  Wright,  Antje  Role. 

May  26,  1723,  Elisabet,  Cornelis  Wynant,  Maria  Cole. 

Dec.  25,  1725,  Maria,  Cornelis  Wynant,  Maria  Cole. 

Feb.  6,  1728,  Cornelius,  Cornelis  Wynant,  Mary  Coles. 

May  4,  1729,  Cathryntje,  Johannes  Wynants,  Lena  Bird. 

Mar.   19,  1732,  Pieter,  Johannes  Wynants,  Magdalena  Bird. 

Apr.  23,  1707,  Pieter,  Pieter  Wynants. 

Mar,  27,  1720,  Pieter,  Wynandt  Wynandts,  Ann  Cole. 

Mar.   14,  1725,  Abrahan,  Wynant  Wynants,  Ann  Cole. 

Oct.  9,  1726,  Jacob,  Wynant  Wynants,  Ann  Cole. 

Apr.  22,  1728,  Daniel,  Wynant  Wynants,  Ann  Cole. 

Feb.  28,  173 1,  Joseph,  Abraham  Yates,  Hester  Drinkwater. 

Sept.   17,  1758,  Mareya,  John  yennes,  Altye  merling. 

Jan.   13,   1734,  Christiana,  Johan    Philip    Zumsenbach,    Ule    Cathrine 
Pikkerling. 

Mar.  28,    1736,    Hanna,    Johan    Philep    Zumsenbach,    Ule    Catharine 
Pikkerling. 

July  19,  1726,  Abraham,  Abraham  Zuiphen,  Marytje  Borkelo. 

June  4,  1727,  Maria,  Abraham  Zutphen,  Marytje  Borkelo. 

Oct.   26,  1729,  Antje,  Abraham  Zutphen,  Marytje  Borkelo. 

Oct.   24,  1 731,  Jannetje,  Abraham  Zutphen,  Marytje  Borkelo. 

July  25,  1710,  Sara  Gennens 

July  25,  1710,  Mary  Gennens. 

Apr.  8,  1733,  Eva. 


394  HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNT'S. 

Sept.   14,  1741,  Maryya,  Tamlisck Kadlyne  van  peldt. 

Apr.  19,  1743,  hester, Ragel  Willrasen. 

June  18,  1745,  Jucres, Sara  Van  namen. 

May  2,  1754,  Isack, Merya  Sinnis 

May  2,  1754,  Jan. Sara  Dey. 

It  is  supposed  that  religious  services  after  the  forms  of  the 
church  of  England  were  occasionally  held  here  previous  to  1704, 
for  in  October  of  that  year  the  Rev.  William  Vesey,  of  Trinity 
church,  New  York,  in  reporting  the  state  of  religion  in  this 
county  to  the  "  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in 
Foreign  Parts,"  says  there  was  a  tax  of  forty  pounds  a  year 
laid  upon  the  people  and  they  desired  to  have  a  minister  sent 
to  them.  The  foundation  for  this  tax  lay  in  the  act  which  was 
passed  under  the  direction  of  Governor  Fletcher  in  1693,  which 
in  effect  established  the  church  of  England  in  the  counties  of 
New  York,  Westchester,  Queens  and  Richmond,  under  the 
patronage  of  the  government.  By  this  act  the  inhabitants  of 
each  county  named  were  to  choose  annually  ten  vestrymen  and 
two  church  wardens.  These  officers  were  empowered  to  make 
choice  of  the  minister  or  ministers  for  each  district,  and  for 
the  support  of  these  ministers  a  certain  sum  was  directed  to  be 
assessed  on  the  inhabitants  of  all  denominations  in  each 
county.  The  act  indeed  did  not  especially  enjoin  that  the  min- 
isters so  chosen  should  be  of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  by  an 
explanatory  act,  passed  several  years  afterward,  it  was  even  de- 
clared that  dissenting  ministers  might  be  chosen.  By  lodging 
the  right  of  choice,  however,  with  the  vestrymen  and  church 
wardens  alone,  it  was  well  known  that  Episcopal  ministers 
would  of  course  be  always  elected. 

Though  this  law  remained  upon  the  statute  book  during  the 
colonial  period  it  became  to  a  degree  inoperative,  through  the 
munificent  bequest  of  Judge  Duxbury  made  some  years  later. 

In  1706  Rev.  John  Talbot  was  sent  here  as  a  missionary,  but 
a  church  in  New  Jersey  shared  his  ministrations.  Soon  after 
he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Eneas  McKenzie.  Catechists  or 
schoolmasters  were  employed  under  the  direction  of  the  so- 
ciety as  early  as  1712.  Before  this  time  even,  the  matter  of 
erecting  a  church  building  was  talked  of.  They  were  then 
using  the  French  church  for  their  worship.  On  the  6th  of 
August,  1711,  William  Tillyer  and  Mary,  his  wife,  gave  to  the 
society  a  building  site  for  a  church  and  burial  ground  at  the 


HISTOKY  OF  EICH3I0ND  COUNTY.  395 

head  of  Fresh  kill,  on  Karle's  neck.  In  1713  a  donation  of 
one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land  was  made  to  this  church 
by  the  generosity  of  Adolphus  Philips,  counsellor;  Lancaster 
Symes,  a  captain  in  Fort  Lewis;  Ebenezer  Wilson  and  Peter 
Faulconer,  merchants,  all  of  New  York.  This  was  sold  by  the 
trustees,  and  another  piece  of  ground,  more  conveniently  lo- 
cated, was  purchased  for  a  glebe.  During  the  year  1713  a  church 
was  erected  on  the  ground  which  two  years  before  had  been 
given  for  the  purpose.  This  was  a  plain  stone  structure,  and 
as  far  as  anything  is  known  stood  on  substantially  the  same 
site  now  occupied  by  St.  Andrew's  church  at  Richmond.  In 
the  year  last  mentioned  Mr.  McKenzie  writes  to  the  society 
that  during  the  first  seven  years  of  his  ministry  here  he  had 
preached  "upon  sufferance  in  a  French  Church,"  but  the  church 
people  had  now  "got  a  pretty  handsome  church  of  their  own 
to  preach  in,"  and  a  house  was  aboutbeingbuilt  on  the  recently 
purchased  glebe. 

The  church  was  now  established  under  the  royal  charter  of 
Queen  Anne,  who  also  presented  the  church  with  prayer  books, 
a  pulpit  cover,  a  silver  communion  service  and  a  bell.  The 
names  of  prominent  freeholders  on  the  island,  attached  to  this 
charch,  appear  in  the  charter,  as  follows:  Ellis  Duxbury, 
Thomas  Harmer,  Augustin  Graham,  Joseph  Arrowsmith, 
Lambert  Grerritson,  Nathaniel  Brittain,  William  Tillyer,  Rich- 
ard Merrill,  John  Morgan  and  Alexander  Stewart. 

In  1718  Ellis  Duxbury  bequeathed  to  this  church  an  extensive 
tract  of  land.  His  will  bears  date  May  5,  1718,  and  it  was  ad- 
mitted to  probate  October  22  following.  The  property  was  a 
plantation  of  two  hundred  acres,  situated  on  the  northeast  ex- 
tremity of  the  island;  and  consequently  the  point  of  land  at  New 
Brighton  was,  until  a  recent  date,  generally  known  as  "  Dux- 
bury's  Point,"  and  sometimes  "TheGflebe."  It  was  bequeathed 
to  the  minister,  church  wardens  and  vestry  of  St.  Andrew's 
church,  for  the  only  use  and  maintenance  of  the  minister  and 
incumbent.  The  property  still  owned  by  the  church  at  Tomp- 
kinsville  and  its  vicinity  is  a  part  of  this  bequest.  Being  a  de- 
vise to  a  religious  incorporation,  it  was  void  by  law,  but  as  the 
title  of  the  church  was  never  disputed,  and  as  the  state  by  sev- 
eral acts  incidentally  recognized  its  validity,  to  say  nothing  of  a 
possession  of  more  than  a  century  and  a  half,  the  title  has  long 
ago  become  unimpeachable.     By  the  same  will  the  church  re- 


396  HISTORY  OF  EIOHMOND  COUNTY. 

ceived  £  for  building  additions  to  the  church,  in  addition 

to  the  above  bequest. 

The  salary  of  Rev.  Mr.  McKenzie,  in  1717,  appears  to  have 
been  raised  to  £50  a  year.  At  what  time  he  closed  his  labors 
here  we  are  not  informed,  but  in  1733  Mr.  Harrison  appears  as 
the  missionary  on  Staten  Island.  Two  years  later  the  numerical 
strength  of  the  church  was  about  fifty  communicants.  Mr.  Har- 
rison at  this  time  writes  that  he  has  baptized  nearly  seventy 
children  since  he  came  here,  also  "that  he  hath  baptized  one 
BtdianWomiM,  two  adult  Negroes,  and  three  Negroe Children ; 
that  he  preaches  on  Sundays  once;  catechises  and  expounds 
after  the  second  Lesson,  and  teaches  the  Negroes  after  Service 
is  ended,  and  the  Congregation  gone  home  ;  for  many  of  them 
live  far  from  Church,  and  will  not  come  twice,  nor  stay  long." 
The  labors  of  Mr.  Harrison  ended  with  his  death,  which  took 
place  October  4,  1739.  The  vestry  then  elected  a  Mr.  Arnold,  a 
missionary  who  had  been  traveling  in  New  England,  to  be  mis- 
sionary on  Staten  Island.  In  1743  Mr.  Arnold  writes  "  that  his 
church  is  Church  is  increased  twofold  and  he  hath  lately  bap- 
tized ten  Negroes,  and  is  still  preparing  several  more  for  that 
Sacrament."  He  resigned  in  1745,  and  Rev.  Richard  Caner  was 
appointed  to  the  mission. 

In  1747  the  Rev.  Richard  Charlton  became  rector  ;  his  eldest 
daughter  was  connected  by  marriage  wi  th  the  Dongan  family,  be- 
ing the  wife  of  Thomas  Dongan,  and  mother  of  John  C.  Dongan; 
and  another  daughter  was  the  wife  of  Dr.  Richard  Bailey,  who 
was  health  officer  of  the  port  of  New  York,  and  died  in  1801  ; 
his  remains  are  interred  in  the  grave  yard  of  the  church.  Dr. 
Charlton's  ministry  continued  thirty-two  years;  he  died  in  1779, 
and  was  buried  under  the  communion  table  in  St.  Andrew's 
church. 

After  the  decease  of  Mr.  Charlton  the  pulpit  was  supplied  for 
a  brief  term  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Barker.  On  the  first  day  of  May, 
1780,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Field  became  the  rector  ;  he  had  been  a  chap- 
lain in  the  British  army,  statio,ned  in  the  fortifications  in  the  vi 
cinity  of  the  church.  His  first  baptism  is  recorded  as  having 
been  performed  two  weeks  after  that  day.  Mr.  Field  died  in 
1782,  and  was  buried  by  the  soldiers  of  the  Seventy-seventh 
regiment  of  British  troops,  the  place  of  his  sepulchre  being  be- 
neath the  church.  \ 
During  the  whole  revolutionary  war,  the  island  being  in  pos- 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  397 

session  of  the  British,  divine  service  was  generally  suspended  in 
all  the  churches  except  this.  The  same  is  true  of  all  other  parts 
of  the  country  where  the  British  were  in  possession.  Where  the 
whigs  had  power  none  were  closed  except  such  Episcopal 
churches,  the  rectors  of  which  refused  to  omit  the  prayers  for 
the  king. 

In  1783  the  Kev.  John  H.  Rowland  became  rector.  He  was  a 
native  of  Wales,  and  had  been  previously  settled  in  a  parish 
in  Virginia.  In  1788  he  removed  to  Nova  Scotia,  and  died  in 
1795. 

In  October,  1788,  the  Rev.  Richard  Channing  Moore  became 
rector.  He  was  born  in  the  city  of  New  York,  August  21st, 
1762  ;  he  studied  medicine  and  practised  physic  for  a  few  years, 
when  he  became  a  student  of  Bishop  Provost.  His  first  minis- 
try, after  receiving  orders,  for  a  very  brief  period,  was  at  Rye, 
in  Westchester  county,  and  at  the  date  above  mentioned  he  came 
to  Staten  Island,  where  he  remained  until  1808,  when  he  accepted 
a  call  to  St.  Stephen's  church.  New  York.  In  1814  he  was  elected 
Bishop  of  Virginia  and  rector  of  the  Monumental  church  in  the 
city  of  Richmond,  and  was  consecrated  May  18,  1814.  During 
his  incumbency,  in  1802,  a  chapel  was  built  on  the  north  side, 
and  called  "Trinity  Chapel,"  which  has  since  become  the 
Church  of  the  Ascension.  He  died  November  11, 1841.  From 
1793  to  1801  he  oflBciated  also  at  Amboy  at  stated  times. 

In  May,  1808,  Dr.  Moore  was  succeeded  by  his  eldest  son,  the 
Rev.  David  Moore,  who  continued  rector  for  the  period  of  forty- 
eight  years.  Rev.  David  Moore,  D.D.,  was  born  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  June  3d,  1787 ;  he  studied  theology  with  his  father, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  diaconate  in  1808,  when  he  immediately 
took  charge  of  his  parish.  In  the  northeast  corner  of  the  burial 
ground  of  St.  Andrew's  church  stands  a  beautiful  marble  monu- 
ment, with  the  following  inscription  on  one  side  : 

Rev.  David  Moore,  D.D., 

Rector  of 

St.  Andrew's  Church, 

Including  Trinity  Chapel, 

Staten  Island. 

Born  June  3d,  1787, 

Died  Sept.  30th,  1856, 

Aged  69  Years. 


398 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 


On  a  mural  tablet  within  the  church  is  the  following: 
"Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Rev.  David  Moore,  D.  D.;  or- 
dained Deacon  in  Trinity  Church,  May  8,  1808.  Received 
priests'  orders  in  old  St.  Andrew's,  June,  1811.  After  a  min- 
istry of  48  years  in  this  parish,  entered  into  rest  on  Tuesday 
evening,  September  30,  1856.  In  his  life  and  character  he 
was  an  exemplary  pattern  to  his  flock,  possessing  in  an  emi- 
nent degree  those  qualifications  which  endeared  him  to  the 
hearts  of  an  attached  people,  and  raised  in  their  affections  a 
monument  which  will  endure  when  the  church  militant  on 
earth  shall  receive  the  full  fruition  of  the  church  triamphant  in- 
Heaven." 


u-^- 


ST.   ANDREW'S  CHURCH,   RICHMOND. 

Dr.  Moore  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Theodore  Irving, 
LL.  D.,  February  5,  1857,  who  resigned  in  November,  1864. 

In  June,  1865,  Rev.  C.  W.  Bolton  became  rector,  but  resigned 
in  the  following  January,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Kings- 
ton Goddard,  D.D.,  of  Philadelphia.  Dr.  Goddard  died  Octo- 
ber 24th,  1875,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Yocum,  who 
was  installed  June  15th,  1876. 

It  is  a  circumstance  worthy  of  note  in  connection  with  the 
revolutionary  history  of  this  church  that  although  services  in 
it  were  continued  throughout  the  war  while  other  churches 
were  either  closed  or  burned,  the  baptisms  did  not  average  more 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  399 

than  tliree  in  a  year,  and  some  of   these  were  children  whose 
parents  belonged  to  the  army. 

The  Episcopal  churches  on  the  island  have  at  different  times 
been  the  recipients  of  donations  and  loans  from  Trinity  church, 
New  York.  Among  these  may  be  noticed  a  grant  of  $1,000  to 
the  church  on  the  North  Side  in  1800;  one  of  $1,000  to  St. 
Andrew's  in  1802;  and  one  of  $1,500  to  St.  Luke's  in  1846. 

In  1802,  Trinity  chapel,  in  connection  with  St.  Andrew's 
church  at  Kichmond,  was  built  upon  a  lot  of  land  on  the  north 
shore,  conveyed  for  the  purpose  by  John  Mc Vicar,  Esq.  Rev. 
Richmond.  Channing  Moore,  rector  of  the  church  at  Richmond, 
officiated  in  it  until  he  left  the  parish.  After  his  departure,  his 
son.  Rev.  David  Moore,  succeeded  to  the  rectorship,  and 
preached,  usually  every  Sunday  afternoon,  until  a  short  time 
before  his  decease,  being  assisted  in  his  duties  in  both  places 
by  several  other  clergymen  employed  for  the  purpose.  After 
his  death,  the  services  in  the  chapel  were  conducted  by  several 
clergymen  temporarily  engaged  until  May,  1869,  when  another 
parish  was  organized,  and  Trinity  chapel  became  the  Church  of 
the  Ascension.  The  first  rector  after  the  organization  was  Rev. 
Theodore  Irving,  LL.  D.,  of  Newburgh.  The  congregation  in- 
creased so  rapidly  that  the  old  frame  building  was  found  to  be 
insufficient,  and  the  erection  of  a  new  church  was  determined 
upon.  The  corner  stone  of  the  new  edifice  was  laid  with  ap- 
propriate ceremonies  on  the  30th  day  of  August,  1870,  and  was 
first  opened  for  divine  service  on  Ascension  Day,  May  16,  1871. 
Dr.  Irving  continued  in  the  church  until  February,  1872,  when 
he  resigned.  In  July,  1872,  the  present  rector.  Rev.  James  S. 
Bush,  of  San  Francisco,  was  settled. 

The  officers  of  the  church  at  the  time  of  the  erection  of  the 
chapel,  were  Rev.  Richard  Channing  Moore,  rector;  James 
Guyon  and  Peter  Mersereau,  wardens,  and  Peter  Laforge, 
John  Latourette,  John  Van  Dyke,  Nicholas  Journeay,  Paul 
Micheau,  Joshua  Wright,  Paul  J.  Micheau,  and  George  W. 
Barnes,  vestrymen.  The  material  of  which  the  church  is  built 
is  Staten  Island  granite;  it  is  cruciform,  and  has  several 
beautiful  memorial  windows;  it  has  a  turret  on  the  northeast 
corner,  and  a  tower  and  spire  one  hundred  and  fifteen  feet  high 
on  the  northwest  corner. 

St.  John's  parish  was  an  offshoot  from  St.  Andrew's.  It 
was  organized  in  May,  1843,  when  that  part  of  the  island  was 


400 


HISTOEy  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTr. 


peopled  by  the  families  of  metropolitan  wealth,  enterprise  and 
social  distinction.  The  first  house  of  worship  was  a  modest 
frame  building  standing  on  the  west  side  of  the  avenue,  nearly- 
opposite  the  present  church  and  in  the  midst  of  a  natural  growth 
of  young'  forest  trees.  The  corner  stone  of  this  church  was 
laid  July  14,  1843.  William  H.  Aspinwall,  Levi  Cook  and  W. 
B.  Townsend  were  the  building  committee.  The  first  wardens 
were  Charles  M.  Simonson  and  William  H.  Aspinwall;  and  the 
vestrymen  were  Levi  Cook,  James  R.  Boardman,  M.  D.,  W.  B. 
Townsend,  W.  D.  Cuthbertson,  Lewis  Lyman,  D.  B.  Allen,  W. 
A.  Fountain  and  W.  H.  White.  The  cornerstone  of  the  present 


ST.   JOHN'S  CHURCH  AND  RECTOKY. 

church  was  laid  November  10,  1869.  This  is  a  handsome  stone 
building,  of  ample  dimensions  and  graceful  proportions  and,  is 
in  keeping  with  the  culture  and  resources  of  the  congregation. 
The  material  of  which  it  is  built  is  mostly  a  rose  colored  granite, 
from  Lyme,  Conn.,  with  string  pieces  and  ornamentations  of 
Belleville  stone.  The  architecture  is  of  the  Gothic  style  of 
the  XIV th  century.  The  windows  are  of  stained  glass,  with 
designs  highly  executed  from  Italian  religious  art.  The  great 
south  transept  window  is  a  memorial  of  the  beloved  physi- 
cian.  Dr.    Anderson,  vrho  was  long  a  celebrity  at  quarantine 


UISTOKY  OF  lUCHMOND  COUNTY.  401 

and  in  St.  John's.  The  north  side  window  in  the  chancel  is 
a  figure  of  surpassing  loveliness,  a  memorial  of  the  daughter 
of  John  Appleton,  one  of  the  most  munificent  and  devoted 
friends  of  the  parish,  who  is  himself  memorialized  in  an  elab- 
orate mural  tablet  of  polished  brass,  just  within  the  chancel 
arch.  The  stained  glass  window  architecture  is  said  to  be  the 
finest  specimen  of  rural  church  architecture  in  the  diocese.  The 
church  was  consecrated  by  Bishop  Horatio  Potter,  September 
30,  1871. 

The  first  rector  of  this  parish  was  Kingston  Groddard,  from 
June,  1844,  to  June,  1847.  Later  rectors  have  successively  been: 
Alexander  G.  Mercer,  June,  1847,  to  September,  1852;  R.  M. 
Abercrombie,  January,  1853,  to  February,  1856;  John  C.  Eccles- 
ton,  April,  1856,  to  January,  1863;  Thomas  K.  Conrad,  March, 
1863,  to  October,  1866;  and  John  C.  Eccleston,  D.D.,  again  from 
1867  to  the  present  time. 

In  1862  a  commodious  rectory  was  built  adjoining  the  church. 
A  parish  building,  known  as  the  Mercer  Memorial  chapel,  was 
erected  on  the  same  plot  of  ground  in  1865.  Within  the  last 
sixteen  years  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  have  been 
spent  in  parish  improvements. 

John  C.  Eccleston,  M.D.,  D.D.— Probably  no  man  on  Staten 
Island  has  attracted  by  his  talents  a  greater  amount  of  atten- 
tion, or  possesses  a  reputation  more  to  be  envied  than  does  the 
Rev.  John  C.  Eccleston,  M.D.,  D.D.,  rector  of  St.  John's 
church,  Clifton.  The  doctor  has  enjoyed  a  pastorate  of  more 
than  twenty-six  years  in  his  present  pulpit  and  during  that 
time  his  energy  and  eloquence  have  done  much  to  stamp  his  in- 
dividuality upon  the  community  in  which  he  lives. 

Doctor  Eccleston  was  born  in  Kent  county,  Md.,  May  6,  1828. 
He  is  a  descendant  of  the  Ecclestons  who  came  from  the  village  of 
Ecclestown  in  England,  with  the  first  Maryland  colonists,  tak- 
ing an  active  part  in  the  revolutionary  struggles,  by  means  of 
which  they  forfeited  large  landed  estates  in  Great  Britain.  His 
father  was  judge  of  the  supreme  court  of  Maryland,  and  his 
uncle,  Samuel  Eccleston,  archbishop  of  Baltimore  and  Metro- 
politan of  the  Roman  Catholic  church  in  the  United  States. 

The  doctor  graduated  from  the  Roman  Catholic  college  of  St. 
Sulpice  in  Baltimore,  July  20,  1847,  and  on  March  31,  1850,  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  M.  D.  from  the  University  of  Maryland. 
For  a  year  he  followed  the  medical  profession  in  the  city  of 
26 


402  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Baltimore,  after  which  he  entered  the  General  Theological  Sem- 
inary in  New  York  city.  From  there  he  graduated  June  27, 
1854.  On  August  22d  of  the  same  year,  he  was  ordained  to  the 
diaconate  by  Bishop  Alonzo  Potter,  and  on  April  11,  1855,  he 
assumed  priestly  orders. 

He  received  his  first  call  to  St.  John's  church,  February  27, 
1856,  assumed  the  rectorship  of  Trinity  church,  Newark,  N.  J., 
January  1,  1863,  became  rector  of  St.  James  church,  Great  Bar- 
rington,  Mass.,  May  1,  1866,  and  returned  to  St.  John's,  at 
Clifton,  November  1,  1867.  The  new  stone  church  consecrated 
September  30,  1871,  was  erected  largely  through  his  energy  and 
enterijrise.  The  doctqr  has  been  twice  married  and  has  four 
children  still  living.  His  brother,  Doctor  J.  H.  Eccleston,  is 
the  distinguished  rector  of  Emmanuel  church,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Doctor  Eccleston' s  preaching  is  forcible  and  eloquent.  Large 
numbers  of  people  from  all  denominations  and  from  all  parts  of 
the  island  are  regularly  attracted  to  his  church  by  the  power 
of  his  reasoning  and  by  the  magnetism  of  his  manner.  He  has 
no  sympathy  with  wrong  doing,  never  shrouds  his  true  meaning 
in  mystical  language  and  is  as  independent  in  his  private  and 
political  life  as  he  is  in  the  pulpit.  His  secular  lectures  which 
have  been  many,  are  characterized  by  a  strength  and  vivacity 
equalled  only  by  their  instructive  and  useful  qualities,  and  his 
thirty-one  years  of  public  speaking  have  won  him  a  distin- 
guished place  among  the  orators  of  his  day.  On  Staten  Island 
he  is  universally  known  and  his  name  is  connected  with  every 
really  aggressive  movement.  Free  in  lending  his  influence  to 
the  advancement  of  everything  that  is  noble,  free  and  good,  the 
doctor  has  made  for  himself  many  lasting  and  powerful  friends, 
and  the  memory  of  his  good  works  will  long  survive  to  testify 
of  him.  We  take  pleasure  in  presenting  the  citizens  of  Rich- 
mond county  with  this  short  sketch  of  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  respected  of  its  living  clergymen. 


The  organization  of  St.  Paul's  church  was  effected  at  a  meet- 
ing held  at  the  Planters  hotel,  Tompkinsville,  March  11,  1883. 
Previous  to  that  time  members  of  the  Episcopal  denomination 
attended  religious  services  at  St.  Andrew's  ;  and  for  a  time  ser- 
vices were  held  in  private  houses  here,  by  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Haskell.  The  first  officers  elected  were  Henry  Drisler  and 
Richard  S.  Gary,  wardens ;  and  Daniel  Van  Duzer,  Sr.,  Caleb 


JOHN    C.   ECCLESTON 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOXD  COUNTY.  403 

T.  Ward,  Richard  Harcourt,  Charles  Simonson,  George  Brown, 
Daniel  Simonson,  Richard  Sharrott  and  Henry  B.  Metcalfe, 
vestrymen.  The  Rev.  F.  H.  Cuming  was  called  to  the  rector- 
ship at  a  salary  of  $300  a  year  and  ferry  tickets  for  himself  and 
family  to  pass  freely  between  the  island  and  New  York,  where 
he  resided.  He  commenced  his  services  here  in  July,  1833. 
The  number  of  communicants  became  during  that  year,  seven- 
teen, and  measures  were  set  on  foot  to  build  a  church.  Success 
attended  those  efforts,  and  the  corner  stone  of  an  edifice  was 
laid  on  the  3d  of  July,  1834,  Bishop  Onderdonk  officiat- 
ing. Rev.  Mr.  Cuming  resigned  on  the  3d  of  May, 
the  same  year,  and  Rev.  William  Curtis  was  called  in 
his  stead.  He  entered  upon  his  duties  August  1st,  fol- 
lowing, and  his  labors  were  cut  short  by  his  death  on  the 
21st  of  the  same  month.  He  was  buried  by  the  parish  in  St. 
Andrew's  churchyard.  The  first  church  was  built  upon  ground 
given  by  Caleb  T.  Ward,  on  what  was  then  Richmond  avenue, 
now  known  as  St.  Paul's  avenue.  The  church  was  consecrated 
June  22,  1835,  and  was  used  for  religious  services  until  1870. 
Its  cost  was  $5,831.34.  The  financial  condition  of  the  church 
was  for  many  years  considerably  dejjressed,  and  finally  the 
building  was  sold  under  a  foreclosure  in  1861.  It  was  pur- 
chased by  Mr.  Ward,  and  by  him  resold  to  the  church  on  easy 
terms  of  payment,  Still  later,  this  generous  benefactor  of  the 
church,  Judge  Albert  Ward,  proposed  to  erect  at  his  own  ex- 
pense a  handsome  stone  church  and  donate  it  to  the  parish,  on 
certain  conditions,  which  were  accepted,  and  the  corner  stone 
of  the  new  church  was  laid  September  29,  1866.  The  condi- 
tions referred  to  were  that  the  parish  should  build  a  rectory 
and  furnish  the  new  church.  This  building  of  the  new  church 
was  completed  in  1870,  and  the  first  service  held  in  it  on  Easter 
day,  April  17th.  The  church  was  formally  consecrated  May 
31st,  following,  the  corporate  name  having  been  changed  to  "  St. 
Paul's  Memorial  Church,  Edgewater."  The  "memorial"  was 
with  respect  to  Miss  Mary  Mann  Ward,  a  sister  of  the  donor. 
The  building  is  one  of  very  substantial  architecture  and  con- 
struction, and  is  said  to  have  cost  about  $50,000. 

The  rectors  acting  in  this  church  have  been :  William  H. 
Walter,  1836  to  December  3,  1838,  except  during  a  leave  of  ab- 
sence from  November,  1837,  to  the  time  of  his  resignation,  his 
place  meanwhile  being  temporarily  filled  by  Grordon  Wiuslow 


404  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

and  R.  C.  Shiraeall ;  William  Walton,  December  27,  1839,  to 
October  1,  1843  ;  Gordon  Winslow,  May  1,  1844  to  April,  1852  ; 
Charles  A.  Maison,  July,  1852,  to  April,  1857  ;  E.  H.  Cressy, 
October,  1859,  to  November,  1861;  T.  W.  Punnett,  November, 
1861,  to  February,  1875  ;  Charles  B.  Coffin,  April,  1875,  to  his 
death,  July  10,  1875;  Albert  U.  Stanley,  November,  1875,  to 
May  1,  1882  ;  and  Henry  N.  Wayne,  July  1,  1882,  the  present 
rector. 

Of  St.  Luke's  Church,  Rossville,  we  have  been  able  to  pro- 
cure only  a  meagre  account.  The  parish  register  appears  to  have 
been  imperfectly  kept.  The  church  edifice  vs^as  erected  in  184S, 
and  its  first  rector  was  Rev.  C.  D.  Jackson  ;  he  officiated  some 
six  or  seven  years,  when  he  died  in  Westchester  county.  He 
was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  William  H.  Rees,  who  officiated 
about  five  years,  when  he  died  at  Newark,  N.  J.  The  next  red- 
tor  of  whom  we  find  any  account  was  the  Rev.  Jesse  Pound, 
who  died  in  the  parish  after  a  service  of  some  nine  or  ten  years. 
He  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Henry  H.  Bean,  who,  after  sev- 
eral years'  service,  also  died  in  the  parish.  There  have  been 
other  rectors,  but  there  is  no  record  of  them.  The  present  rec- 
tor is  the  Rev.  William  Wardlaw. 

The  Church  of  the  Holy  Comforter,  located  at  Eltingville,  was 
opened  fox  worship  October  8,  1865,  its  erection  being  largely 
due  to  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Albert  Journeay,  assisted  by  the  ladies 
of  the  neighborhood.  The  building  was  designed  by  Mr.  Up- 
john, the  architect  of  Trinity  church.  The  parish  was  organized 
October  24,  1865;  the  incorporators  were  Albert  Journeay, 
James  Guy  on,  Edward  Banker,  Jr.,  S.  K.  Raymond,  John  W. 
Mersereau,  Jr.,  and  Charles  E.  Robins.  The  church  edifice  was 
consecrated  May  29,  1868. 

The  rectors  have  been  as  follows  :  J.  W.  Payne,  from  Novem- 
ber 29,  1865,  to  August  9,  1866  ;  W.  W.  Holley,  from  October 
4,  1866,  to  October  24,  1867 ;  W.  Leacock,  from  February  26, 
1868,  to  September  23,  1868  ;  Newland  Maynard,  from  Septem' 
ber  27,  1869,  to  May  23,  1871;  and  Frederick  M.  Gray,  from 
August  1,  1873,  to 

Christ  Church,  New  Brighton,  was  organized  on  the  9th  of 
July,  1849,  its  nucleus  being  an  offshoot  from  St.  Paul's  at 
Tompkinsville.  The  nave  of  the  present  church  was  built  in 
1850,  the  transepts  being  completed  at  a  later  date.  The  first 
wardens  were  William  Pendleton  and  David  A.  Comstock;  and 


HISTOEY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  405 

the  first  vestrymen  were  George  Wotherspoon,  Samuel  T.  Jones, 
Travis  B.  Cutting,  Matthew  Morgan,  George  E.  Kanhardt,  Peter 
Stuyvesant,  Philip  P.  Kissam  and  Charles  D.  Ehodes.  A  hand- 
some Sunday  school  building  was  completed  in  1874.  The  church 
is  a  frame  building,  and  stands  in  the  midst  of  tastefully  ar- 
ranged and  well  kept  grounds  on  the  west  side  of  Franklin 
avenue  and  just  south  of  Second  street.  The  Sunday  school 
building  stands  in  the  rear,  on  the  same  grounds. 

The  first  rector  of  this  church  was  Pierre  P.  Irving,  who  be- 
gan with  the  early  existence  of  the  church,  and  continued  for  a 
term  of  twenty-five  years.  During  the  last  two  or  three  years 
he  was  assisted  in  his  duties  by  Hamilton  Lee.  The  present 
rector,  George  T>.  Johnson,  succeeded  him  in  1875,  and  has  min- 
istered to  the  church  since  that  time.  The  present  number  of 
communicants  is  about  three  hundred,  representing  about  two 
hundred  and  twenty  families.  The  present  officers  are  :  L.  Sat- 
terlee  and  H.  E.  Alexander,  wardens  ;  and  W.  P.  Raynor,  E. 
Wiman,  A.  Rich,  E.  B.  Crowell,  W.  H.  Motley,  N.  S.  Walker, 
C.  Whitman  and  R.  I.  Fearon,  vestrymen. 

The  establishment  of  the  Baptist  church  on  the  island  was  due 
to  the  efforts  of  missionary  work  on  the  part  of  ^N'ew  York  city 
pastors  and  licentiates.  The  first  meetings  of  which  we  have  any 
knowledge  were  held  by  Reverends  John  Gano  and  Elkanah 
Holmes  in  the  summer  of  1785.  They  were  open  air  meetings, 
and  were  held  at  different  places  on  the  eastern  shore  and  inter- 
ior of  the  island.  Evening  meetings  were  held  in  barns  and  pri- 
vate dwellings.  The  Methodists  were  in  the  meantime  pursuing 
a  similar  course,  occupying  neighboring  hills  and  orchards  with 
their  open  air  meetings,  and  sometimes  the  same  buildings  for 
their  evening  services.  An  important  revival  attended  these 
early  efforts.  A  church,  under  the  name  of  the  "  First  Baptist 
Church  of  Staten  Island,"  was  constituted  on  the  30th  of  De- 
cember, 1785.  This  was  composed  of  the  following  persons, 
who  had  been  baptized  during  the  autumn  preceding :  Belichy 
Fountain,  Anthony  Fountain,  Jr.,  Hannah  Fountain,  Nicholas 
Cox,  Margaret  Kruser,  Mary  Van  Name,  Mary  Lockerman, 
Susannah  Wandel,  Jacob  Van  Pelt,  John  Wandel,  Jr.,  Charles 
Van  Name  and  John  Lockerman. 

The  Rev.  Elkanah  Holmes  became  the  pastor  of  this  church, 
and  continued  as  such  about  ten  years.  Rev.  Daniel  Steers  was 
ordained  on  or  about  August  23,  1797,  and  at  once  became  pas- 


406  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

tor  of  this  church,  which  he  continued  to  serve  until  about  1808, 
when  he  resigned.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Nicholas  Cox, 
who  had  been  ordained  to  the  ministry,  but  died  shortly  after- 
ward, when  the  pulpit  was  supplied  by  different  ones  for  a  year 
or  more. 

Up  to  this  time  meetings  had  been  held  in  the  open  air,  pri- 
vate dwellings  and  school  houses.  In  the  early  part  of  1809  it 
was  resolved  to  build  a  meeting  house.  This  resolution  was 
carried  into  effect,  and  the  house  being  sufficiently  completed, 
was  opened  for  divine  worship  on  the  24th  of  the  following  Oc- 
tober. The  first  sermon  in  it  was  delivered  by  Rev.W.  Parkin- 
son, of  the  First  Baptist  church  in  New  York.  This  building 
was  about  twenty  by  thirty  feet  in  size,  and  it  stood  on  the  side 
of  the  hill  at  the  junction  of  the  old  Clove  road  and  the  Rich- 
mond road,  in  the  town  of  Southfield.  Though  the  building  has 
long  since  disappeared,  its  site  is  still  marked  by  the  graves 
which  were  made  near  it,  of  some  of  the  oldest  members  of  the 
denomination.  This  was  the  only  edifice  owned  by  this  denomi- 
nation in  the  county  up  to  the  year  1830.  It  was  known  as  the 
"  Old  Clove  Church,"  and  for  many  years,  even  after  the  date 
mentioned,  was  the  favored  center  to  which  members  of  the  sect 
came  to  worship  from  many  of  the  surrounding  villages. 

Rev.  James  Bruce  commenced  his  pastorate  here.  May  1,  1810, 
and  was  ordained  at  the  First  church  in  New  York,  on  the  21st 
of  June  following.     He  was  then  a  young  man,  and  soon  en- 
deared himself  to  the  church  by  his  efforts  as  a  faithful  and 
earnest  pastor.     His  career  was  cut  short  by  death  in  February, 
1811.     Rev.  Samuel  Carpenter  was  called  in  September  follow- 
ing, and  was  pastor  of  the  church  until  his  resignation  in  March, 
1813.     Different  ministers  supplied  the  pulpit  now  until   the 
pastorate  of  Elder  Robert  F.  Randolph,  of  Samptown,  N.  J., 
which  began  August  6, 1817.    He  resigned  in  the  spring  of  1819, 
and  in  May  of  that  year  was  succeeded  by  Thomas  B.  Steven- 
son, then  a  licentiate.     Baptisms  were  at  that  time  frequently 
performed  on  the  shore  near  John  Lockerman'  s  farm  at  Mari- 
ner's  Harbor,  as  well  as  on  the  shore  on  the  south  side  of   the 
island.     Mr.   Stevenson  was  ordained  on  the  25th  of  August, 
1819,  and  continued  to  labor  successfully  with  this  congrega- 
tion until  August,  1822,  when  he  resigned  to  become  a  mission- 
ary.    After  another  period  of  unsettled  supply  the  pulpit  was 
filled  by  Arma  R.  Martin,  a  licentiate  of  Bethel  Baptist  church 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  407 

of  New  York  for  several  months  from  October  5,  1823.  He  was 
finally  settled,  on  a  salary  of  three  hundred  dollars  a  year  and 
some  perquisites  in  the  line  of  provisions  for  family  use.  He 
was  ordained  June  9,  1824.  At  this  time  the  membership  of  the 
church  numbered  fifty  persons,  consisting  of  fifteen  males  and 
thirty-five  females. 

The  work  of  the  church  now  moved  steadily  forward.  Meet- 
ings were  held  in  the  neighborhood  of  Rossville,  then  known  as 
the  "West  Quarter."  A  parsonage,  standing  opposite  the 
church,  was  purchased  during  the  first  year  of  Mr.  Martin's 
pastorate,  and  the  final  payment  on  it  was  made  in  December, 
1827.  The  history  of  the  church  was  uneventful  during  a 
period  of  several  years,  except  that  the  Mariners'  Harbor  mem- 
bers grew  stronger  in  their  desire  for  a  church  building  nearer 
their  homes,  and  in  1830  succeeded  in  erecting  one  at  Granite- 
ville.  In  May,  1834,  the  membership  of  the  church  was 
seventy-six.  Mr.  Martin's  pastorate  closed  with  his  death, 
October  26,  1835. 

Rev.  Samuel  White  was  called  and  became  the  pastor  of  this 
church  June  1,  1836.  Under  his  ministrations  the  membership 
increased  until  in  1840  it  reached  one  hundred  and  thirty-four. 
In  1841  however,  it  was  reduced  to  ninety-three,  by  the  with- 
drawal of  the  church  at  Grraniteville.  The  old  church  now  fell 
into  a  decline,  and  for  several  years  was  barely  able  for  a  part 
of  the  time  to  maintain  regular  Sabbath  services.  Elder  White 
was  assisted  in  the  few  last  years  of  his  life  by  supplies  who 
preached  in  the  branch  church  and  part  of  the  time  in  the  Old 
Clove  church.  He  died  May  3,  1863,  after  a  pastorate  of  twenty- 
five  years,  during  which  time  he  had  baptized  two  hundred  and 
fifty-two  persons,  of  whom  several  became  licentiates  or  or- 
dained ministers.  In  much  of  his  revival  work  he  was  assisted 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Arthur,  father  of  Ex-President  Chester  A. 
Arthur.  Mr.  White's  remains  were  deposited  in  the  family 
vault  in  the  grounds  of  the  church  at  Graniteville,  on  the  Gun 
Factory  road. 

During  the  summer  of  1863,  Mr.  Patterson,  a  son-in-law  of 
Mr.  White,  became  pastor  of  the  church  and  continued  in  that 
capacity  until  May,  1865.  Following  that  date  the  church  had 
supplies  for  several  years,  and  during  that  time  its  life  seemed  to 
dissolve  into  that  of  the  branch  church  at  Graniteville.  In 
1868,  the  title  to  the  Old  Clove  church  became  vested  in  the 


408  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

heirs  of  Mr.  White  in  liquidation  of  a  claim  which  he  had  long 
held  against  the  church.  The  building  was  afterward  used  as  a 
school  house  for  several  years,  but  in  1877  it  was  taken  down, 
and  a  local  writer  of  its  history  very  appropriately  says : 
"Only  the  crumbling,  moss-covered  stones  which  mark  the 
resting  places  of  the  long-buried  baptist  dead  remain,  as  fitting 
symbols  to  mark  the  spot  where  died  the  fairest,  brightest, 
fondest  hopes  of  the  early  converts  and  the  mother  church. 
Should  not  the  denomination  at  least  secure  and  preserve  this 
site,  this  resting  place  of  the  baptist  dead?  " 

A  new  house  of  worship  was  built  by  the  old  church  on  a  site 
at  Grraniteville  about  half  a  mile  east  of  the  "]S"orth"  church. 
This  is  the  building  which  stands  on  the  "  Gun  Factory  road." 
It  was  opened  for  worship  in  April,  1842,  the  Rev.  Spencer  H. 
Cone  preaching  the  first  sermon.  This  branch  of  the  old 
"Clove"  seemed  to  prosper  for  a  time,  but  after  the  death  of 
Mr.  White  it  fell  into  decline.  From  1867  to  1870  it  was  seldom 
opened  for  worship.  Mr.  Waters  was  employed  a  few  months 
in  the  latter  year.  John  A.  Wilson  preached  during  the  latter 
part  of  1871,  to  May,  1872,  and  Henry  Willets  followed  a  short 
time.  In  September,  1872,  Duncan  Young  became  pastor  and 
continued  three  years.  Rev.  Jackson  Ga  'Nun  labored  eight 
months,  beginning  in  January,  1876.  John  B.  Palvert,  in 
December,  1877,  began  serving  as  a  supply,  after  the  house  had 
been  closed  over  a  year.  He  remained  till  July,  1879.  James  B. 
Drysden  and  George  Nock  held  services  in  the  church  for  short 
periods,  but  no  services  have  been  held  in  it  since  1880.  About 
1882  the  society  disbanded.  The  later  history  of  this  church 
seems  to  have  been  a  race  between  it  and  its  child  the  "North" 
church  which  afterward  became  the  "Park"  church,  in  which 
the  old  church,  though  for  a  time  running  well,  was  by  the 
logic  of  circumstances  obliged  at  last  to  give  up  the  prize  of 
existence. 

About  the  year  1810  meetings  were  held  by  the  Baptist  de- 
nomination in  the  vicinity  of  Howland's  hook.  These  early  meet- 
ings were  often  held  in  the  orchard  on  John  Lockerman's  farm, 
just  west  of  Summerfield  avenue,  and  in  other  available  locali- 
ties near  there.  A  number  of  members  of  the  Old  Clove  church 
lived  in  this  vicinity,  and  they  began  several  years  later  to  con- 
sider the  question  of  having  a  church  more  conveniently  located. 
Regular  services  were  begun  in  June,  1825,  on  Sabbath  after- 


HISTORY  or  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  409 

noons,  in  the  school  house  at  Mariners'  Harbor.  A  piece  of 
ground  for  a  building  site,  on  the  Eichmond  road  at  Granite- 
ville,  was  given  by  Jedediah  Winant  in  1829,  and  a  building 
thirty-one  by  forty-one  feet,  and  twenty  feet  high,  was  erected 
on  it.  This  was  completed  and  duly  opened  on  the22d  of  July, 
1830.  It  stood  upon  what  is  now  the  burial  ground  known 
as  "Hillside  Cemetery  "  on  the  Richmond  road  directly  oppo- 
site from  the  school  house  at  Graniteville.  The  pulpit  was  sup- 
plied on  Sabbath  afternoons  and  alternate  Sabbath  evenings  by 
the  pastor  of  the  Old  Clove  church.  The  hrst  Baptist  Sunday 
school  on  the  island  was  organized  in  this  church  on  the  third 
sabbath  of  August,  1832. 

This  branch  soon  began  to  break  away  from  the  mother 
church.  In  1836  it  had  a  communion  service  and  officers  by  it- 
self. The  question  of  separation  from  the  old  church  was  fre- 
quently under  discussion,  and  such  a  step  was  finally  resolved 
upon  at  a  meeting  February  3,  1841.  The  "North  Baptist 
Church"  was  accordingly  organized  with  fifty-three  members, 
March  1,  1841.  The  Rev.  J.  T.  Seely  became  its  pastor  on  the 
4th  of  May.  During  his  pastorate  a  remarkable  revival  oc- 
curred, knowji  as  the  "  revival  in  the  old  Rubber  Factory  "  at 
what  is  now  West  New  Brighton.  Fifty-one  baptisms  were  the 
result  of  this.  The  members  of  this  church  now  resolved  to 
build  a  house  of  worship  at  Port  Richmond.  This,  a  modest 
frame  building,  was  erected,  and  it  was  dedicated  February 
27,  1843.  Services  were  then  held  in  both  houses;  at  Granite- 
ville  in  the  morning  and  Port  Richmond  in  the  evening.  This 
arrangement  continued  until  February  15, 1857,  when  the  Gran- 
iteville  edifice  became  the  property  of  the  Mariners'  Harbor 
church,  organized  at  that  time. 

The  labors  of  Mr.  Seely  closed  August  1,  1845,  and  he  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  David  Morris,  whose  service  continued  till 
May  1,  1849.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  B.  C.  Townsend,  who 
served  the  church  from  May,  1850,  to  May,  1852.  Aaron  Jack- 
son,' the  fourth  pastor,  gaye  nine  months'  service.  John  Seage 
became  pastor  in  May,  1853,  and  resigned  in  May,  1856.  He 
was  followed  by  Z.  P.' Wild,  May  1,  1856,  to  May  15,  1858,  dur- 
ing which  time,  February  15,  1857,  forty-eight  members  were 
dismissed  to  constitute  the  Mariners'  Harbor  Baptist  church. 
The  energies  of  the  Port  Richmond  church  were  now  concen- 


410  HISTOEY  OP  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

trated  upon  its  own  locality,  though  it  was  weakened  by  the 
withdrawal  of  so  large  a  number. 

George  W.  Dodge  became  pastor  in  August,  1858,  and  re- 
signed in  June,  1859.  In  December,  ]860,  W.  A.  Barnes  became 
pastor,  but  was  dismissed  about  two  months  later.  The  out- 
look of  the  church  at  this  time  seemed  dark,  and  for  several 
years  its  existence  seemed  a  struggle  between  life  and  death, 
in  which  the  chances  trembled  in  the  balance.  Not  until  the 
summer  of  1864  did  the  church  enjoy  the  ministrations  of  a 
settled  pastor,  though  for  a  while  the  Rev.  W.  B.  Schrope 
served  them  as  a  supply.  Extreme  depression  followed,  in 
which  the  chiarch  was  on  the  point  of  deeding  its  property  to 
the  Mariners'  Harbor  church  and  disbanding  its  membership. 
But  the  members  aroused  themselves  to  make  one  more  effort 
for  existence,  and  the  Rev.  D.  B.  Patterson  was  invited  to 
the  vacant  pulpit,  July  24,  1864.  He  resigned  early  in  1866. 
At  this  time  the  membership  of  the  church  had  become  reduced 
to  thirty-one,  and  the  house  was  closed  for  several  months. 
Rev.  D.  W.  Sherwood  was  called  to  the  pastorate  in  December, 
1866,  and  resigned  in  1870,  having  been  instrumental  in  holding 
the  church  to  its  status  and  perhaps  giving  it  a  new  impulse  for- 
ward. S.  G.  Smith  was  pastor  from  October  1870  to  1877.  Dur- 
ing this  time  the  church  had  grown  stronger;  fifty-seven  persons 
had  been  baptized,  and  the  church  edifice  remodelled,  at  an  ex- 
pense of  $13,000.  The  name  was  changed  to  the  Park  Baptist 
Church,  of  Port  Richmond,  and  the  present  brick  church  was 
erected. 

Rev.  A.  S.  Gumbart  became  pastor  April  1, 1878,  was  ordained 
May  16th  following,  and  resigned  in  June,  1880,  having  received 
forty-nine  members  into  the  church.  Rev.  J.  J.  Muir  entered 
upon  his  duties  as  pastor  in  March,  1880.  He  was  succeeded  in 
1883  by  Rev.  J.  B.  L'Hommedieu,  the  present  pastor,  who  be- 
gan his  service  in  that  capacity  October  1, 1883.  Since  that  date 
sixty-eight  persons  have  been  added  to  the  church,  and  the 
outlook  is  encouraging.  Thomas  Davis,  Jr.,  has  for  several 
years  been  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school. 

February  15,  1857,  forty-eight  members  were  dismissed,  at 
their  own  request,  from  the  North  Baptist  church  to  organize 
the  church  at  Mariners'  Harbor.  This  church  was  constituted 
by  a  council  held  March  12,  1857,  and  a  full  organization  effected 
by  a  meeting  at  the  house  of  George  F,  Thompson  on  the  first 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  411 

of  April  following.  The  first  trustees  were  David  Van  Name, 
George  F.  Thompson,  William  Lissenden,  John  Thompson  and 
David  Van  Name,  Jr.  The  first  deacons  were  George  F.  Thomp- 
son, William  Lissenden  and  Jacob  Van  Felt.  The  corner  stone 
of  a  new  edifice  was  laid  September  9,  1857,  and  the  building 
having  been  completed  was  dedicated  May  5,  1858.  Meetings 
were  held  in  the  old  Graniteville  church  until  the  completion 
of  the  new  one.  The  cost  of  this  building  and  grounds  was 
about  $10,000.  The  Graniteville  church  had  been  granted  to 
this  society  by  a  resolution  of  the  North  church  made  January 
17,  1857.  In  1868  the  church  was  cleared  of  debt.  The  church 
has  enjoyed  a  wholesome  degree  of  prosperity,  and  the  present 
membership  numbers  about  two  hundred.  The  successive 
ministers  who  have  served  it  have  been  :  Z.  P.  Childs,  1857  to 
1858  ;  J.  N.  Tolman,  1858  to  1861  ;  G.  P.  Folwell,  1861  to  1862; 
J.  L.  Benedict,  1862  to  1864  ;  J.  J.  Brouner,  1864  to  1869  ;  W. 
B.  Harris,  1869  to  1872 ;  J.  W.  Taylor,  1872  to  1875  ;  C.  W. 
Hull,  1875  to  1877  ;  W.  R.  Moore,  November,  1877,  to  the  present 
time. 

As  early  as  1826  meetings  began  to  be  held  by  the  Baptists 
in  private  houses  in  different  parts  of  the  town  of  Westfield. 
At  different  times  within  a  few  years  such  meetings  were  held 
at  the  houses  of  Edward  Weir  in  Pleasant  Plains,  Mrs. 
Gillatta  Murray  in  Rossville,  Israel  Journeay  and  Mrs.  Cath- 
erine Ely,  and  in  school  houses.  These  meetings  were  conducted 
under  the  auspices  of  the  old  First  Baptist,  or  "Clove" 
church. 

The  corner  stone  of  a  branch  church  at  Kreischerville  was  laid 
March  31,  1847,  and  the  building  dedicated  on  the  16th  of  Sep- 
tember following.  It  was  a  frame  building,  thirty  by  forty-two 
feet.  This  remained  as  a  branch  or  chapel,  until  the  year  1848, 
when  the  "  West  Baptist  Church  of  Staten  Island"  was  organ- 
ized on  the  24th  of  May.  The  constituent  members  were  Israel 
Journeay,  Aaron  Van  Name,  Edward  Weir,  Catherine  Journeay, 
Gillatta  Murray,  Catherine  Ely,  Alice  A.  Ellis,  Phoebe  Andro- 
vette,  Malvina  Ellis,  Mahala  Arnett,  Sarah  Ann  Storer,  Ann 
Androvette,  Hannah  Martin  and  Mary  Benedict.  A  Sunday 
school  was  opened  the  first  Sunday  in  May,  1849,  with  Mrs. 
Catherine  Ely,  superintendent. 

The  first  pastor  of  this  church  was  William  Pike,  of  Haver- 
straw,  who,  after  preaching  for  a  while  on  probation,  entered 


412  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

the  pastorate  Jnne  1,  1848.  John  Burnett  became  pastor  JSTo- 
vember  1,  1854.  His  salary  was  $350  and  house  rent.  He  also 
preached  at  Tottenville  on  stated  evenings,  in  a  chapel  which 
had  been  built  by  Harmon  Kingsbury.  Mr.  Burnett  died 
March  1,  1858.  His  successor  was  Thomas  W.  Conway,  who 
was  called  July  1,  and  ordained  October  20th  of  the  same  year. 
He  remained  till  October  30,  1860.  December  30,  1859,  ten 
members  withdrew  to  form  the  "  South  Church"  at  Tottenville. 
This  left  the  church  with  a  membership  of  thirty. 

Eev.  Arthur  Day  became  pastor  of  both  churches  January  1, 
1861  ;  and  resigned  in  January,  1863.  Supplies  followed  until 
William  James  was  settled  over  both  churches  in  January, 
1865,  continuing  to  February,  1866.  William  B.  Harris  was 
pastor  from  February  26,  1867,  to  March  1,  1869.  David  Taylor 
was  pastor  one  year  from  June  1,  1869.  The  connection  be- 
tween this  and  the  South  church  in  ministerial  supply,  was 
dissolved  in  1870.  Since  then  this  church  has  had  no  separate 
pastor,  but  has  been  occasionally  supplied  by  renewal  for  short 
periods  of  the  association  with  the  South  church. 

From  1852  to  1858  Reverends  Pike  and  Burnett  of  the  West 
church,  assisted  by  the  Rev.  Geo.  F.  Hendrickson  of  Perth 
Amboy,  held  occasional  services  at  different  private  houses  in 
the  village  of  Tottenville,  and  also  in  a  free  chapel  which  had 
been  erected  by  Harmon  Kingsbury,  near  his  grove.  The  Tem- 
perance hall  was  secured  in  the  spring  of  1859,  and  services 
were  thereafter  held  in  it  on  Sabbath  mornings.  After  lengthy 
discussion  the  organization  of  a  church  here  was  effected  De- 
cember 11,  1859,  by  the  name  of  the  "South Church  of  Staten 
Island."  The  members  of  this  new  organization,  who  had  with- 
drawn from  the  West  church,  were  T.  W  Conway,  John  Tucker, 
S.  B.  Hazelton,  George  D.  Fisher,  William  Cooley,  Isabella 
Fisher,  Mary  Wrifle,  Sarah  A.  Ellis,  Maria  T.  Hazelton,  Isa- 
bella Ayer,  Melvina  Cole,  Ann  Storer  and  S.  D.  Reed. 

The  corner  stone  of  a  new  edifice  was  laid,  and  recognition 
services  held,  Monday,  February  8,  1860.  The  church  was  sup- 
plied with  ministerial  service  in  connection  with  the  West 
church  until  1870.  The  church  was  cleared  of  debt  in  August, 
1871,  which  happy  condition  was  brought  about  largely  by  the 
generous  assistance  of  Mr.  John  Turner,  who  himself  assumed 
one  half  the  burden,  and  in  addition  erected  at  his  own  expense 
a  lecture  room  in  rear  of  the  church. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  413 

The  pulpit  was  filled  by  temporary  supplies  from  October 
1871,  to  September,  1875,  when  the  South  and  West  churches 
were  again  united  in  pastoral  support  under  the  ministration  of 
Isaac  W.  Brinckerhoflf,  who  continued  to  serve  them  till  July 
1,  1881.  Calvin  A.  Hare  became  pastor  of  the  South  church 
April  10,  1882,  and  remained  until  1884,  when  T.  Burdette  Bott 
was  called.     The  membership  now  numbers  about  one  hundred. 

The  First  Baptist  church  of  New  Brighton  has  been  recently 
organized.  The  favorable  location  and  the  earnest  work  put 
forth  bid  fair  to  establish  a  large  Baptist  interest  here. 
Kev.  J.  B.  McQuillan  was  the  first  pastor.  The  church  was  or- 
ganized in  June,  1884,  with  thirteen  members.  In  November 
of  the  same  year  the  church,  having  secured  a  lease  of  the  Uni- 
tarian house  of  worship  on  Clinton  avenue,  extended  a  call  to 
the  Eev.  J.  B.  McQuillan,  then  of  Patterson,  N.  J.,  to  become 
their  pastor.  His  pastoral  term  began  on  the  first  Sabbath  in 
January,  1885.  A  baptistery  has  been  placed  in  the  church, 
and  several  candidates  have  been  immersed,  the  first  in  New 
Brighton  for  upwards  of  forty  years.  The  church  now  num- 
bers thirty -one  members.  It  was  duly  recognized,  according  to 
the  custom  of  the  denomination,  by  a  council  of  the  Southern 
New  York  Baptist  Association,  on  the  2d  of  February,  1886. 
Mr.  McQuillan  resigned  July  1,  1887,  and  the  church  is  at 
present  without  a  regular  pastor,      '  —  - 

The  introduction  of  Methodism  on  Staten  Island  is  due  to 
the  persevering  efforts  of  a  few  zealous  individuals  connected 
with  the  denomination  in  New  Jersey  and  elsewhere.  The  first 
Methodist  sermon  preached  on  the  island  was  in  November, 
1771,  by  Francis  Asbury,  in  the  house  of  one  Peter  Van  Pelt, 
only  twelve  days  after  his  arrival  in  America. 

It  is  to  the  unwearied  labors  of  Thomas  Morrell  and  Robert 
Cloud,  two  preachers  attached  to  the  Elizabethtown  circuit, 
that  this  church  is  chiefly  indebted  for  its  organization.  Of 
Morrell  it  is  said  that  he  had  been  a  soldier,  and  bore  upon  his 
person  scars  of  wounds  received  in  fighting  for  his  country. 
He  was  also  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  abilities  and  acquire- 
ments. Of  the  local  preachers,  William  Cole  was  most  prom- 
inent, and  during  the  intervals  between  the  visits  of  the  itin- 
erants, frequently  officiated  in  private  houses,  school  houses, 
barns  or  any  other  place  that  offered. 

On  the  fifth  day  of  May,  1787,  the  first  Methodist  society  on 


414  HISTORY  OE  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Staten  Island  was  organized,  and  the  following  persons  were 
elected  trustees  to  take  care  of  the  temporalities  of  the  church, 
viz.:  Abraham  Cole  (at  whose  house  the  meeting  was  held), 
Benjamin  Drake  and  John  Hillyer,  first  class,  to  serve  one  year; 
Gilbert  Totten,  John  Slaight  and  Joseph  Wood,  second  class, 
to  serve  two  years;  Joseph  Totten,  Elias  Price  and  Israel  Dis- 
cs way,  third  class,  to  serve  three  years. 

Measures  were  then  adopted  to  erect  a  house  of  worship,  and 
the  following  appeal  to  the  Christian  community  was  promul- 
gated: 

"  To  all  Charitable,  well-disposed  Christians  of  every  denom- 
ination of  Staten  Island.  Whereas  the  Inhabitants  on  the 
West  end  of  said  Island  are  destitute  of  any  Place  of  Public 
Worship,  so  that  numbers,  more  especially  of  the  poorer 
and  middling  ranks  of  People  who  have  not  Carriages,  &c., 
,  are  necessarily  precluded  from  attending  the  Worship  of  God 
in  a  Public  manner,  their  Children  also  lose  the  benefit  of  Pub- 
lic Instruction,  and  it  is  to  be  feared  the  Consequence  will  be 
to  the  rising  Generation  a  settled  Contempt  for  the  worship  of 
God  and  the  ordinances  of  the  House. 

"To  remedy  as  far  as  human  prudence  can  Extend  the  afore- 
said, and  many  other  Inconveniences  that  might  be  named,  the 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  on  said  Island 
have  chosen  trustees  agreeable  to  Law  in  order  to  Erect  a 
Church  for  the  Performance  of  Divine  Service,  andtis  Supposed 
by  the  Blessing  of  God  this  may  be  the  means  of  not  only 
benefitting  the  present  Generation,  but  that  Numbers  Yet  un- 
born may  have  reason  to  Praise  God  for  the  pious  Care  of  their 
forefathers.  But  as  this  will  be  Attended  with  a  heavy  Expence, 
to  which  the  members  of  said  Church  are  Inadequate,  they 
hereby  Respectful  solicit  the  Donation  of  all  such  who  are  will- 
ing to  promote  so  Laudable  an  Undertaking,  we  therefore  the 
subscribers  do  hereby  promise  to  pay  or  cause  to  be  paid  to  the 
said  Trustees  or  any  Person  Impowered  by  them  to  receive  it, 
the  sums  affixed  to  our  Several  names,  as  Witness  our  Hands 
this  Seventh  day  of  June,  In  the  Year  of  our  Lord  one  Thou- 
sand Seven  Hundred  and  Eighty-seven." 

Then  follow  the  names  of  eighty-seven  contributors,  whose 
united  subscriptions  amount  to  nearly  three  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars.  The  largest  contributors  are  Gilbert  Totten,  £8;  Israel 
Disosway,  £15;  Benjamin  Drake,  £8;  Mark  Disosway,  £5;  Peter 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 


415 


Woglom,  £6;  Joshua  Wright,  £5;  Jacob  Eeckhow,  £5;  John 
Androvat,  £5;  Peter  Winant,  sr.,  £4.15;  John  Slaght,  £4.15. 
Among  the  subscribers  we  find  the  names  of  individuals  at- 
tached to  other  churches,  such  as  Bedells,  Swains,  Taylors,  Lar- 
zeleres,  Micheaus,  La  Tourettes,  Mersereaus,  Pralls,  Con- 
ner, etc. 

It  is  said  of  Israel  Disosway,  that  in  addition  to  his  subscrip- 
tion, which  is  the  largest  on  the  list,  he  gave  the  timber  for 
erecting  the  new  church,  out  of  his  own  woods. 


r'lG. 


-^,fi^',     ^ 


^^^p'  -  - 


WOODROW  M.   E.    CHURCH. 


With  the  small  sum  realized  by  the  subscriptions  just  men- 
tioned, the  first  Methodist  church  on  Staten  Island  was  built  on 
the  site  now  occupied  by  the  Woodrow  church  in  Westfield. 
This  building  is  described  as  a  low,  roughly  built  house,  with 
gable  to.  the  road,-  and  having  small  windows  and  a  plain  batten 
door,  the  fastening  of  which  was  operated  by  the  old  fashioned 
latch-string.  The  interior  showed  a  unique  altar,  high  backed, 
uncushioned  seats,  and  bare  rafters   overhead.     Its  site  was 


416  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

amid  the  natural  grandeur  of  the  luxuriant  forest,  broken  by 
scattered  clearings  and  the  primitive  habitations  of  a  few  hardy- 
settlers. 

That  the  trustees  took  excellent  care  of  the  temporalities  of 
the  church  will  be  perceived  from  the  following  extract  from 
the  original  "  Day  Book  :  " 

"  At  a  meeting  held  in  the  Methodist  Church  for  chosing  a 
Saxon  to  serve  for  one  year  in  said  church  to  keep  said  house 
swept  and  sanded  and  scraped  when  the  Trustees  shall  direct, 
and  all  other  necessary  dutys  of  a  saxon  for  the  sum  of  five 
dollars  ;  Richard  Mier  was  chosen  and  accepted."  Subse- 
quently, the  "saxon"  was  allowed  one  shilling  "for  every 
fire  he  makes  in  the  stove,"  additional. 

In  1842  the  present  church  edifice  was  erected  on  the  site  of 
the  former.  This  edifice  is  considerably  larger  than  the  first, 
and  encroaches  upon  some  of  the  graves  in  the  surrounding 
church-yard  that  were  made  near  the  old  house. 

This  old  burial  ground  contains  many  old  graves  of  the  early 
inhabitants.  The  first  white  marble  stone  erected  here,  we  are 
told,  is  that  to  the  memory  of  Rev.  Joseph  Totten,  one  of  the 
first  members  of  the  Methodist  church  on  the  island.  He  was 
for  twenty-six  years  an  itinerant  preacher  of  the  gospel,  and 
died  May  20,  1818,  while  in  charge  of  the  society  of  St.  John's 
church  at  Philadelphia.  Immediately  in  front  of  the  church 
stands  a  plain  marble  monument,  which  marks  the  grave  of  one 
of  the  most  deeply  revered  preachers  of  the  church,  well  known 
as  "old  Father  Boehm."  The  monument  bears  the  following 
inscription  ; 

"  Sacred  to  the  memory  of  Rev.  Henry  Boehm,  born  in  Lan- 
caster, Pa.,  June  8,  1775,  died  on  Staten  Island,  December  28, 
1875.  A  centenarian,  who  was  for  seventy-six  years  an  hon- 
ored and  beloved  Methodist  minister,  as  eminent  for  social. 
Christian  and  ministerial  virtues  as  for  longevity  :  the  associate 
of  Bishop  Asbury  and  his  compeers  in  labors  on  earth,  he  now 
rests  with  them  in  heaven." 

On  the  twelfth  day  of  February,  1822,  at  a  meeting  held  at 
the  house  of  James  Totten,  it  was  unanimously  resolved  to 
build  another  house  of  worship,  in  the  town  of  Westfield,  to  be 
called  "The  Tabernacle."  A  church  appears  to  have  been  or- 
ganized, and  trustees  duly  elected.  In  August,  1823,  a  public 
meeting  was  held  "in  the  Tabernacle  ;"  the  edifice  must  there- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  417 

fore  have  been  erected  immediately.  The  building  was  removed 
several  years  since,  the  establishment  of  churches  at  Totten- 
ville,  so  near  by,  doing  away  with  the  necessity  for  a  church 
here.  Its  site  was  a  few  rods  southeast  of  the  railroad  station 
at  Eichmond  Valley.  Some  of  the  foundation  stones  are  still 
lying  there. 

The  membership  of  the  original  church  was  so  large  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Tottenville  that  in  1841  it  was  deemed  advis- 
able to  organize  another  society  there.  This  was  done,  and  the 
name  "Bethel  Church"  given  to  it.  A  church  was  erected  in 
1842,  and  the  society  prospered.  The  church  cost  about 
$14,000.  It  was  destroyed  by  fire  on  Sunday  night,  January 
10,  1886.  The  building  at  that  time,  with  its  furniture,  heating 
apparatus  and  organ,  was  valued  at  about  $23,000. 

St.  Paul's,  located  also  at  Tottenville,  was  organized  in  1860. 
Immediate  steps  were  taken  to  erect  a  house  of  worship.  The 
corner  stone  to  this  was  laid  September  6,  1861,  and  the  walls 
were  rapidly  raised,  and  the  building  advanced  toward  comple- 
tion. A  debt  hung  over  the  church  until  November  13,  1881, 
when  by  a  liberal  effort  it  was  cleared.  The  debt  then  amounted 
to  $4,500.  Among  the  foremost  names  on  the  subscription  for 
that  purpose  and  at  that  time  were  the  following :  Mrs.  E.  P. 
Wood,  $1,100  ;  David  C.  Butler,  $250  ;  Henry  Van  Name,  $200  ;, 
Aaron  Van  Name,  $200  ;  Paul  Van  Name,  $100  ;  Daniel  Butler, 
$125  ;  John  S.  Sleight,  $100  ;  Wesley  Patten,  $100  ;  Sylvester 
Joline,  $100  ;  Moses  J.  Van  Name,  $100. 

The  early  Methodists  did  not  confine  their  efforts  to  the  town 
of  Westfield;  for,  not  long  after  they  had  become  domiciled 
there,  a  small  class,  under  the  leadership  of  Elias  Price,  who 
afterward  became  a  local  preacher,  was  organized  in  the  town 
of  Northfield,  which,  in  1802,  had  expanded  sufficiently  to 
warrant  the  creation  of  a  new  society,  and  the  erection  of  a  new 
church,  which  now  is  recognized  as  the  Asbury  church  at  New 
Springville.  For  more  than  thirty  years  this  cjmrch  was  the 
only  place  of  public  worship  possessed  by  the  Methodists  of 
Northfield  and  Castleton.  It  was  connected  in  pastoral  supply 
with  the  church  at  Mariners'  Harbor  from  1839  to  1849,  when 
the  latter  church  secured  a  minister  independently  of  this. 

A  branch  of  this  church,  called  Bloomfield  church,  was  estab- 
lished by  the  laying  of  its  corner  stone  in  June,  1885.  It  stands 
at  the  head  of  Merril  avenue,  on  a  plot  of  ground  which  was 
37 


418  HISTOEy  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

given  by  Joseph  Ball,  of  Bloomfield,  and  Rev.  J.  B.  Hillyer  of 
New  Springville.  Its  erection  is  mainly  due  to  the  labors  of 
Messrs.  J.  B.  Hillyer  and  Thomas  Standering,  two  local  preachers 
of  the  congregation. 

In  1838  those  residing  along  the  shore  in  Castleton  and  North- 
field  began  to  agitate  the  matter  of  building  a  new  church 
nearer  their  own  residences,  and  at  or  near  Graniteville.  The 
next  year  Mr.  Robert  C.  Simonson  offered  a  lot  of  land  on  the 
Pond  road,  Port  Richmond,  as  a  free  gift,  if  they  would  erect  a 
church  thereon.  This  offer  was  at  once  accepted  by  those  re- 
siding in  that  vicinity,  and  the  proposed  church  at  Graniteville 
was  abandoned. 

The  church  on  the  Pond  road  was  erected  and  dedicated  early 
in  the  winter  of  1839,  the  conveyance  of  the  lot  from  Mr.  Simon- 
son  being  dated  December  1,  1839.  The  Westfield  and  North- 
field  charges  were  divided  in  1840,  and  Daniel  Cross  became 
the  preacher  on  this  circuit,  which  was  called  the  Northfield 
and  Quarantine  mission.  In  1841  this  was  again  divided  and 
made  two  circuits,  that  of  Northfield  comprehending  Asbury 
and  Mariners'  Harbor,  while  this  was  known  as  Quarantine  and 
Port  Richmond.  Of  this  Rev.  R.  Lutton  became  pastor.  His- 
name  appears  with  those  of  Benjamin  Day  and  Jefferson  Lewis, 
between  that  date  and  1848.  They  were  succeeded  by  pastors 
as  follows:  Alexander  Gillmore,  1848-49;  Charles  E.  Hill,  1850-61; 

Kelly,   1852-53;  T.  Pierson,   1854-55;  N.  Vansant,  1856-57; 

M.   E.  Ellison,   1858-59;  J.  M.  Freeman,   1860  61;  R.  S.  Arndt, 

1862-63;  J.  C.  Winner,   1864;  J.  F.  Hurst,  1865-66; Owen, 

part  of  1866;  T.  H.  Smith,  1867-69. 

The  house  erected  on  the  Pond  road,  now  occupied  by  the 
German  Lutheran  church,  continued  to  be  their  house  of  wor- 
ship until  1853,  when  they  erected  the  large  and  commodious 
brick  church  edifice  at  the  corner  of  the  Shore  road  and  Dongan 
street.  West  New  Brighton.  The  original  building  and  lot  were 
sold  April  28,  1853,  to  the  German  Evangelical  Lutherans  for 
the  sum  of  $1,500.  The  new  church  took  the  name  of  Trinity, 
and  was  incorporated  under  that  name  January  10,  1853,  the 
trustees  being  Jasper  G.  Codmus,  John  W.  Snedeker,  Lewis 
Edwards,  Azariah  Dunham  and  John  Simonson.  The  land 
on  which  the  present  church  and  parsonage  is  built,  consti- 
tuted the  lots  numbered  45  and  46  of  the  estate  of  John  Bodine, 
Sen.,  and  was  purchased  of  Noyes  P.  H.  Barrett,  June  25, 1851, 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  419 

Jasper  G.  Codmus,  John  W.  Snedeker,  Lewis  Edwards  and 
John  Simonson  being  trustees.  It  was  subsequently  discovered 
that  the  title  was  defective,  inasmuch  as  tlie  land  was  con- 
veyed to  the  above  named  persons  individually,  and  before  the 
incorporation;  therefore  on  the  10th  day  of  July,  1869,  the  same 
individuals  quit-claimed  the  property  to  the  trustees  of  the 
church,  and  thus  remedied  the  defect.  The  bell  and  clock  in 
the  tower  of  this  church  were  procured  by  the  contributions  of 
the  people  residing  in  its  vicinity.  The  stewards  in  1885  were 
William  Snedeker,  KToah  Sellick,  William  Bamber,  T.  D.  Lyons, 
M.  D.,  Benedict  Parker,  George  Pero,  E.  L.  Kennedy,  Ephraira 
Smith,  C.  E.  Surdam,  A.  H.  Richards  and  J  W.  Bodine. 

In  1838  the  Methodists  of  Mariners'  Harbor  resolved,  inas- 
much as  a  church  for  their  accommodation  had  become  a  neces- 
sity, to  erect  one  nearer  their  own  homes.  Accordingly  on  the 
6th  day  of  April,  1839,  a  new  society  was  organized  by  the 
election  of  Peter  Braisted,  Henry  Jones,  Benjamin  B.  Kinsey, 
John  L.  Richards  and  Daniel  Simonson  as  trustees.  The  cer- 
tificate of  incorporation  was  recorded  on  the  4th  day  of  May 
following,  and  immediately  thereafter — that  is,  on  the  11th  of 
the  same  month — a  lot  was  purchased  for  the  consideration 
of  $275,  and  during  the  following  six  months  the  church  was 
erected,  and  on  the  1st  day  of  December,  1839  it  was  dedicated. 
For  several  years  the  same  preacher  served  this  church,  and  the 
one  on  "  the  Neck"  (now  Asbury),  but  in  1849  the  connection 
was  severed,  and  each  church  became  independent  of  the  other. 
In  1854  a  parsonage  was  purchased.  The  membership  of  the 
church  having  rapidly  increased,  it  was  found  necessary  to  erect 
a  new  and  larger  house,  which  was  accordingly  done,  and  the 
new  edifice,  which  has  since  been  known  as  the  "  Summerfield 
Church,"  was  dedicated  on  the  10th  day  of  October,  1869.  The 
old  church,  which  is  the  southwesternmost  building  within  the 
corporate  limits  of  the  village  of  Port  Richmond,  was  sold  for 
$1,500,  and  is  now  occupied  as  an  African  church. 

The  new  church  is  nicely  finished  and  the  interior  tastefully 
furnished.  The  society  rejoices  in  the  fact  that  it  is  clear  of 
debt.  The  minister's  salary  has  been  raised  from  $1,000  to 
$1,500,  and  the  church  is  now  ranked  as  the  fourth  in  the  Eliza- 
beth conference  district. 

Grace  church  was  originally  called  the  "North  Shore  Free 
M.  E.  Church."     It  was  organized  under  that  name,  January 


420  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

23,  1867,  being  then  composed  of  forty-eight  persons,  the  most 
of  whom  had  withdrawn  from  Trinity  M.  E.  church.  The  meet- 
ing for  organization  was  held  in  the  Baptist  church  at  Port 
Richmond,  at  which  place  the  first  Sabbath  services  of  this 
church  were  also  held,  on  the  27th  of  the  same  month.  At  the 
first  election  of  trustees,  on  the  18th  of  February,  1867,  the 
present  name  was  adopted.  The  trustees  then  elected  were 
Read  Benedict,  Ward  McLean,  John  Q.  Simonson,  William 
Greer,  N.  P.  H,  Barrett,  John  S.  Spragg,  William  Bamber,  Dr. 
Frank  G.  Johnson  and  George  F.  Heal.  Previous  to  the  erec- 
tion of  the  present  church  a  tabernacle,  which  cost  $600,  was 
temporarily  used  for  public  worship. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  new  church  was  laid  August  1,  1867, 
and  the  church  was.  dedicated  December  29,  1867.  The  church 
lot  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Bond  street,  on  the  south  by 
Cornelius  street,  and  on  the  west  or  front  by  Heberton  street, 
the  land  having  been  purchased  of  Cornelius  B.  Mersereau.  The 
building  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $10,000. 

The  pastors  of  this  church  have  been:  Alexander  M.  Mead, 
1867  to  September,  1868;  P.  D.  Day,  September  15,  1868,  to  the 
end  of  the  conference  year;  John  Coyle,  1869  to  1871 ;  A.  J. 
Palmer,  1872;  J.  J.  Read,  Jr.,  1873;  W.  I.  Gill,  1874  to  1876; 
T.  H.  Landon,  1877;  Joseph  A.  Owen,  1878;  J.  S.  Gilbert,  1879 
to  1881;  E.  C.  Dutch er,  1882  to  1883;  R,  S.  Arndt,  1884  to 
1886. 

In  July,  1872,  the  church  known  as  St.  Marks,  at  Pleasant 
Plains,  was  dedicated.  For  a  brief  period  it  was  considered  as 
under  the  patronage  and  supervision  of  the  Woodrow  church, 
but  in  1873  it  became  an  independent  organization. 

The  Kingsley  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  situated  on  Cebra 
avenue  near  Saint  Paul's  avenue,  Stapleton,  is  one  of  the  oldest 
of  the  denomination  on  the  island.  The  traditional  history, 
strongly  supported  by  documentary  evidence,  is  that  Rev. 
Henry  Boehm,  a  minister  in  the  Philadelphia  conference  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  stationed  at  Woodrow,  organ- 
ized a  class  in  the  spring  of  1835,  at  the  house  of  Widow  White, 
on  "Mud  Lane,"  now  known  as  St.  Paul's  avenue,  and  directly 
opposite  the  present  site  of  the  church.  The  names  of  this  class, 
as  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained,  were  :  Mrs.  James  White,  Wil- 
liam Howard,  William  Thoon,  Mr.   and  Mrs.  Kirby,  and  Mr. 


HISTOEY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  421 

and  Mrs.  Capt.  Hart.     William  Thooii  was  made  the  leader  of 
the  class. 

Public  services  were  first  held  at  the  residence  of  Mrs.  James 
White,  the  lady  above  referred  to,  and  afterward,  until  the  first 
church  was  built,  in  the  "Village  Academy." 

The  first  board  of  trustees  was  elected  on  the  21st,  and  the 
"Society"  was  incorporated  on  the  22d  of  July,  1835,  under 
the  name  of  the  "Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  Tompkins- 
ville,  Staten  Island."  The  board  of  trustees  consisted  of  John 
Totten,  Joseph  Smith,  A.  C.  Wheeler,  Henry  Cole  and  Law- 
rence Hillyer. 

The  present  site  of  the  church  is  the  only  one  the  society  has 
ever  owned.  It  originally  consisted  of  four  lots,  and  was  do- 
nated by  Mr.  Caleb  T.  Ward,  of  Stapleton,  in  December,  1835. 
on  condition  that  it  be  used  only  for  church  purposes.  Mr. 
Ward,  many  years  afterward,  gave  the  land  in  fee  to  the  society, 
and  an  additional  piece  of  land,  so  as  to  bring  the  site  of  its 
western  boundary  to  Marion  avenue. 

On  the  8th  of  June,  1837,  plans  for  a  church  building  thirty- 
eight  by  sixty  feet  were  agreed  upon,  and  estimates  were  re- 
ceived for  its  erection.  The  contract  was  finally  awarded  to  Mr. 
J.  H.  Quilthot  for  one  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty  dollars. 
Mr.  Quilthot  mysteriously  left  the  place  before  the  house  was 
completed,  and  it  is  said  was  never  heard  of  afterward.  The 
church,  when  it  was  finished,  cost  the  society  one  thousand  five 
hundred  dollars.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  about  the  1st  of 
July,  1837,  and  the  building  was  completed  and  dedicated  about 
the  1st  of  September,  1838. 

In  1853  the  building  of  a  new  church  was  agitated,  the  old 
one  being  considered  not  well  located  and  unsuitable.  Nego- 
tiations were  entered  into  with  Mr.  Richard  Smith  for  the  pur- 
chase of  lots  located  on  Richmond  road,  near  Beach  street,  and 
three  hundred  dollars  was  paid  on  them  by  the  trustees  of  the 
society.  When  the  trustees  made  application  to  Mr.  Ward  for 
the  privilege  of  selling  the  old  site,  it  was  found  that  in  at- 
tempting to  buy  a  new  site  before  the  old  was  sold,  they  had 
reckoned  "without  their  host,"  for  Mr.  Ward  refused  to  re- 
move the  proviso  in  the  deed,  and  so  they  lost  their  three  hun- 
dred dollars.  The  idea  of  a  new  location  was  then  abandoned, 
but  the  agitation  for  a  new  church  continued,  until  finally,  on 
the  28th  of  May,  1855,  the  first  church  building  was  sold  at  pub- 


422  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

lie  auction.  Mr.  S.  IS".  Havens  was  the  purchaser,  for  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars,  and  he  removed  it  at  once  to  New 
Brighton,  and  converted  it  into  a  dwelling  house,  where  it  still 
stands.  The  present  membership  of  the  Sunday  school  is  one 
hundred  and  twenty. 

For  fifteen  years  after  the  organization  of  this  church,  it  was 
connected  with  other  M.  E.  churches  on  the  island  in  what  is 
called  the  "Circuit"  plan,  making  the  pastor  of  this  church 
also  the  pastor  of  all  the  others  embraced  in  the  circuit. 
With  this  explanation,  the  first  pastor  was  Rev.  Henry  Boehm, 
who  had  been  the  travelling  companion  of  Bishop  Asbury, 
one  of  the  first  bishops  of  the  M.  E.  church  in  the  United 
States.  Father  Boehm,  as  he  was  afterward  called,  lived  to  the 
advanced  age  of  100  years,  and  died  on  Staten  Island  the  28th 
of  December,  1875. 

The  society  has  had  twenty-nine  pastors,  viz.:  Henry  Boehm, 
two  years;  Mulford  Day,  two  years;  John  S.  Begle,  one  year; 
Mr.  Lutton,  one  year ;  Mr.  Lewis,  one  year;  Benjamin  Day, 
two  years;  George  Wisnor,  two  years;  Waiters  Burroughs, 
two  years;  John  Stephenson,  two  years;  Mr.  Miller,  one  year; 
J.  B.  Graw,  two  years;  D.  P.  Reed,  one  year;  Mr.  Bishop,  eight 
months;  Rev.  E.  Clement,  four  months;  William  H.  Dickerson, 
one  year;  A.  S.  Burdett,  fifteen  months;  C.  R.  Snyder,  twenty- 
one  months;  S.  N.  Bebour,  one  year;  J.  B.  Paulks,  two  years; 
J.  Coyle,  three  years;  H.  Spellmyer,  three  years;  J.  Cowans, 
one  year;  G.  Smith,  one  year;  H.  Simpson,  two  years;  T. 
Michael,  one  year;  J.  F.  Andrew,  two  years;  C.  S.  Woodruff, 
three  years;  C.  W.  McCormick,  one  year;  R.  B.  Collins,  three 
years. 

In  April,  1885,  this  society  completed  a  beautiful  and  com- 
modious, parsonage  at  the  cost  of  $3,500.  It  is  situated  on  the 
west  side  of  the  church,  and  has  a  commanding  view  of  New 
York  bay  and  Coney  Island.  The  whole  church  property  is 
valued  at  $15,000. 

The  above  history  was  prepared  for  this  work  by  Rev.  R.  B. 
Collins,  pastor  of  the  church. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  second  church  building  was  laid 
about  the  1st  of  June,  1855,  during  the  ministry  of  Rev.  J. 
B.  Graw,  and  was  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  Almighty  God 
in  December  of  the  same  year.  The  new  church  was  known, 
thereafter,  as  the  "  Stapleton   Methodist  Episcopal  Church." 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  423 

In  1870,  daring  the  ministry  of  the  Rev,  Henry  Spellmyer,  the 
church  was  remodelled,  enlarged  and  refurnished,  at  a  cost  of 
$12,000.  After  these  improvements,  its  name  was  changed  again, 
this  time  to  Kingsley  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  Stapleton, 
after  Bishop  Calvin  Kingsley,  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  who  while 
performing  a  tour  of  Episcopal  visitation  of  the  world,  and 
when  on  his  way  home,  was  attacked  by  disease  and  died  at 
Berut,  Syria,  April  6th,  1870.  The  building  has  a  seating 
capacity  for  700  persons,  and  with  a  commodious  lecture  room 
for  Sunday  school  and  social  meetings,  has  every  covenience  in 
the  way  of  room  to  carry  on  its  work.  The  present  membership 
of  the  church  is  one  hundred  and  thirty.  T^he  Sunday  school 
was  organized  in  1838,  during  the  ministry  of  Rev.  J.  S.  Begle. 
William  Thorne  was  the  first  superintendent.  - — 

So  far  as  is  now  known,  the  first  of  the  denomination  of  Chris-  /i 
tians  called  Moravians,  or  United  Brethren,  on  Staten  Island,  was 
Captain  Nicholas  Garrison.  It  is  said  that  the  ship  which  he 
commanded,  while  on  a  voyage  from  Georgia  to  New  York, 
was  overtaken  by  an  exceedingly  violent  storm.  Among  the 
passengers  on  board  was  the  Bishop  Spangenberg,  who  remained 
calm  and  undisturbed  amidst  the  confusion  and  terror  which 
prevailed  on  board,  spending  most  of  the  time  in  earnest  prayer. 
This  ship  was  built  for  the  purposes  of  the  Moravian  church, 
most  of  the  expense  having  been  borne  by  Bishop  Spangenberg 
himself.  She  made  many  passages  across  the  ocean,  and  on  a 
subsequent  voyage  was  captured  by  a  French  privateer  and 
finally  wrecked  on  the  coast  of  Cape  Breton  island. 

In  1742,  David  Bruce,  a  very  zealous  servant  of  God,  was 
sent  to  visit  the  scattered  flocks  in  New  York,  and  on  Long 
and  Staten  islands,  and  he  was  probably  the  first  Moravian 
preacher  who  ever  officiated  as  such  on  Staten  Island.  Of  those 
most  prominent  in  sustaining  this  church  on  the  island  the 
names  of  Jacobus  and  Vettje  Van  Der  Bilt  are  mentioned  in 
September,  1747,  at  which  time  the  church  in  America  compre- 
hended three  localities,  viz..  New  York  city,  Staten  Island  and 
Bethlehem,  Pa.  After  the  arrival  of  the  first  colony  of  Mora- 
vians in  June,  1742,  these  three  places  jointly  constituted  a 
field  in  which  their  evangelists  labored.  Among  those  who 
thus  labored  in  these  early  years  were  the  Brethren  David  Bruce, 
Aimers,  Gambold,  Jasper  Payne,  Thomas  Rodgers,  Thomas 
Yarrell,  Neisser,  Richard  Utley,  Owen  Rice  and  John  Wade. 


424 


HISTORY  0¥  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 


In  referring  to  the  early  period  of  this  church,  Mrs.  Bird, 
an  aged  lady  who  was  interviewed  by  Professor  Anthon  years 
ago.  said  :  "  Mr.  Gambold  was  a  nice  old  man.  The  church  on 
Christmas  eve  used  to  be  beautifully  decorated  with  greens, 
and  artilicial  flowers,  such  as  roses,  pinks  and  such  like,  of  their 
own  make.  The  pulpit  was  covered  with  flowers  from  top  to 
bottom,  and  the  windows  were  also  adorned.  But  the  custom 
of  celebrating  Christmas  eve  was  not  kept  up  in  later  years  so 
much  as  in  early  times." 


OLD  MORAVIAN  CHURCH  AND  PARSONAGE. 

Between  1742  and  1743,  about  a  dozen  different  clergymen  of 
the  denomination  came  occasionally  to  the  island  to  officiate. 
In  1756  there  were  only  three  communicant  members  on  the 
island,  viz.:  Jacobus  Vanderbilt  and  his  wife  Yettje  or  Keiltje, 
and  the  widow  Elizabeth  Inyard.  The  religious  services  were 
usually  held  in  a  school  house,  which,  as  some  say,  stood  on 
or  near  the  site  of  the  present  church,  bat  as  others  say,  with 
more  probability,  at  the  corner  of  the  roads  at  what  is  now 
called  Egbertville.  In  1762,  Eichard  Connor,  Stephen  Martino, 
Jr.,  Tunis  Egbert,  Jacob  Vander  Bilt,  Aaron  Cortelyou,  Ma- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  425 

tliias  Enyard,  John  Baty,  Cornelius  Cortelyou,  Cornelius 
Vander  Bilt,  Cornelius  Van  Deventer,  Stephen  Marfcino,  Mary 
StilweJl,  Cornelius  Martino  and  Peter  Ferine,  applied  to  the 
church  authorities  at  Bethlehem,  Pennsylvania,  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  Moravian  church  on  Staten  Island.  On  the  7th 
of  July,  1763,  the  corner  stone  of  a  church  and  parsonage  was 
laid,  and  on  the  ensuing  7th  of  December  the  church  was  con- 
secrated. The  identical  building  is  still  standing,  and  is  shown 
in  the  illustration  accompanying  this  notice.  The  custom  of 
the  Moravians  at  that  period  was  to  combine  church  and  par- 
sonage under  one  roof,  hence  the  arrangement  and  un-church- 
like  appearance  of  this  old  building.  The  last  religious  exer- 
cises in  this  church,  before  its  removal  from  the  original 
site,  were  held  on  Thursday,  October  26,  1882.  They  were  con- 
ducted by  Rev.  W.  H.  Vogler,  the  pastor  of  the  church. 

The  first  regularly  settled  pastor  was  the  Rev.  Hector  Gram- 
bold,  who  had  come  to  the  field  August  17,  1763,  and  pending 
the  completion  of  the  parsonage  was  accommodated  in  another 
house.  On  the  21st  of  December,  he  and  his  family  moved  into 
the  rooms  now  made  ready  for  his  occupancy,  and  here  he  found 
his  home  during  his  long  pastorate,  which  extended  to  the  year 
1784.  Following  him  for  brief  periods  were  James  Birkly  and 
E.  Thorp,  and  in  1787  Frederick  Moehring  assumed  the  pastor- 
ate. His  term  of  service  continued  until  1793,  when  he  was 
followed  by  Mr.  Birkly  again.  The  latter  remained  till  1797, 
when  Mr.  Moehring  returned  and  exercised  the  pastoral  func- 
tion until  1803.  His  successor  that  year  was  Nathaniel  Brown, 
who  held  the  position  until  removed  by  death  in  1813.  He  was 
a  native  of  Nazareth,  Pa.,  where  he  was  born  July  9,  1763, 
two  days  after  the  laying  of  the  corner  stone  of  this  church. 
His  father.  Rev.  Peter  Brown,  was  for  upward  of  twenty  years 
a  missionary  of  the  United  Brethren  on  the  island  of  Antigua, 
and  he  had  himself  been  a  missionary  to  the  island  of  Jamaica, 
whither  he  was  sent  in  1789.  His  stay  there  was  not  long,  his 
return  to  the  United  States  following  shortly  after  the  death  of 
his  wife,  Elizabeth  Chitty.  He  afterward  married  Anna  Cath- 
erine Frederica  linger,  in  Maryland,  about  two  years  before  he 
came  to  this  charge.  He  was  followed  by  John  C.  Bechler,  from 
1813  to  1817,  and  others  foil  owed  successively  as  named:  George 
A.  Hartmann,  from  1817  to  1837 ;  Ambrose  Rondthaler,  from 
1837  to  1839  ;  H.  Gr.  Clauder,  from  1839  to  1852  ;  Bernhard  de 


426 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 


Schweinitz,  from  1852  to  1854 ;  Amadeus  A.  Reinke,  from  1854 
to  1860  ;  Edwin  T.  Senseman,  from  1860  to  1862  ;  Eugene  Leib- 
ert,  from  1862  to  1867;  Francis  F.  Hagen,  from  1867  to  1870  ; 
William  L.  Lennert,  from  1870  to  1876 ;  William  H.  Vogler, 
from  1876— present  incumbent. 

The  early  dates  and  events  given  above  have  been  derived 
chiefly  from  denominational  sources,  the  records  of  the  church 
having  been  destroyed  during  the  revolution,  when  some  Brit- 
ish soldiers  forcibly  entered  the  parsonage  at  night,  and  after 


MORAVIAN  CHURCH,  NEW  DORP. 

wantonly  destroying  furniture  and  other  articles  belonging  to 
the  occupant,  carried  off  the  archives  of  the  infant  church. 
About  the  same  time,  probably  on  the  same  night,  the  house 
of  Capfc.  Christian  Jacobson,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  church, 
was  also  entered,  and  he  was  killed  by  being  shot.  He  was 
an  eminently  pious  man,  and  captain  of  the  Moravian  ship 
"  Irene,"  after  the  retirement  of  Captain  Garrison. 

The  society  was  incorporated  April  15,  1808.     The  land  on 
which  the  church  was  erected  was  sold  by  John  Baty  to  Thomas 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  427 

Yarrell,  the  minister,  and  Henry  Van  Vleek,  of  New  York  city, 
and  Cornelius  Van  Deventer  and  Richard  Conner,  of  Richmond 
county,  June  19,  1763,  for  £25  10s.  This  parcel  of  ground  con- 
tained five  and  a  half  acres,  more  or  less,  and  was  bounded  on 
the  southwest  by  Cornelius  Cortelyou,  northwest  and  northeast 
by  John  Baty  and  southeast  by  the  King's  highway.  A  deed 
of  confirmation  was  given  for  the  same,  to  the  representatives 
of  the  denomination,  by  Edward  Baty,  executor  of  his  father, 
John  Baty,  March  2,  1790. 

The  present  church  edifice  was  erected  in  1845,  being  conse- 
crated May  15th  of  that  year.  The  old  church  was  re-arranged 
for  school  purposes  and  dwelling  apartments  in  1851.  Mr.  N. 
J.  Ostrander,  superintendent  of  the  cemetery,  moved  into  a 
part  of  the  house  in  1872. 

The  old  church  has  the  honor  of  having  been  the  first  house 
of  worship  on  the  island  in  which  an  organ  was  used.  This 
statement  is  made  on  the  authority  of  an  old  lady  whose  mem- 
ory extended  back  into  the  pre-revolutionary  time. 

The  Sunday  school  first  organized  July  19,  1829,  has  con- 
tinued to  flourish  to  the  present  time.  On  the  31st  day  of  Au- 
gust, 1873,  the  chapel  and  Sunday  school  building  at  the  Four 
Corners  was  dedicated.  It  was  built  on  land  donated  for 
the  purpose  by  Mr.  Cornelius  Du  Bois;  the  lot  is  one  hundred 
feet  square.  The  whole  premises  are  estimated  to  be  worth  over 
seven  thousand  dollars. 

The  donations  of  Commodore  Cornelius  Vauderbilt  to  this 
church  of  his  forefathers  have  been  munificent.  When  the 
present  church  edifice  was  erected,  he  contributed  the  sum  of 
one  thousand  dollars  toward  its  completion.  On  the  20th  day 
of  December,  1865,  he  gratuitously  conveyed  to  the  trustees  of 
the  "United  Brethren's  Church  on  Staten  Island,"  eight  and 
a  half  acres  of  land  on  the  east  side  of  the  original  five  and 
a  half  acres,  and  on  the  30th  day  of  October,  1868,  about  forty- 
six  acres  more  on  the  north  and  west  sides  thereof.  A  new 
parsonage,  a  very  handsome  building  of  modern  style,  was 
erected  by  the  gift  of  William  H.  Vanderbilt  in  1880,  and  Mr. 
Vogler  moved  into  it  on  the  21st  of  December  of  that  year. 
In  1882  Mr.  Vanderbilt  also  purchased  property  of  Mrs.  Susan 
Jane  Fountain,  comprising  about  four  acres,  with  the  buildings 
on  it,  at  a  cost  of  five  thousand  dollars,  and  presented  it  to 
the  trustees  of  the  church  on  condition  that  certain  improve- 


428  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

merits  should  be  made,  which  conditions  were  accepted.  This 
stands  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Todt  Hill  road  from  the  par- 
sonage, and  was  given  for  a  residence  for  the  superintendent  of 
the  cemetery.  By  this  accession  to  the  church  propery  its  line 
of  frontage  along  the  Richmond  road  was  extended  to  nearly 
four  thousand  feet  in  length.  The  old  church  was  moved  back 
to  its  present  site,  and  protected  by  paint  and  repairs  to  pre- 
serve it  against  the  encroachments  of  time  and  the  elements, 
while  the  surroundings  were  improved  and  beautified.  Up  to 
that  time  it  was  estimated  that  the  Vanderbilt  family  had  made 
gifts  to  this  society,  in  cemetery  property,  buildings  and  im- 
provements to  the  amount  of  thirty-seven  thousand  dollars.  In 
addition  to  this,  the  society  received  by  bequest  of  William  H. 
Vanderbilt,  whose  will  bears  date  September  25, 1884,  and  whose 
death  occurred  December  8,  1885,  the  princely  gift  of  one  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars. 

The  first  Roman  Catholic  church  on  Staten  Island  was  organ- 
ized on  the  first  day  of  April,  1839,  at  New  Brighton.  For  some 
time  prior  to  this,  however,  a  few  individuals  professing  this 
faith,  assembled  regularly  every  week  in  a  small  apartment  of 
the  '•  Gun  Factory,"  an  establishment  which  stood  at  the  corner 
o£  Richmond  terrace  and  Lafayette  avenue,  and  consisted  of  the 
factory  proper  and  a  row  of  brick  two-story  cottages.  The 
ground  on  which  the  church  ;^St.  Peter's)  was  built,  was  do- 
nated for  the  purpose  by  the  "  New  Brighton  Association,"  and 
will  revert  when  it  ceases  to  be  used  for  a  church  of  that  faith. 

The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  Ildefonso  Medrano,  a  native  of  Old 
Spain  ;  he  remained  until  December,  1845,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  John  Shanahan,  whose  brief  pastorate  terminated  in  August, 
1846.  Rev.  James  Rosevelt  Bailey  was  the  next  pastor  for  a 
still  briefer  period,  from  August  to  December,  1846.  He  was 
afterward  bishop  of  Newark,  and  later,  archbishop  of  Balti- 
more. Then  came  Rev.  Patrick  Murphy,  who  was  pastor  from 
March,  1846,  to  February  11, 1848,  when  he  died  of  yellow  fever, 
and  was  interred  under  the  altar.  He  was  immediately  suc- 
ceeded by  his  brother,  Rev.  Mark  Murphy,  who  was  succeeded 
by  the  Rev.  James  L.  Conron,  in  August,  1852.  He  continued  un- 
til within  a  few  years  of  the  present  time.  Rev.  John  Barry 
has  since  been  pastor  of  the  church. 

The  two  brothers  Murphy  were  remarkably  quiet,  unassum- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  429 

ing,  and  faithful  men.     In  the  church  is  a  mural  tablet  to  the 
memory  of  Patrick,  in  the  following  words : 

"Hie  Jacet 
In  Spem  Beatse  Resurrectionis 

jjeydua  Patricius  Murphy, 

Presbyter  Primus,  ut  creditur, 

Qui  in  hac  Insula  Mortuus  est. 

In  Hibernia  natus  juxta  oppidum 

Enniskillen,  Seminarii  S**  Maria 

Ad  Montes  Aluminus,  et  in  Neo- 

Eboraco  ordinatus,  pastor 

Ecclesise  hujus  et  Insulse 

Totius  Constitutus  est.     Ubi 

Morum  suavitate,  Yitse  integritate, 

Zelo  et  eloquentia  pro  Deo.  et 

Sancta  Fide,  ita  se  coramendavit  ut 

Ab  ommibus  vere  bonus  pastor,  et 

Quasi  Apostolus  Insulse  haberetur, 

Lahore  tandem  et  morbo  gravi. 

Oppressus,  Anno  getatis  suge  SO™"- 

Mense  post  ordinationem  15™°-  die  limo. 

Februarii  1848,  animani  Deo  reddidit, 

Memoriam  sui  relinquens  non  cito 

Perituram,  sed  quae  diu  inter 

Fideles  in  benedictione 

Servabitur. 


Requiescat  in  Pace." 

{Translation.) 

Here  lies. 

In  the  hope  of  a  blessed  resurrection. 

Reverend  Patrick  Murphy, 

Believed  to  be  the  first  priest 

Who  died  on  this  Island. 

Born  in  Ireland,  near  the  town  of 

Enniskillen,  graduate  of  Mount  St.  Mary's  Seminary, 

And  ordained  in  JS"ew  York,  and 

Appointed  pastor  of  this  Church,  and 

Of  this  whole  Island,  where, 

By  the  amiability  of  his  disposition  and  integrity  of  his  life, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  431 

ing  which  he  erected  and  beaatified  the  Rossville  church,  pur- 
chased ground  for  and  laid  out  and  consecrated  the  cemetery. 
He  also  built  the  Richmond  church,  and  rebuilt  the  old  church 
in  Graniteville.  On  the  death  of  Rev.  Father  Conron  he  was 
transferred  to  St.  Peter's  church,  at  New  Brighton,  where  he 
spent  eight  years,  and  still  remains.  During  this  time  he  has 
completely  changed  the  grounds  and  beautified  the  interior  of 
the  church  at  great  expense,  besides  lowering  the  debt  of  his 
congregation.  He  also  procured  as  a  gift  from  Mr.  William 
McSorley  a  piece  of  ground  adjacent  to  St.  Peter's  cemetery  in 
West  Brighton,  which  he  added  to  the  cemetery,  making  it 
the  largest  and  best  Catholic  burying  ground  on  Staten  Island. 
Father  Barry  is  one  of  the  most  active,  and  at  the  same  time 
one  of  the  most  cordial  of  men.  He  bends  his  whole  thought  and 
energy  to  the  task  before  him.  He  is  at  present  engaged  in  collect- 
ing funds  for  the  erection  of  a  new  Catholic  school  in  the  parish, 
which  is  intended  to  be  one  of  the  most  commodious  and  at- 
tractive in  Richmond  county.  Essentially  a  public  man,  Father 
Barry  has  continually  used  his  influence  for  the  promotion  of 
all  that  is  enobling  and  that  is  substantial  among  the  people 
with  whom  he  has  lived.  The  good  work  which  he  has  ac- 
complished, and  the  buildings  which  he  has  erected  for  charita- 
ble purposes,  will  long  remain  when  he  has  passed  forever  from 
the  scene  of  his  earthly  labors,  monuments  to  his  usefulness. 


In  October,  1852,  the  parish  and  congregation  of  St.  Mary's 
church,  Clifton,  were  organized  by  the  late  Archbishop  Hughes, 
and  the  Rev.  J.  Lewis  was  appointed  pastor  thereof,  and  has 
continued  in  the  same  pastorate  ever  since. 

Immediately  after  his  appointment,  Father  Lewis  erected  a 
temporary  chapel  and  schools  at  a  cost  of  about  $6,000;  these 
were  used  for  five  years. 

In  1857  Archbishop  Hughes  laid  the  corner  stone  of  St. 
Mary's  church,  on  New  York  avenue,  and  the  edifice  was 
completed  the  following  year,  and  cost  about  $58,000;  it  is  the 
handsomest  Catholic  church  on  Staten  Island. 

In  1858  and  1859  the  rectory  adjoining  the  church  vras  built 
at  a  cost  of  $10,000. 

In  1862  Father  Lewis  purchased  seven  acres  of  land  of  the 
Parkinson   estate  in  Southfield,  and   laid  it   out    as  a  ceme- 


432  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

tery;  he  also  built  upon  it  a  neat  cottage  for  the  keeper's 
residence. 

A  large  school  house,  an  orphan  asylum  for  the  parish,  a 
residence  for  the  sisters  of  charity,  and  another  for  the  male 
teachers  of  the  school  were  built  in  1864,  at  a  cost  of  about 
$36,000.  These  schools  are  among  the  largest  on  the  island;  the 
books  show  a  daily  attendance  of  nearly  four  hundred  pupils, 
who  are  gratuitously  instructed  by  six  sisters  of  charity  under 
the  supervision  of  the  pastor.  Father  Lewis  is  entitled  to  com- 
mendation for  his  zeal  and  fidelity  in  his  efforts  to  promote  the 
spiritual  and  temporal  interests  of  his  parishoners. 

St.  Mary's  hall  for  lectures,  concerts,  dramatic  performances 
and  other  meetings  was  erected  in  1878  at  a  cost  of  $9,000. 
It  holds  about  eight  hundred  people  and  is  complete  for  its 
purposes,  with  scenery,  footlights,  dressing  rooms  and  the  like. 
The  "  Catholic  Young  Men's  Literary  Union  Hall"  was  built 
by  Father  Lewis  in  1883,  for  the  young  men  of  his  parish. 
Here  they  congregate  in  the  evenings  for  recreation  and  literary 
exercises.  It  cost  $2,600.  In  1882  Father  Lewis  built,  at  his 
own  expense,  a  very  handsome  chapel,  in  the  heart  of  Stapleton, 
for  the  convenience  of  the  aged  and  infirm  of  his  parish.  It  cost 
$10,000,  and  is  called  the  "Chapel  of  Ease  of  the  Clifton 
Parish,"  and  was  dedicated  July  9,  1882.  Father  Lewis  is  de- 
servedly held  in  great  esteem  among  all  classes  on  Staten  Island 
for  his  business  tact  and  his  unselfish  devotedness  to  his 
parish. 

It  is  the  fortune  of  few  clergymen  to  spend  a  term  of  thirty- 
five  years  in  one  pastorate,  still  less  is  it  usual  for  any  public 
man  to  remain  that  length  of  time  among  one  x^eople,  retaining 
through  it  all  their  unqualified  approval  and  respect.  That 
Rev.  John  Lewis,  or  Father  Lewis,  as  he  is  generally  called,  has 
done  this  and  has  at  the  same  time  accomplished  such  results 
in  the  way  of  benefit  to  the  church  which  claims  his  devotion, 
speaks  volumes  for  his  good  judgment  and  taste. 

Father  Lewis  was  born  in  France  in  1821  and  came  to  America 
in  ISni.  Soon  after  his  arrival  he  was  appointed  to  establish  a 
new  parish  at  Clifton,  and  how  well  he  has  succeeded  is  genei'- 
ally  known  throughout  Richmond  county.  From  the  time 
of  his  arrival  at  Clifton  he  devoted  his  whole  thought  to  the 
work  before  him,  and  what  he  has  accomplished  has  been  the 
result  of  his  constant  and  unwavering  efforts.    The  commodious 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTy.  433 

church,  rectory,  schools,  residence  of  sisters  of  charity,  orphan 
asylum,  St  Mary's  hall,  literary  hall  for  young  men,  St.  Mary's 
cemetery,  chapel  of  ease,  in  Stapleton,  etc.,  make  up  to  day  one 
of  the  most  complete  and  beautiful  parishes  in  the  diocese  of 
]!^ew  York  and  betray  his  clear-headedness,  unflagging  energy 
and  sound  financiering  abilities.  It  may  be  said  to  his  credit 
also  that  he  has  not  confined  himself  entirely  to  the  work  of 
his  own  denomination,  but  has  been  and  is  ever  ready  to  lend  a 
helping  hand  in  all  liberal  and  charitable  movements. 

Father  Lewis  has  been  through  life  a  hard  student  and  has 
attained  for  himself  an  honored  position  among  the  learned 
men  of  his  day.  Refined  in  taste  and  manner  without  affec- 
tation, with  a  countenance  full  of  candor  and  goodness  of  heart, 
a  ripe  scholar,  speaking  fluently  five  or  six  languages,  of  mature 
experience,  much  enlarged  by  traveling,  a  thorough  champion 
of  his  own  church,  yet  kind  and  forbearing  to  those  who  differ 
from  him,  and  ever  ready  to  give  credit  to  the  honest  convic- 
tions of  others;  all  these  are  the  qualities  which  have  enabled 
him  to  make  such  a  remarkable  success  of  his  undertakings  on 
Staten  Island,  and  have  won  for  him  the  love  and  esteem  of  his 
fellow  men. 

St.  Mary's  Roman  Catholic  church.  Port  Richmond,  was  or- 
ganized as  an  out  mission  of  St.  Peter's  church.  New  Brighton, 
about  forty  years  ago.  The  Rev.  Father  Metrano  celebrated 
the  first  mass  for  about  forty  Catholics,  which  was  the  whole 
number  of  that  denomination  living  in  the  town  of  Northfield 
at  that  time.  The  place  of  worship  was  the  old  stone,  house 
which  still  stands  near  the  granite  quarry  at  Graniteville. 
Father  Metrano  continued  celebrating  mass  there  once  every 
month,  for  about  three  j^ears,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  the 
Rev.  P.  Murphy.  Father  Murphy's  time  was  short;  he  died 
from  an  attack  of  yellow  fever  contracted  while  performing  his 
sacred  functions  to  members  of  his  flock  in  the  yellow  fever 
hospital.  After  a  service  of  about  two  years,  he  was  succeeded 
by  his  brother.  Father  Mark  Murphy.  At  this  time  the  num- 
ber of  catholics  had  increased  to  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
members.  After  a  few  years  he  purchased  a  large  piece  of  land 
on  Quarry  hill,  and  built  a  frame  building,  sixty  by  thirty  feet, 
two  stories  high,  for  a  school  house.  He  used  it  for  a  church, 
intending  to  build  a  larger  and  more  commodious  building  for 
church  purposes.     He  officiated  for  about  eight  years,  when  he 

28 


484  HISTORY  OF  KIOHMOND  COUNTY. 

was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Father  Caro,  who  was  appointed 
j)astor  of  St.  Joseph's  church,  Rossville,  and  St.  Mary's  was 
attached  as  an  out  mission.  He  served  about  two  years.  He 
was  succeeded  by  E,ev.  Father  McCrausen,  who  officiated 
about  two  years. 

Up  to  this  time  there  was  no  regular  Sunday  school.  In  1858, 
Rev.  FatherBarry  of  St.  Patrick's,  NewYork,  was  appointed  pas- 
tor. Services  still  continued  to  be  held  once  a  month,  but  after 
a  few  years  they  were  held  twice  a  month.  The  catholic  popu- 
lation afterward  increased  to  about  four  hundred,  and  services 
were  held  every  Sunday.  During  his  time  a  regular  Sunday 
school  was  formed,  and  in  1873,  T.  F.  Donovan  was  appointed 
superintendent,  a  position  which  he  has  since  held.  Father 
Barry  officiated  for  nineteen  years.  During  his  time  the  tract 
of  land  which  was  laid  out  in  previous  years  for  church  pur- 
poses, was  converted  into  a  cemetery. 

In  1877,  the  number  of  catholics  had  increaised  to  five  or  six 
hundred.  The  church  authorities  deemed  it  advisable  to  make 
St.  Mary's  a  separate  parish,  and  therefore  appointed  Rev.  H. 
S.  O'Hare,  pastor.  He  served  one  year  and  three  months. 
In  1878,  Rev.  J.  C.  Campbell  was  appointed  pastor.  His  ap- 
pointment marks  the  forward  stride  of  St.  Mary's  church.  He 
worked  solely  for  the  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare  of  his 
people.  The  end  of  the  first  three  years  of  his  pastorate  found 
the  church  completely  clear  of  debt,  and  several  needed  im- 
provements made  in  the  old  frame  building  which  Father  Mur- 
phy had  built  thirty  years  previous,  and  which  was  still  used 
as  a  church.  He  next  had  the  parish  enlarged  by  getting  it  ex- 
tended to  Bodine's  Mill  creek.  The  number  of  Catholics 
belonging  to  St.  Mary's  was  now  about  eight  hundred. 

The  old  church  was  now  too  small  to  accommodate  the  grow- 
ing congregation,  and  its  location  was  such  as  to  prevent  a  great 
many  from  attending  their  own  church.  Father  Campbell  saw 
that  something  should  be  done  to  supply  the  wants  of  his 
people.  He  accordingly,  in  1882,  purchased  for  one  thousand 
iive  hundred  dollars,  a  large  piece  of  property  on  the  Shore  road, 
near  Port  Richmond,  and  erected  on  it  one  of  the  handsomest 
■church  edifices  on  Staten  Island,  at  a  cost  of  thirty  thousand 
dollars.  The  new  church  is  one  hundred  feet  long  by  fifty-seven 
feet  wide,  with  slate  roof,  and  has  a  steeple  one  hundred  and 
.twenty- five  feet  high.     The  inside  is  finished  in  polished  oak, 


HISTORY  OP  EIOHMOND  COUNTY.  435 

and  has  a  seating  capacity  of  six  hundred  ;  all  the  windows  are 
of  stained  glass,  and  were  donated  by  the  members  of  the 
church.  The  corner  stone  was  laid  by  Archbishop  Corrigan  on 
the  19th  of  August,  1883.  It  was  ready  for  services  the  follow- 
ing May,  and  on  the  4th  of  that  month  it  was  dedicated  by 
Archbishop  Corrigan.  In  April,  1885,  Father  Campbell  pur- 
chased a  magnificent  organ  to  be  placed  in  the  church,  at  a  cost 
of  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  It  was  used  for  the  first 
time  on  the  first  anniversary  of  the  dedication.  He  has  since 
purchased  a  large  piece  of  property  adjoining  the  church  prop- 
erty, to  be  used  for  church  purposes.  Daniel  D.  McCarthy 
donated  a  bell  weighing  two  thousand  pounds,  which  is  placed 
in  the  tower  of  the  church. 

St.  Joseph's  church,  Rossville,  was  built  in  1851,  and  for 
three  years  after  that  time  was  under  the  care  of  the  church  at 
Clifton.  About  1854  Rev.  Father  Caro  became  its  pastor.  He 
was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Bernard  McCrausen  in  1857.  He 
remained  until  1859,  when  the  Rev.  John  Barry  became  its 
pastor,  and  the  latter  remained  till  the  year  1877.  Rev.  Ed- 
ward A.  Dunphy  succeeded  him,  remaining  until  the  present 
time.  The  congregation  of  this  church  comes  from  Kreischer- 
ville,  Tottenville,  Green  Ridge,  Eltingville,  Annadale,  Hugue- 
not, Prince's  Bay,  Richmond  Valley  and  Rossville.  The  church 
is  a  frame  building  sixty-one  by  twenty-five  feet  on  the  ground, 
standing  near  Shay's  lane.  The  interior  is  tastefully  decorated 
with  oil  paintings,  and  the  house  is  furnished  with  stained  glass 
windows.     It  has  a  seating  capacity  for  about  three  hundred. 

St.  Patrick's  church,  located  at  Richmond,  was  built  in  the 
year  1861.  It  is  of  brick,  seventy-one  by  forty  feet  in  size,  and 
is  capable  of  seating  about  four  hundred  people.  It  owes  its 
existence  largely,  if  not  wholly,  to  the  persevering  efforts  of 
Rev.  Father  Barry,  who  for  many  years  was  its  faithful  pastor. 

St.  Rose  of  Lima,  located  on  Castleton  avenue,  at  the  corner 
of  Roe  street.  West  New  Brighton,  was  erected  in  1864,  on  a 
lot  seventy-five  by  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  which  had  been 
purchased  of  William  Jones  for  nine  hundred  dollars.  Its 
building  was  due  to  the  energy  of  Rev.  Father  Conrou,  then 
pastor  of  St.  Peter's  church  at  New  Brighton.  The  church  was 
appropriately  dedicated  on  Sunday,  December  4,  1864,  by  the 
celebration  of  high  mass,  and  a  performance  of  classic  music  by 
artists  from  St.  Peter's  church,  of  Barclay  street,  New  York, 


436  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

and  the  "Italian  Opera  Company."  A  notable  event  took 
place  here  on  Sunday,  May  22,  1881,  when  one  hundred  and 
fourteen  males  and  an  equal  number  of  females  were  confirmed 
by  Archbishop  Corrigan,  assisted  by  Father  Poole,  pastor  of 
the  church,  and  others. 

In  1850  a  number  of  the  members  of  the  Reformed  church  in 
Richmond,  residing  at  such  a  distance  therefrom  as  to  render 
their  attendance  inconvenient,  organized  a  new  church  at  Bloora- 
ingview,  now  known  as  the  "  Church  of  the  Huguenots.''  A 
plain  but  substantial  church  building  was  erected  on  land 
donated  by  the  Hon.  Benjamin  P.  Prall,  and  the  Rev.  James 

A.  M.  Latourette,  a  descendant  of  a  Staten  Island  Huguenot 
family,  became  its  first  pastor.  Soon  after,  however,  he  re- 
signed his  charge,  having  connected  himself  with  the  Protest- 
ant Episcopal  church. 

Mr.  Latourette  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  B.  Greg- 
ory, who  also,  after  a  brief  term,  resigned.     The  Rev.  Herman 

B.  Stryker,  a  native  Staten  Islander,  and  son  of  the  Rev.  Peter 
Stryker,  formerly  pastor  of  the  church  on  the  north  side,  then 
supplied  the  pulpit  for  several  years.  After  his  resignation, 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Francis  M.  Kip  assumed  the  duties  of  the  pastoral 
ofiice. 

"  The  First  United  Independent  Christian  Church  of  Staten  Is- 
land" (Unitarian)  was  organized  at  the  house  of  Minthorne  Tomp- 
kins in  Stapleton,  February  19, 1851,  by  the  election  of  Dr.  A.  Sid- 
ney Doane,  Minthorne  Tompkins,  Daniel  Low,  F.  S.  Hagadorn, 
William  Emerson,  P.  C.  Cortelyou,  John  C.  Thompson,  H.  M. 
Harding,  John  Crabtree,  A.  J.  Hamilton,  John  Bendernagel, 
and  Philip  Bender,  as  trustees.  This  society  held  their  meet- 
ings at  the  Lyceum  in  Stapleton,  where  the  Reverend  Messrs. 
Bellows,  Chapin  and  Osgood  often  kindly  officiated  until  the 
Rev.  John  Parkman,  of  Boston,  who  had  recently  become  a 
resident  of  the  island,  accepted  the  charge. 

On  the  21st  of  September  of  the  same  year  (1851)  "The  Con- 
gregational Church  of  the  Evangelists  of  New  Brighton  "  was 
established  by  the  initative  of  Messrs.  James  Parker,  Lucius 
Tuckerman,  W.  C.  Goodhue,  George  W.  Jewett,  John  Crabtree. 
A.  J.  Hamilton,  George  A.  Ward,  Robert  C.Goodhue,  William 
W.  Russell,  Smith  Ely,  S.  M.  Elliott,  John  D.  Sloat,  J.  E.  Kun- 
hardt,  William  F.  Cary,  John  Jewett,  Jr.,  L.  G.  Wyeth  and 
Mrs.  M.  Pendleton.     This  society  held  their  meetings  at   the 


o 


1\ 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  437 

Belmont  house,  New  Brighton,  Mr.  Parkman  preaching  on  al- 
ternate Sundays  there  and  at  the  Lyceum,  for  about  six  months, 
when,  unable  to  obtain  a  suitable  place  for  worship,  the  organi- 
zation was  dissolved,  and  the  members  joined  the  congregation. 
Mr.  Parkman  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  united  body, 
and  the  name  of  the  corporation  was  changed  to  that  of  "  The 
Church  of  the  Redeemer,"  Messrs.  Daniel  Low,  Gfeorge  A. 
Ward,  W.  C.  Goodhue,  John  F.  Raymond,  Lucius  Tuckerman, 
H.  M.  Harding,  A.  J.  Hamilton,  John  Crabtree  and  Daniel  G. 
Garrison  being  the  board  of  trustees.  A  building  for  church 
purposes  was  erected  on  Richmond  turnpike  at  the  foot  of  Cebra 
avenue,  an  isolated  situation,  apparently  selected  because,  be- 
ing about  equi-distant  from  the  several  villages,  it  was  not  more 
inconvenient  to  one  than  to  another.  It  was  dedicated  June 
29,  185B.  The  church  iiourished  and  increased,  and  it  was 
thought  necessary  to  enlarge  the  building.  This  was  done,  and 
the  number  of  pews  almost  doubled. 

In  a  comparatively  short  time,  however,  the  disadvantages 
of  the  situation  became  more  and  more  manifest ;  the  roads 
were  bad,  and  there  were  no  sidewalks;  most  of  the  congre- 
gation lived  at  a  distance;  access  to  the  church  was  difficult, 
almost  impracticable  at  seasons  to  those  on  foot;  the  zeal  of 
many  of  the  original  members  diminished;  some  died,  more  left 
the  island,  and  their  places  remained  empty.  Mr.  Parkman, 
with  his  family,  went  to  Europe,  and  was  succeeded  tempora- 
rily by  Rev.  Charles  Ritter,  and  by  Rev.  R.  P.  Cutler,  and 
finally  in  November,  1865,  after  an  unsuccessful  attempt  to  in- 
duce Mr.  Parkman,  on  his  return  to  Boston  from  Europe,  to 
resume  his  former  charge,  the  church  was  closed,  the  building 
sold  and  removed,  the  land  also  sold,  and  the  proceeds  invested 
in  United  States  bonds.  The  corporation  was  continued,  how- 
ever, and  its  members  patiently  awaited  the  time  when  more 
favorable  circumstances  should  call  it  to  renewed  activity.  That 
time  came  in  1868,  when  the  population  of  New  Brighton,  hav- 
ing greatly  increased,  Rev.  W.  R.  G.  Mellen,  then  secretary  of 
the  Hudson  River  Conference,  gathered  the  congregation  to- 
gether, and  attempted  its  reorganization.  Meetings  were  held  at 
the  Union  Sunday  school  room  in  New  Brighton,  at  which  he 
conducted  the  services,  and  after  much  patient  and  earnest  en- 
deavor on  his  part,  the  desired  result  was  attained.  A  reor-; 
ganization  was  effected,  and  Messrs.  Daniel   Low,  George  W. 


438  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Jewett,  John  C.  Henderson,  Charles  C.  Goodhue,  George  W. 
Curtis,  John  H.  Piatt,  Edward  B.  Merrill,'  J.  Frank  Emmons 
and  Andrew  M.  F.  Davis,  were  chosen  trustees.  A  lot  of  land 
on  the  corner  of  Clinton  avenue  and  Second  street,  New  Brigh- 
ton, 'was  purchased,  and  a  church  edifice  erected  thereon  at  the 
cost  of  nearly  $15,000.  The  larger  part  of  this  sum  was  paid 
by  the  funds  in  hand  and  by  subscriptions,  but  a  debt  of  nearly 
$6,000  remained. 

Rev.  W.  C.  Badger  was  called  to  the  pastorate,  but  was  com- 
pelled by  ill  health  to  resign  in  about  eighteen  months. 
The  pulpit  was  afterward  supplied  by  different  clergyman  for 
a  while,  but  for  several  months  the  services  were  conducted  by 
Mr.  George  W.  Curtis,  who  read  such  printed  sermons  as  he 
judged  would  interest  and  help  the  congregation.  In  May,  1871, 
Rev.  W.  R.  G.  Mellen,  who  had,  in  the  meanwhile,  been  preach- 
ing at  Detroit,  was  settled  as  pastor,  and  remained  in  charge 
until  May,  1874,  when  circumstances  compelled  him  to  resign. 
After  this  the  services  were  principally  and  gratuitously  con- 
ducted by  Mr.  Curtis,  in  the  manner  above  mentioned,  to  the 
continued  delight  and  satisfaction  of  the  hearers. 

During  this  period  a  fine  organ  was  purchased  and  paid  for, 
mainly  through  the  exertion  of  Mr.  J.  W.  Simonton,  who  had 
gratuitously  conducted  the  musical  services  of  the  congrega- 
tion since  the  reorganization;  the  debt  was  paid  off,  Mr.  Daniel 
Low,  deceased,  having  contributed  largely  for  that  purpose, 
and  the  society  was  enabled  to  give  assistance  to  other  weak 
churches,  and  to  deserving  charities. 

The  revenues  of  the  "  Church  of  the  Redeemer"  were  raised 
by  subscription  and  not  from  the  rent  of  pews,  the  seats  being 
absolutely  free.  All  persons  of  both  sexes,  of  fall  age,  who 
had  been  stated  attendants  on  worship  with  the  society  for 
one  year,  and  had  contributed  five  dollars  annually  to  its 
treasury  were  entitled  to  take  part,  and  to  vote  at  all  its  pro- 
ceedings. 

When,  after  a  few  years,  Mr.  Curtis  relinquished  the  con- 
duct of  the  services  the  society  invited  various  clergymen  to 
preach,  and  finally  asked  the  Rev.  Alphonso  Weeks  to  become 
the  pastor.  He  was  obliged  to  decline  and  the  religious  ser- 
vices were  then  suspended.  The  church  remained  unoccupied 
for  a  time,  but  in  1884  it  was  let  to  a  Baptist  society  which  holds 
regular  worship  in  the  building. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  439 

The  First  Edgewater  Presbyterian  church  is  located  on 
Brownell  and  McKeon  streets,  Stapleton.  It  was  originally 
called  "The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Clifton."  The  or- 
ganization took  place  Wednesday  afternoon,  May  14,  1856,  at 
the  residence  of  Gr.  W.  Gerard,  Townsend  avenue,  Clifton, 
when  the  Third  Presbytery  of  New  York  city  met  for  that 
purpose.  There  were  present  of  that  body  Kev.  Dr.  Samuel 
D.  Burchard,  A.  E.  Campbell,  Rev.  W.  Roosevelt,  D.  T.  Mc- 
Laughton,  and  Elders  David  Stevens  and  J.  C.  Hines,  the  com- 
mittee appointed  by  the  body  for  this  service.  After  religious 
service,  twenty-one  persons  from  the  Reformed  Dutch  church  of 
Stapleton,  and  five  from  other  churches  presented  letters  of 
dismissal  to  the  new  church,  and  having  assented  to  the  con- 
fession of  the  faith  and  covenant  were  organized  into  a  Pres- 
byterian church.  John  D.  Dix,  E.  S.  Saxton,  and  Gr.  W.  Ger- 
ard were  elected  elders;  E.  A.  Ludlow,  and Davidge  deacons; 

and  were  forthwith  installed.  Rev.  Dr.  Burchard  officiating. 
The  first  communion  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  celebrated  in  the 
home  of  Elder  Gerard,  May  18,  1856,  when  all  the  members  of 
the  church  were  present. 

Rev.  Alonzo  Brown  became  pastor  of  the  church  October  1, 
1856.  This  pastorate  was  dissolved  November  30,  1857.  The 
Rev.  Samuel  W.  Cruttenden  was  the  next  pastor,  and  served 
the  church  from  April,  1858,  until  November  9,  1859.  On  the 
25fh  of  January,  1860,  the  Rev.  W.  Howell  Taylor  was  elected 
pastor,  and  he  continued  as  such  until  October,  1864.  The  Rev. 
J.  H.  Sinclair  was  next  invited  to  supply  the  pulpit  for  eight 
months.  February  20,  1865,  the  Rev.  David  R.  Frazer,  of  Bal- 
timore, was  called  to  become  the  pastor.  He  resigned  the 
pastorate,  and  was  on  October  8,  1868,  released  from  the  same. 
In  December,  1865,  the  first  official  steps  were  taken  toward  the 
building  of  a  new  church,  and  resulted  in  the  purchase  of  the 
present  church  edifice,  then  occupied  by  the  Dutch  Reformed 
church,  and  owned  by  them.  On  April  13,  1868,  a  congrega- 
tional meeting  was  held  to  consider  an  overture  from  the  Re- 
formed Dutch  church  of  Stapleton  respecting  a  union  of  the 
two  churches,  which  was  effected.  At  a  meeting  of  the  congrega- 
tion, May  20,  1868,  the  name  of  the  church  was  changed  to  the 
"First  Presbyterian  Church,  Edgewater." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  J.  E.  Rockwell,  of  Brooklyn,  was  elected  pastor 
of  the  church  August  5,  1868.     His  pastorate  was  terminated  by 


440  HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

his  death,  in  the  year  1882,  after  a  long  and  useful  ministry. 
On  October  29,  1882,  the  Rev.  Gr.  M.  McCampbell,  the  present 
pastor,  was  called  to  the  church. 

The  chapel,  or  Sunday  school  room  of  this  church,  which 
formerly  stood  on  Gorge  street,  now  Broad  street,  was  destroyed 
by  an  incendiary  fire.  After  this  the  present  one  was  erected. 
This  costly  and  commodious  chapel  of  the  church,  erected  in 
1876,  stands  on  the  corner  opposite  the  present  church  edifice, 
and  is  used  for  Sunday  school  purposes  and  the  weekly  devo- 
tional and  other  meetings  of  the  congregation.  It  is  a  spacious 
and  elegant  brick  edifice,  erected  chiefly,  if  not  wholly,  through 
the  munificence  of  a  lady,  who  donated  $8,000  for  the  purpose. 
The  present  membership  numbers  two  hundred  and  forty.  There 
are  three  hundred  children  in  the  Sunday  school.  The  benev- 
olent contributions  during  the  last  year  amounted  to  $1,400, 
while  for  congregational  expenses  $4,000  were  raised. 

The  Calvary  Presbyterian  church,  of  West  New  Brighton, 
was  organized  November  17,  1872,  under  care  of  the  Presbytery 
of  Brooklyn.  It  was  organized  with  thirty-five  members,  most 
of  these  having  been  previously  connected  with  the  Dutch  re- 
formed church  of  Port  Richmond.  The  following  were  its  first 
ofiicers :  R.  N".  Havens  and  Augustus  W.  Sexton,  elders  ; 
Ralozie  Fuller  and  William  J.  Ladd,  deacons.  The  chapel, 
situated  on  the  corner  of  Bement  and  Castleton  avenues,  had 
been  erected  before  the  organization  of  the  church.  It  was 
built  during  the  summer  of  1872,  at  first  to  accommodate  the 
Sunday  school,  which  had  been  organized  May  14th  of  that 
year.  The  church  was  really  the  outgrowth  of  a  Sunday  school. 
From  its  beginning  until  April,  1873,  the  pulpit  of  the  church 
was  supplied  by  the  Rev.  James  S.  Evans,  D.  D.,  who,  as  syn- 
odical  superintendent  of  church  extension,  had  rendered  great 
assistance  in  effecting  the  organization.  On  the  evening  of 
March  11th,  1873,  a  call  was  extended  to  the  Rev.  J.  Milton 
Greene,  pastor  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  church,  of  Brook- 
lyn, which  was  accepted  by  him,  and  he  was  installed  pastor  of 
The  church  on  the  evening  of  March  3d,  1873.  He  continued  to 
minister  to  the  church  for  eight  years,  when  he  resigned  to 
enter  upon  missionary  work  in  Mexico.  During  this  time,  be- 
ginning in  May,  1881,  Presbyterian  services  were  conducted  in 
the  old  school  house  between  Travisville  and  Linoleumville,  by 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  441 

Kev.  J.  Milton  Greene  and  Chaplain  Jones  of  Sailors'  Snug 
Harbor. 

Constant  growth  characterized  the  organization,  so  that  in 
September,  1874,  it  was  found  necessary  to  enlarge  the  chapel 
by  one  half  of  its  original  size.  The  present  pastor.  Rev.  T.  A. 
Leggett,  was  installed  in  December,  1881.  The  church  has  had 
a  healthy  growth,  and  its  piresent  membership  is  two  hundred 
and  fifty.  The  Sabbath  school  is  one  of  the  largest  on  the 
island,  and  is  admitted  by  all  to  be  the  most  popular  and 
flourishing. 

The  chapel,  since  its  enlargement,  is  capable  of  seating  from 
four  to  five  hundred  people;  and  the  interior  is  beautifully  and 
tastefully  finished  and  furnished.  The  church  owns  land  ad- 
joining the  chapel,  and  expects  to  erect  upon  it  a  substantial 
church. 

The  "German  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  St.  John," 
at  Port  Richmond,  was  organized  October  17,  1852.  This  be- 
longs to  the  sect,  U.  A.  C.  (Unaltered  Augsburgian  Confession). 
This  confession  was  drawn  up  at  Augsburg  by  Melancthon,  and 
bj'^  him  and  Luther  presented  to  the  Emperor  Charles  in  1530. 
The  original  members  were:  John  Rathyen,  Paul  Schmidt, 
Charles  Keutgen,  John  Hettsche,  Carl  Senne,  A.  Knopp,  Ernst 
Senne,  Louis  Koenig,  John  C.  Schiegel,  Augustus  Senne,  J.  H. 
Matthius,  Diedrich  Senne,  Gottlieb  Bertsch,  Carl  Neidthart, 
Adam  Fuegel,  A.  Hulsebus. 

The  pastors  of  the  church  have  been  as  follows:  Bernard  de 
Schweinitz;  Fr.  Boeling,  from  1853  to  1855;  H.  Roel,  from  1855 
to  1856;  J.  F.  C.  Hennicke,  from  1856  to  1857;  K.  Goehling,  from 
1858  .to  1859;  M.  Termenstein,  from  1860  to  1867;  J.  E.  Gottlieb, 
from  1867  to  1875;  C.  Frincke,  jr.,  December  5,  1875,  to  1884; 
J.  P.  Schoener,  April  19,  1885,  to  the  present  time. 

In  1884  the  church  had  one  hundred  and  fifty-seven  commu- 
nicant members.  The  congregation  has  a  day  school  of  sixty- 
two  pupils,  mostly  children  of  the  members.  The  school  had 
a  few  years  since  one  hundred  scholars.  It  is  conducted  in 
German  and  English.  Some  studies  are  given  in  either  lan- 
guage. It  is  prominently  a  religious  school.  The  church  edi- 
fice was  purchased  from  the  Methodists.  (See  Trinity  M.  E. 
church). 

The  Unitarian  church  on  the  Turnpike  road  was  purchased 


442  HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

in  1865,  by  this  congregation,  who  were  then  worshipping  under 
the  leadership  of  Rev.  Karl  Goehling.  The  price,  which  included 
a  fine  pipe  organ  and  the  other  furniture  of  the  house,  was 
three  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  The  building  was  re- 
moved to  the  corner  of  Beach  street  and  Richmond  road,  on 
ground  donated  in  part  by  Albert  Ward,  Esq.,  for  the  site  of  a 
church.  This  congregation  had  previously  used  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  on  Cebra  avenue  for  their  meetings. 

There  is  a  Lutheran  church  at  Edgewater,  of  which  we  have 
been  unable  to  procure  information.  It  has  a  parish  school 
connected  with  it. 

The  organization  of  St.  Peter's  congregation  having  been  per 
fected  Rev.  Dr.  L.  Mohn  proposed  Mr.  Jacob  Ganss,  a  student  of 
theology,  as  preacher,  to  whom  accordingly  a  call  was  sent. 
Mr.  Ganss  preached  his  first  sermon  here  on  the  first  Sunday  of 
the  Advent  of  1881.  His  zeal  for  the  welfare  of  the  congrega- 
tion was  of  such  a  sacrificing  nature  as  to  insure  the  success  of 
Doctor  Mohn' s- undertaking  according  to  the  principles  advo- 
cated by  him.  After  having  passed  a  most  satisfactory  exam- 
ination he  was  by  recommendation  of  the  classis  of  New  York 
ordained  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  on  November  16,  1883, 
was  duly  installed  as  minister  of  the  "German  Evangelical 
St.  Peter's  Church  of  Kreischerville,"  by  three  members  of  the 
classis  of  New  York.  A  full  choir  of  ladies  and  gentlemen 
was  organized  and  is  under  the  leadership  of  the  minister.  One 
of  the  members  of  the  congregation  acts  as  organist.  Services 
are  held  every  Sunday  from  10  to  11  A.  M.,  and  Sunday  school 
meets  from  9  to  10  A.  M.  A  weekly  lecture  for  the  benefit  of 
the  church  is  given  by  the  minister. 

The  church  is  located  in  the  midst  of  a  small  village  near 
the  Staten  Island  sound.  The  front  of  the  church  is  visible 
from  the  public  highway  leading  from  Tottenville  to  Rossville. 

The  establishment  of  a  German  church  here  dates  back  to 
the  year  1881,  where  the  now  deceased  Rev.  Dr.  L.  Mohn,  of 
Hoboken,  N.  J.,  by  his  zeal  in  bringing  about  German  worship, 
was  moved  to  begin  his  labors  in  a  small  chapel,  kindly  offered 
by  the  Methodist  Episcopal  congregation  in  the  village. 

On  the  23d  day  of  October,  1881,  the  church  was  incorporated 
by  the  Honorable  Classis  of  New  York,  and  the  first  consistory 
was  organized  by  representatives  of  the  classis.  The  increased 
popularity  of  the  services  rendered  the  auditorium  inadequate 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  443 

to  the  number  of  members  in  attendance,  so  that  it  became 
necessary  for  the  congregation  to  provide  a  church  of  its  own. 

The  large  majority  of  the  congregation  being  German  and  of 
German  extraction,  consisting  mainly  of  employees  of  the  firm 
of  B.  Kreischer  &  Sons,  Mr.  B.  Kreischer,  the  senior  member  of 
the  firm,  having  been  an  inhabitant  of  the  place  since  1852, 
seeing  the  necessity  of  a  house  of  public  worship,  proceeded  to 
erect  a  fine  church  for  their  benefit  at  his  own  expense. 

He  personally  superintended  the  erection  of  the  building, 
from  laying  the  foundation  to  the  completion  of  the  structure. 
On  the  first  day  of  July,  1883,  a  fine  little  church  was  ready 
to  open  its  doors  to  those  who  were  anxious  to  hear  the  praise 
of  the  Lord  expounded  in  the  German  language,  the  building 
having  cost  Mr.  Kreischer  fifteen  thousand  dollars.  In  the  pres- 
ence of  every  member  of  Mr.  Kreischer's  family  the  church  was 
delivered  to  the  congregation,  and  services  to  celebrate  the  oc- 
casion were  conducted  by  the  Eev.  Dr.  L.  Mohn,  assisted  by 
the  Rev.  Jacob  Ganss.  The  Sunday  school  connected  with  the 
church,  and  which  is  in  charge  of  the  consistory,  was  at  the 
same  time  organized. 

At  the  present  time  there  are  about  two  hundred  members  of 
the  congregation,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  children  belong- 
ing to  the  Sunday  school.  The  meetings  of  the  consistory  are 
held  in  a  room  fitted  up  for  that  purpose  in  the  church  build- 
ing. The  first  preacher  and  founder  of  the  church  was  Rev. 
Dr.  L.  Mohn.  The  present  members  of  the  consistory  are : 
Charles  0.  Kreischer,  Edward  B.  Kreischer,  elders  ;  August 
Nyck,  secretary  ;  Julius  Meerowski,  George  Werner,  deacons  ; 
Edward  B.  Kreischer,  treasurer. 

Two  societies  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association 
have  been  organized  on  the  island.  The  association  of  the  north 
shore  was  organized  in  Trinity  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
July  15,  1867,  and  was  incorporated  on  the  3d  of  September  fol- 
lowing. The  incorporators  were  :  Mathew  S.  Taylor,  George 
A.  Middlebrook,  Mulford  D.  Simonson,  John  D.  Vermeule  and 
Eugene  DuBois.  The  corner  stone  of  their  beautiful  edifice 
was  laid  Tuesday,  August  15,  1871,  with  appropriate  cere- 
monies, and  was  dedicated  November  22,  1872. 

The  building  contains  a  reading  room,  sitting  room,  associa- 
tion meeting  room,  and  an  auditorium  capable  of  seating  four 


444  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

hundred  and  eighty  persons.     The  total  cost  of  the  building 
was  $19,755.32. 

On  the  18th  of  June,  1883,  a  band  of  young  men,  numbering 
thirty-seven,  met  in  the  Sunday  school  room  of  the  Brighton 
Heights  Reformed  church  and  resolved  themselves  into  a  soci- 
ety under  the  name  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association 
of  the  East  Shore.  As  the  society  gained  a  footing  and  its  vari- 
ous branches  of  work  were  organized,  religious  meetings  were 
held  as  often  as  twice  a  week,  besides  a  meeting  on  Saturday 
afternoon  for  boys.  Literary  entertainments  and  debates  were 
held  during  the  winter,  occasional  lectures  were  given,  a  read- 
ing room  was  provided  with  the  weekly  and  daily  papers,  and 
a  library  of  about  five  hundred  volumes.  A  parlor,  supplied 
with  an  organ  and  other  attractions,  was  open  every  evening, 
social  receptions  were  occasionally  held,  and  a  gymnasium  was 
fitted  up  for  the  use  of  members.  At  the  end  of  the  first  year 
the  membership  of  the  association  numbered  one  hundred  and 
fifty,  divided  into  three  classes,  active,  associate  and  sustaining. 


CHAPTER   IX. 


EDUCATION    AND    LITERATURE. 


The  Schools  of  the  Colonial  Period. — The  Public  Schools  under  the  State  Gov- 
ernment.— Richmond  County  College. — Brighton  Heights  Seminary. — Staten 
Island  Academy. — The  Natural  Science  Association. — Newspapers. — George 
William  Curtis.— John  Adams  Appleton. — The  Smith  Famdy. 


IN  respect  to  intellectual  culture  and  attention  to  popular 
education  Staten  Island  has  ever  sustained  a  creditable 
position  in  its  generation.  It  has  indeed  been  remarkably 
favored  in  this  particular,  even  more  so  than  most  localities  in 
its  neighborhood.  Always  the  home  of  men  prominent  in  scien- 
tific, literary,  educational  or  political  fields — men  who  were 
among  the  foremost  in  the  councils  of  the  province,  state  or 
nation,  in  the  various  fields  of  mental  action,  it  has  profited  by 
their  leadership,  energy  and  enterprise.  Then  again,  being 
situated,  as  it  were,  under  the  wing  of  the  great  American 
metropolis,  it  has  had  the  benefit  of  its  attractions,  patronage 
and  benefactions. 

The  early  inhabitants  of  the  island  gave  assiduous  attention 
to  the  education  of  their  children.  Very  meagre  fragments 
only  of  history  may  now  be  found  to  tell  us  how  they  accom- 
plished this  work,  but  enough  may  be  found  to  convince  us  that 
they  appreciated  the  importance  of  giving  their  children  the 
common  education  of  the  times.  The  first  education  was  very 
naturally  of  a  religious  character,  and  given  under  religious 
patronage.  The  earliest  note  that  we  find  touching  this  subject 
is  one  in  the  records  of  the  "Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,"  an  English  society  sustained 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Episcopal  church,  for  the  year  1710, 
which  is  as  follows  : 

"Mr.  Mackenzy,  the  Society's  Missionary  in  Staten  Island, 
in  the  Province  of  New  York,  having  informed  them  how  much 
they  wanted  School-Masters  to  instruct  the  Children  of  the 
English,  Dutch  and  French,  in   the   said  Island,  and  having 


446  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

recommended    Mr.  Adam  Brown    and   Mr.  Benjamin   Drewit 
for  that  Purpose,  the    Society  made   choice  of   them  both." 

These  early  schoolmasters  were  also  sometimes  called  cat- 
echists.  The  two  seem  to  have  been  continued — at  least  that 
mimber  was  employed — during  the  two  years  following,  bub 
in  1712  the  men  appear  to  have  been  changed.  That  year 
Francis  Williamson  and  John  de  Puy  were  employed  as  school- 
masters under  the  patronage  of  the  "  Society."  They  received 
ten  pounds  a  year  for  their  salary,  and  their  work  was  emi- 
nently satisfactory,  as  the  testimony  of  the  missionary,  Rev. 
Mr.  Mackenzy,  together  with  the  approval  of  the  justices  of 
the  county  abundantly  proved.  So  beneficial  to  the  people 
did  the  work  of  these  early  schoolmasters  appear  to  be  that  the 
society  determined  in  1713  to  employ  three  more  catechists 
or  schoolmasters  at  once. 

We  have  the  report  of  Mr.  Brown  of  Richmond,  one  of  these 
teachers,  the  report  being  dated  April  10,  1718,  by  which  we 
learn  that  he  had  continued  to  keep  school  iu  the  south  precinct 
of  the  county ;  that  lie  had  taught,  during  the  year  preceding, 
thirty-five  children  to  "read,  write  and  cypher  ;  "  and  the  cat- 
echism of  the  church,  with  the  explanations  thereof,  to  such  as 
were  capable  ;  that  he  had  twenty-four  of  his  scholars  publicly 
catechized  in  the  church,  and  the  readiness  with  which  they 
answered  all  questions  was  admired  by  all  who  heard  them  ; 
that  he  taught  them  the  use  of  the  "common  prayer,"  so  that 
the  children  could  join  with  the  congregation  in  the  divine  ser- 
vice. This  report  was  certified  to  by  the  minister  and  the  board 
of  justices  of  the  county. 

In  1717,  Charles  Taylor  appears  as  the  schoolmaster  of  the 
"  Society,"  with  a  salary  of  fifteen  pounds  a  year.  He  appears 
to  have  occupied  the  position  for  several  years.  In  1722  and 
1723  he  was  teaching  respectively,  forty-three  and  forty  two 
scholars.  Besides  the  scholars  in  regular  daily  attendance  he 
also  at  that  time  kept  a  night  school  for  teaching  negroes  and 
those  children  who  had  to  work  during  the  day-time.  The 
salary  received  from  the  "  Society"  was  not  his  only  reliance. 
He  received  an  additional  pittance  from  his  patrons  as  a  rule, 
though  his  own  interest  in  the  cause  and  the  poverty  of  some 
of  his  pupils  induced  him  to  teach  some  without  any  other  pay 
than  the  salary  of  the  society.  He  continued  to  exercise  the 
functions  of  a  schoolmaster  for  many  years.     He  died  in  the 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  447 

service  in  1742,  as  the  following  abstract  from  tlie  "Society's" 
minutes  will  show : 

"And  Mr.  Taylor,  the  Society's  Schoolmaster  at  Staten 
Island  being  dead,  the  Society  upon  a  Petition  and  Recommenda- 
tion from  the  Reverend  Mr.  Arnold,  their  Missionary,  and  from 
the  Church-wardens  and  Vestry  of  the  Church  of  Staten  Island, 
of  Mr.  Andrew  Wright,  as  a  Person  of  good  Morals,  and  a  con- 
stant Communicant,  and  well  qualified  to  teach,  hath  appointed 
him  School-master  there  to  instruct  the  poor  white,  and  black 
Children  also,  if  any  such  are  brought  to  him,  gratis,  in  the 
Principles  of  Christianity,  and  to  read  the  Bible  and  the  Com- 
mon-prayer Book." 

It  is  hardly  to  be  supposed  that  these  schoolmasters  employed 
by  this  society  were  the  first  or  only  teachers  engaged  at  the 
time  in  the  instruction  of  children.  But  we  have  been  unable 
to  find  any  definite  data  in  regard  to  the  early  operations  of  the 
Dutch  in  the  cause  of  education. 

During  the  colonial  period  the  secular  schools  were  generally 
under  private  patronage.  To  show  the  contrast  between  a 
teacher's  certificate  of  that  time  and  those  under  which  teachers 
pass  at  the  present  time  we  give  the  following  copy  : 

"We  whose  names  are  under  written  Do  Certify  that  the 
Bearer  hereof,  James  Forrest,  has  lived  in  the  West  end  of 
Staten  Island  two  years  and  six  months.  During  which  time  we 
know  nothing  of  him  but  what  is  Just  and  honest,  Teaching  and 
Instructing  of  Pupils  in  such  parts  of  Literature  as  their 
Capacity  Could  Contain :  with  great  Fidelity  and  Justice,  Griv- 
ing  due  and  Regular  Attendance  in  said  school  to  our  mutual 
&  Intire  Satisfaction  and  Likewise  Instructed  them  in  their 
Parts  and  Honours  to  our  great  Felicity,  and  now  to  part  at  his 
own  Request.  As  Witness  our  hands  6th  of  August  Seventeen 
hundred  and  Sixtynine  1769. 

Isaac  Doty,  William  Bennet,  Abraham  Winant, 

Peter  Androvet,    David  Laforge,      John  Garrison, 
Zackeus  Vandyck,  George  Garrison,  Cornelius  Dusosway, 
John  Dubois,  Daniel  Winant,     John  Gould, 

Isaac  Prall,  Jacob  Reckhow,     John  Story, 

Isaac  Doty,  Daniel  Stilwell,  Thomas  Butler, 

Moses  Doty,  John  Totton,  Henry  Butler, 

Joseph  Spragq,  Gilbert  Totton,  Christopher  Billopp, 
Jacob  Spragg,  Isaac  Mane, 

Daniel  Winant,  Jun'r." 


448  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

After  the  establishment  of  the  state  government  the  subject 
of  popular  education  began  to  receive  notice  in  the  legislature. 
The  first  step  in  that  direction  was  the  incorporation  of  tlie 
Regents  of  the  University,  which  was  done  by  the  first  legisla- 
ture after  the  adoption  of  the  constitution.  In  1789,  the  state 
set  apart  certain  public  lands  for  gospel  and  school  purposes. 
In  1795,  an  act  was  passed  for  encouraging  and  maintaining 
schools,  appropriating  fifty  thousand  dollars  annually  for  five 
years  for  that  purpose.  In  1799,  an  act  was  passed  authorizing 
and  providing  for  raising  the  sum  of  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  by  means  of  four  successive  lotteries,  the  money  to  be 
appropriated  to  the  encouragement  of  schools.  In  1805,  an  act 
was  passed  by  which  five  hundred  thousand  acres  of  the  public 
lands  of  the  state  were  to  be  sold  and  the  proceeds  devoted  to 
the  establishment  of  a  permanent  fund,  the  income  of  which 
was  to  be  annually  distributed  among  the  school  districts  of  the 
-state  for  the  support  of  common  schools. 

'No  system  for  carrying  out  the  beneficence  of  the  state  had 
been  devised  when  Governor  Tompkins,  at  the  opening  of  the 
session,  in  1810,  addressed  the  legislature,  urging  attention  to 
this  matter.  The  income  of  the  fund  at  that  time  amounted  to 
about  twenty-six  thousand  dollars  annually,  the  fund  itself 
having  reached  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  thousand 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  dollars  and  sixty-nine  cents.  In  1811 
Governor  Tompkins  again  urged  the  matter  upon  the  legisla- 
ture, and  the  result  was  the  passage  of  an  act  organizing  the 
common  school  system  as  it  existed  until  1838.  The  first  dis- 
tribution of  money  under  this  system  was  made  in  1813,  the  law 
establishing  it  having  been  passed  June  19,  1812.  This  system 
divided  the  several  towns  into  school  districts,  and  placed  the 
affairs  of  each  district  in  the  hands  of  three  trustees.  The 
school  money  was  apportioned  to  the  towns  on  the  basis  of  their 
population,  and  again  divided  to  each  school  district  on  the  basis 
of  the  number  of  children  in  each,  between  the  ages  of  five  and 
fifteen  years.  Each  town  was  required  to  raise  for  school  pur- 
poses a  sum  equal  to  that  which  it  received  from  the  state.  The 
first  superintendent  of  common  schools  was  Gideon  Hawley, 
whose  term  extended  from  1813  to  1821. 

But  it  is  not  our  purpose  to  give  here  even  an  outline  of  the 
development  of  the  common  school  system  of  which  to-day  the 
Empire  state  may  justly  boast.     That  system,  in  its  operations. 


HISTOKY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 


449 


is  not  different  in  Richmond  county  from  other  parts  of  the 
state.  Its  present  status  is  shown  by  the  following  figures 
from  the  reports  of  the  schools  for  the  year  last  closed  : 


Town  of  Castleton. 


Four  Corners 

West  New  Brighton. 

New  Brighton 

New  Brighton 


T3 

M 

■3  •;' 

■1  ■ 

V 

at 

is 

E.a 

rt"o 

u 

^  bo 

d 

s| 

^J 

<4H     (4 

S.2 

3  M 

3.S 

!■£ 

O  3 
P  o 

o 

o 

< 

> 

387 

175 

1,500.00 

3,500 

1,584 

813 

9,730.53 

13,000 

1,466 

889 

8,405.03 

40,000 

711 

368 

5,700.00 

10,000 

391,800 

885,700 

1,356,968 

638,601 


Town  op  Middletown. 


Tompkinsville — Edgewater . 
Stapleton — Edgewater . . . .~ . 

Todt  Hill 

New  Dorp 


773 

439 

4,330.81 

16,000 

3,160 

1,384 

8,749.44 

38,000 

168 

73 

600.00 

500 

147 

74 

660.00 

1,300 

497,754 

1,101,310 

190,435 

135,995 


Town  of  Noethfield. 


Richmond 

New  Springville 

Linoleumville 

Port  Richmond 

Mariners'  Harbor 

Port  Richmond,  Village  of. 
Traversville 


Port  Richmond. 


116 

78 

550.14 

650 

133 

50 

500.00 

400 

149 

130 

1,000.00 

3,500 

147 

74 

550.00 

800 

450 

380 

3,518.13 

3,500 

866 

591 

5,693.50 

10,000 

134 

74 

500.00 

350 

69 

53 

364.00 

850 

194 

135 

800.00 

800 

100,000 
147,916 
100,917 
143,308 
446,760 
946,940 
67,938 
46,354 
103,040 


Town  of  Southpibld. 

1 

Clifton     . .     . .            

878 

430 

63 

360 

334 

41 

3,513.61 

1,378.00 

600.00 

13,600 
3,000 
1,000 

603,730 
333,498 

9. 

Concord 

3 

New  Dorp  

83,855 

Town  of  Wbstfield. 

Richmond  Valley. 

Sea  Side 

Green  Ridge  

Rossville 

Tottenville 

Prince's  Bay 

Kreisoherville 

Sea  Side 


156 

91 

575.00 

700 

83 

63 

600.00 

1,000 

141 

66 

450.00 

800 

181 

94 

600.00 

800 

533 

361 

3,750.00 

13,000 

383 

176 

1,300.00 

1,000 

360 

305 

980.00 

1,500 

135 

70 

700.00 

1,300 

130,180 
133,875 
169,810 
151,655 
135,930 
176,730 
155,850 
136,375 


In  the  popular  instruction  afforded  by  public  lectures  and 
literary  entertainments  of  a  high  order,  the  people  of  Staten 
Island  have  enjoyed  unusual  facilities.  For  many  years  in- 
structive lecture  courses  have  been  maintained  in  some  of  the 

39 


450  IIISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

villages.  The  support  given  to  them  speaks  well  for  the  intelli- 
gent good  sense  of  the  people.  The  evidences  are  not  wanting 
to  show  that  the  people  of  Staten  Island  have  been  disposed  to 
appreciate  the  value  of  popular  education  in  many  ways,  and 
to  give  a  generous  support  to  whatever  means  were  presented 
for  its  accomplishment.  The  proximity  to  New  York  city,  how- 
ever, which  circumstance  has  proven  favorable  to  some  means, 
has  been  unfavorable  to  the  maintenance  here  of  collegiate 
schools  or  academies  of  high  grade.  Attempts  have  been  made 
to  establish  such  institutions,  but  the  results  until  recently 
have  not  been  eminently  encouraging.  An  explanation  is 
readily  seen  in  the  fact  that  the  best  institutions  of  the  great 
metropolis,  with  advantages  which  a  rural  county  like  this 
could  not  be  expected  to  emulate,  are  daily  accessible  to  the 
residents  of  the  island.  We  shall  notice  but  a  few  of  the  at- 
tempts to  found  schools  for  higher  education  on  the  island. 

The  Richmond  county  college  was  incorporated  by  an  act  of 
the  legislature  passed  April  2] ,  1838.  A  condition  of  its  exist- 
ence was  that  it  should  within  two  years  own  property  to  the 
value  of  $80,000,  in  default  of  which  the  charter  was  to  become 
null  and  void.  Ogden  Edwards*^  Walter  Patterson,  Oharles 
T.  Catlin,  Jacob  Tysen,  Thomas  McAuley,  Charles  A.  Porter, 
John  8.  Westermlt,  William  Wilson,  George  Howard,  Caleb  T. 
Ward,  William  W.  Phillips,  Thomas  Wilson,  Minthorne 
TompMns,  William  A.  Seeley,  John  N.  McLeod,  Thomas  Gum- 
ming, Billop  B.  Seaman,  William  C.  Brownlee,  Robert  Pattison, 
Damd  Moore,  Alexander  Martin,  Thomas  E.  Davis,  James  O. 
Smith,  William  Scott,  Louis  McLane,  John  E.  Miller,  James 
Pollock,  James  B.  Murray,  Duncan  Dunbar,  Samuel  Barton, 
William  Agnew,  Thomas  J.  Oakley,  John  R.  Satterlee  and 
William  Soul  were  constituted  the  body  corporate  and  politic, 
and  the  first  trustees.  Several  efforts  were  made  to  convene 
the  trustees  without  success,  and  the  matter  finally  died  away 
and  was  forgotten. 

Brighton  Heights  seminary  for  girls  is  located  on  St.  Mark's 
place,  nearly  opposite  the  Reformed  church.  The  large  prop- 
erty of  Horace  R.  Kelly  was  purchased  for  it.  It  was  estab- 
lished in  1883.  Its  first  principal  was  Mrs.  Hartt,  the  widow  of 
the  late  Professor  Charles  P.  Hartt,  of  Cornell  University.  It 
*  The  names  in  Italics  were  residents  of  the  island. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  451 

was  intended  to  make  the  school  equal  to  the  best  New  York 
and  Brooklyn  schools. 

The  "  Brighton  Heights  Association"  was  formed  in  the  spring 
of  1883,  by  a  number  of  gentlemen,  residents  of  Staten  Island, 
who  purchased  property  at  a  cost  of  $20,000,  formerly  the  resi- 
dence of  George  Wetherspoon,  Esq.  The  interior  was  re- 
modelled and  fitted  to  the  new  purpose  at  a  cost  of  over  $3,500. 
The  school  was  well  patronized  by  all  parts  of  the  island,  and 
the  building  was  found  too  small,  so  an  addition  was  made  at  a 
cost  of  $6,000,  built  in  1884,  on  the  south  side  of  the  grounds 
fronting  St.  Mark's  place.  It  is  connected  by  a  covered  passage 
way  with  the  first  building.  The  size  of  the  new  addition  is 
forty  by  forty-one  feet,  two  stories  high.  The  basement  is  of 
brick,  the  building  frame.  A  kindergarten  has  been  added. 
Preparatory,  music,  drawing  and  French  are  taught.  The  pres- 
ent principal  is  Dr.  George  W.  Cook. 

The  Staten  Island  academy  is  the  fulfillment  of  a  desire  long 
felt  and  discussed,  to  provide  for  this  .populous  suburb  of  New 
York  a  school  so  organized  that  it  should  furnish  graded  in- 
struction complete  and  of  a  high  order,  from  the  primary  to 
the  collegiate  years.  An  earnest  effort  in  the'  spring  and  sum- 
mer of  1884,  shaped  a  movement  which  resulted  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  an  incorporated  school,  planned  from  the  outset  to 
furnish  such  instruction  and  especially  to  give  the  carefullest 
preparation  for  the  university  or  schools  of  technology. 

The  school  was  first  opened  September  15,  1884.  It  is  char- 
tered under  the  laws  of  the  state  of  New  York.  Its  general 
management  is  given  to  a  board  of  trustees  elected  by  the 
stockholders.  It  offers  systematic  courses  of  study  in  all 
primary  and  academic  grades,  with  the  strictest  features  of  a 
thoroughly  classified  school  maintained  in  every  department. 
The  school  is  exclusively  for  day  scholars  and  receives  pupils 
of  both  sexes  from  the  primary  grade  upward. 

The  building  now  occupied  by  the  school  is  on  Richmond 
road,  opposite  the  Lyceum,  and  stands  in  one  of  the  quietest 
and  most  attractive  parts  of  Stapleton.  It  is  supplied  with 
modern  school  furniture,  electric  bells,  gas,  water,  toilet  rooms 
and  all  that  may  contribute  to  the  comfort  of  scholars  and  the 
efficiency  of  their  class  work. 

The  trustees  of  the  academy  have  designed  to  provide  here  a 
complete  Froebel  kindergarten,  and  to  this  end  two  rooms  have 


452  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

been  furnished  with  all  that  relates  to  kindergarten  work.  In 
one  of  these  the  children  are  busy  with  their  various  occupa- 
tions, while  in  the  other  and  larger  one  they  have  ample  space 
for  the  beautiful  games  and  exercises  of  the  Froebel  system. 

Care  is  taken  that  the  children  shall  be  surrounded  by  all 
that  can  help  develop  a  taste  for  the  beautiful,  and  a  habit  of 
kindness  to  the  lower  animals.  An  aquarium  of  fishes,  a  mini- 
ature flower  garden,  singing  birds,  pictures,  and  designs,  of 
which  many  are  the  specimens  of  the  children's  own  handiwork, 
adorn  the  rooms. 

The  entire  organization  of  the  school  property,  its  courses  of 
study,etc.,has  devolved  upon  the  present  principal,  Frederick  E. 
Partington,  A.M.,  of  Brown  University,  who  was  the  first  to  take 
charge  at  the  opening  in  September,  1884.  The  school  registers 
now  over  two  hundred  students,  and  can  admit  no  more,  except 
when  vacancies  occur,  and  it  has  a  list  of  thirty  or  forty  who 
are  waiting  to  enter  when  the  chance  comes.  The  trustees  have 
lately  acquired  a  large  property,  and  steps  have  been  taken  to 
erect  a  large  and  permanent  structure  which  will  accommodate 
four  hundred  pupils,  and  be  provided  with  a  fine  gymnasium, 
assembly  hall  and  all  the  appointments  of  a  modern  preparatory 
school.  Among  the  more  prominent  citizens  of  the  island 
closely  interested  in  its  development  are  Hon.  George  William 
Curtis,  Erastus  Wiman,  Esq.  and  Dr.  John  C.  Eccleston. 

The  present  board  of  trustees  are :  Augustus  Schoverling, 
Dr.  John  L.  Feeny,  Carl  von  Dannenberg,  Hermann  Garbe, 
Frederick  W.  Graef,  August  Horrmann,  Algernon  K.  Johnston, 
Dr.  Rudolph  Mautner,  Anthon  G.  Methfessel,  William  Rock- 
stroth,  Reinhardt  Siedenberg,  Hugo  Schering  and  Erastus 
Wiman. 

St.  Austin's  School,  for  boys,  at  West  New  Brighton,  was 
established  in  1883,  through  the  efforts  of  Rev.  Alfred  G. 
Mortimer,  the  present  rector.  From  its  beginning  this  school 
has  met  with  unusual  success.  In  February,  1885,  the  property 
of  the  late  W.  T.  Garner,  on  Bard  avenue,  consisting  of  fifteen 
acres  of  ground  with  the  buildings  thereon,  was  purchased  for 
the  school.  Class  rooms  and  gymnasium,  with  a  front  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  feet,  were  erected  near  the  main  building. 
The  faculty  includes  nine  resident  masters  from  Brown,  London, 
Oxford,  Cambridge,  Durham,  Edinburgh,  and  Dublin. 

The  Natural  Science  Association,  growing  out  of  the  intel- 


HISTORY  OP  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  453 

lectual  culture  of  the  island,  developing  in  a  demand  for  scien- 
tific investigation  of  the  works  of  nature  on  the  island,  was 
organized  in  November,  1880.  Its  members  are  mainly  per- 
sons of  enthusiasm  and  energy  in  the  particular  direction  in 
which  the  investigations  of  each  are  absorbed.  In  the  study 
of  the  animals,  reptiles,  insects,  birds,  fishes,  plants,  trees, 
rocks,  earths,  formation  and  the  Indian  relics,  the  members  of 
this  association  are  performing  an  amount  of  labor  that  is  per- 
fectly bewildering  to  the  mind  of  an  observer,  when  viewed  in 
the  aggregate.  The  society  numbers  about  fifty  active  mem- 
bers, and  they  hold  meetings  monthly  at  the  village  hall  in  New 
Brighton,  when  the  results  of  the  labors  of  tlie  different  mem- 
bers are  reported  and  notes  of  information  compared.  A  col- 
lection of  several  hundred  objects  has  been  made,  and  this  is  all 
the  time  increasing.  The  present  officers  are:  Dr.  A.  L.  Carroll, 
president ;  Samuel  Henshaw,  treasurer  ;  Ernest  A.  Congdon, 
recording  secretary  ;  Arthur  HoUick,  corresponding  secretary, 
and  William  T.  Davis,  curator.  An  incorporation,  under  the 
provisions  of  Chapter  319  of  the  Laws  of  1848,  was  effected  by 
the  execution  of  the  required  certificate,  January  19,  1885, 
which  was  duly  filed  with  the  county  clerk  on  the  80th  of  the 
same  month,  land  with  the  secretary  of  state  February  19,  1885. 
The  business  and  objects,  as  set  forth  in  the  certificate,  are  '•  to 
collect  and  preserve  objects  of  natural  science  and  antiquity, 
with  special  reference  to  local  matters,  and  to  diffuse  correct 
knowledge  in  regard  to  the  same,  by  means  of  publications, 
meetings  and  public  lectures."  The  management  of  its  business 
and  affairs  is  in  the  hands  of  a  board  of  five  trustees,  which, 
for  the  first  year  of  its  incorporation,  were :  Alfred  Ludlow 
Carroll,  M.  D.,  Ernest  A.  Congdon,  Arthur  HoUick,  Ph.  B., 
William  T.  Davis  and  Samuel  Henshaw. 

The  first  Staten  Island  newspaper,  of  which  we  have  any 
knowledge,  was  published  on  the  17th  day  of  October,  1827  ; 
it  was  called  the  '■^  Richmond  Republican,^''  and  was  edited  by 
Charles  N.  Baldwin  ;  it  hailed  from  Tompkinsville,  but  was 
printed  in  Chambers  street.  New  York.  Its  publication  day 
was  Saturday,  and  in  politics  it  was  rabidly  democratic.  Its 
editor  announced  that  he  also  sold  lottery  tickets,  and  solicited 
orders  for  sign  and  ornamental  painting.  It  appears  to  have 
continued  in  existence  for  several  years,  but  we  are  not  informed 
at  what  date  its  publication  closed. 


454  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTr. 

The  '■'■Richmond  County  Mirror''''  was  published  at  New 
Brighton  in  1837  and  1838,  by  Francis  L.  Hagadorn. 

The  ^^ mchraond  County  Gazette''''  was  established  at  Staple- 
ton  in  February,  1859,  with  Charles  Vogt  as  editor.  Its  origi- 
nal name  was  the  "/Sfepo?/,"  and  it  had  its  birth  in  the  excite- 
ment which  followed  the  burning  of  the  quarantine  buildings. 
Since  1864  it  has  been  edited  by  Thom?is  J.  Folan,  Ernest  F. 
Birmingham,  James  S.  Spencer,  Colon  K.  Urquhart,  James  E. 
Lee  and  William  A.  Suydam.  It  was  consolidated  with  the 
''Sentinel;'  May  10,  1882. 

The  '•'■North  Shore  Advocate^''  was  started  at  West  New 
Brighton,  by  John  J.  Clute,  in  June,  1869.  It  continued  under 
the  same  management  until  1877,  when  its  publication  was 
susp<3nded. 

The  '■'■Richmond  County  SentineV  was  started  in  April, 
1876,  by  Thomas  Humphrey  and  Hans  S.  Beattie.  It  was  pur- 
chased in  1881  by  Erastus  Wiman,  and  shortly  afterward  con- 
solidated with  the  "  Gazette.'''' 

The  ''■  Staten  Island  Leader''''  was  first  issued  in  1866,  its 
publication  office  being  at  Stapleton.  It  publisher  has  been 
P.  H.  Gill.  The  '■'■  Staten  Island  Advertiser;''  started  in  1877, 
at  West  New  Brighton,  was  afterward  merged  in  the 
"  Leader.''''     It  is  now  published  by  the  Macklin  Brothers. 

"■  Ber  Deutsche  Staten  Islander;''  a  German  newspaper,  was 
started  at  Stapleton,  in  1867,  by  John  Schiefer,  editor  and  pub- 
lisher, by  whom  it  is  still  continued. 

The  "  Staten  Islander  Deutsche  Zeitung;''  a  German  paper, 
was  established  in  1876,  by  Carl  Herborn,  by  whom  it  was 
edited  and  published  two  or  three  years,  at  Stapleton. 

The  '■'Richmond  County  Standard'''  was  established  April  9, 
1881,  by  Robert  Humphrey  and  Colon  K.  Urquhart,  in  the 
village  of  New  Brighton.  After  January,  1884,  by  the  with- 
drawal of  Mr.  Urquhart,  the  proprietorship  fell  entirely  to  Mr. 
Humphrey,  and  Ira  K.  Morris  was  employed  as  editor,  in 
which  position  he  is  still  retained. 

The  '■'Richmond  County  Democrat""  was  first  issued  in  Sep- 
tember, 1880,  by  William  J.  and  J.  H.  Browne.  The  publica- 
tion ofiice  is  in  the  village  of  New  Brighton.  In  1883  the  paper 
was  enlarged,  and  a  power  press  and  steam  were  added  to  the 
working  material  of  the  office.      Its  publication  is  still  con- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  455 

tinued  by  the  original  proprietors.  Thomas  J.  Polan  is  its 
editor. 

The  '■' Richmond  County  Herald''''  was  established  August 
27,  1880,  at  Stapleton,  by  Gilbert  C.  Dean,  by  whom  it  has 
since  been  continued. 

The  ''  Staten  Island  Star''''  was  established  at  West  New 
Brighton  in  1877.     It  is  still  published  by  Oscar  A.  Douglas. 

The  publication  of  '•  The  Citizen''''  was  begun  at  Port  Rich- 
mond, in  September,  1885,  by  Ira  R.  Bamber  and  George  D. 
Swart  wout. 


George  William  Curtis.— For  years  it  has  been  the  priv- 
ilege of  Richmond  county  to  number  among  its  residents  one 
of  the  foremost  of  American  authors,  journalists  and  statesmen, 
George  William  Curtis.  Although  Mr.  Curtis  has  never  held 
a  political  office,  he  has  made  a  profound  study  of  states- 
manship, and  possesses  a  knowledge  of  public  affairs  second  to 
that  of  no  other  man  in  the  country  ;  but  his  greatest  and  best 
work  has  been  achieved  in  the  field  of  journalism.  Starting 
out  on  his  youthful  career  as  the  author  of  several  charming 
books  of  travel,  and  afterward  drifting  into  literary  engage- 
ments with  the  New  York  "  ?V«&M7ze,"  '■'■  Harpef  s  Weekly,'" 
and  other  journals,  he  was  at  an  early  age,  and  in  common 
with  thousands  of  earnest  young  men  in  the  North,  driven  by 
conviction  to  take  part  in  the  great  moral  revolution  which  cul- 
minated in  the  war  for  the  Union  and  the  abolition  of  slavery 
in  the  United  States  ;  and  throwing  himself  with  fervor  into 
this  new  field  of  activity,  he  abandoned  a  profession  in  which 
he  might  have  obtained  high  honors,  for  the  one  in  which  he 
has  achieved  his  great  reputation  as  a  leader  and  teacher  of 
men.  It  will  be  interesting  to  trace  the  steps  by  which  he  came 
into  his  chosen  career  of  work. 

Mr.  Curtis  was  born  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  February  24,  1824, 
but  he  was  partly  of  Massachusetts  descent,  his  father  having 
been  born  in  Worcester,  in  that  state,  of  which  anancester  was 
the  first  settler.  His  mother  was  the  daughter  of  James  Bur- 
rill,  Jr.,  atone  time  chief  justice  of  Rhode  Island,  and  after- 
ward United  States  senator.  In  1830  he  went  to  boarding  school 
at  Jamaica  Plain,  near  Boston,  where  he  remained  for  four 
years.  Pleasant  reminiscences  of  his  school  days  there  are 
found  in  the  early  chapters  of  his  novel,   "  Trumps,"  narrated 


456  HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUKTY. 

with  a  freshness  and  enthusiasm  which  remind  the  reader  of 
"  Tom  Brown  at  Rugby."  Meanwhile  he  lost  his  mother;  and 
in  1839,  his  father,  who  had  married  again,  removed  with  his 
family  to  New  York,  and,  desirous  that  his  son  should  pursue 
a  mercantile  career,  placed  him,  after  a  year's  study  with  a 
private  tutor,  as  a  clerk  in  a  German  importing  house  in  Ex- 
change place. 

But  mercantile  life  was  not  agreeable  to  the  youth.  His  tastes 
were  decidedly  literary,  and  in  the  course  of  his  reading  he  be- 
came deeply  interested  in  the  transcendental  movement  in  which 
so  many  of  the  best  and  purest  minds  of  New  England  were  at 
that  time  engaged.  Accordingly,  after  about  a  year  of  uncon- 
genial drudgery  in  the  importing  house,  he  went  to  "  Brook 
Farm,"  in  company  with  his  eldest  brother,  who  shared  in  his 
tastes  and  aspirations.  It  is  unnececsary  to  repeat  the  story  of 
failure  and  disappointment  which  led  to  the  breaking  down  of 
that  amiable  experiment;  but  the  incident  of  his  taking  part  in 
the  endeavor  to  create  an  ideal  society  is  interesting  as  show- 
ing the  early  tendency  of  Mr.  Curtis'  mind.  He  is  still  called 
an  idealist  by  those  who  use  the  word  as  a  term  of  reproach,  as 
though  it  were  folly  in  the  youth  to  believe  that  society  may, 
in  time  and  by  persistent  effort,  be  organized  on  a  higher  and 
purer  basis  than  at  present,  and  still  greater  folly  in  the  man 
to  retain  such  optimistic  views.  The  millennium  may  be  far 
away;  but  its  coming  will  not  be  hastened  hy  deriding  the  prin- 
ciples whose  application  in  social  and  political  life  may  make 
it  possible  at  some  distant  period;  and  men  who  endeavor  to 
bring  society  into  harmony  with  those  principles  are  prophets 
and  apostles  of  the  Utopia  that  is  to  come. 

Mr.  Curtis  and  his  brother  remained  at  "  Brook  Farm  "  until 
1844,  and  they  then  passed  two  years  in  Concord,  Mass.,  study- 
ing and  farming.  Here  Mr.  Curtis  became  very  intimate  with 
Emerson,  Hawthorn  and  Henry  Thoreau,  forming  warm  friend- 
ships with  them  which  were  broken  only  by  death.  In  his 
"  Homes  of  American  Authors"  he  has  printed  some  interest- 
ing notes  of  his  intercourse  with  the  philosopher,  the  romancer 
and  the  hermit. 

In  1846  Mr.  Curtis  determined  on  making  an  extended 
tour  in  the  old  world,  which,  at  that  time,  was  a  more  eventful 
and  important  undertaking  than  it  is  now,  when  the  "  Atlantic 
Ferry  "  will  take  you  across  in  a  little  more  than  a  week.     In 


M 


# 


«-2..j-,^^#^:^:fe:,„_^5^    '-'^^^tf^^^ 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  457 

August  of  that  year  he  sailed  from  New  York  for  Marseilles  in 
a  passenger  packet.  The  voyage  occupied  nearly  fifty  days. 
From  Marseilles  he  went  by  steamer  to  Leghorn  and  from  that 
city  to  Pisa,  where  he  lingered  awhile  to  admire  the  wonders  of 
the  Leaning  Tower, the  Cathedral,  the  Baptistery  and  the  Campo 
Santo.  From  Pisa  he  passed  on  through  the  luscious  vintage 
to  Florence.  The  winter  was  spent  in  Rome.  In  the  spring  of 
1847  Mr.  Curtis  visited  Naples  and  other  portions  of  Southern 
Italy,  then  made  his  way  slowly  northward,  back  to  Florence, 
where  he  remained  some  time,  finishing  the  summer  by  a  long 
and  delightful  sojourn  in  Venice,  in  the  congenial  society  of 
Kensett,  Hicks  and  other  American  artists.  In  the  autumn  he 
traveled  through  Lombardy  to  Como,  and  over  the  Stelvio 
through  the  Tyrol  and  Salzkammergut  to  Vienna,  reaching 
Berlin  in  the  middle  of  November.  The  spring  of  1848  found 
him  in  Dresden,  Prague  and  again  in  Vienna,  whence  he  sailed 
down  the  Danube  to  Pesth,  returning  to  Switzerland  for  the 
summer.  He  traveled  through  Switzerland  with  all  the  delight 
of  leisure,  and  not  with  the  modern  American  frenzy,  which 
counts  as  lost  time  every  hour  consumed  in  passing  from  place 
to  place.  In  the  same  manner  he  studied  the  cities,  the  people 
and  the  art  of  Holland — who  indeed  could  liurrv  through 
Holland — and  in  the  autumn  sailed  from  Malta  to  Alexandria. 
Mr.  Curtis  was  fortunate  in  visiting  the  land  of  the  Pharoahs 
when  the  spirit  of  modern  progress  had  scarcely  begun  its 
devastating  work  within  the  shadow  of  the  pyramids.  The  de- 
struction of  the  picturesque  is  surely  not  an  evil  necessarily 
attendant  upon  social,  political  and  industrial  progress;  but 
progress  is  very  apt,  when  suddenly  aroused,  to  play  sad  havoc 
with  things  which  might  better  be  preserved  than  destroyed. 
Were  there  not  quarries  of  stone  in  Egypt,  that  temples  old 
as  human  tradition  must  be  despoiled  to  build  new  cities? 
Doubtless  the  railroad  and  the  steamboat  are  great  conveniences 
for  people  who  are  in  a  hurry,  but  they  have  unmade  the  Egypt 
of  history  and  the  imagination.  They  had  not  done  so  when 
our  Howadji  looked  upon  the  pyramids  and  sailed  slowly  up 
the  Nile  to  the  second  cataract.  The  sacred  river  still  flowed 
"through  old  hushed  Egypt  and  its  sands,  like  some  grave, 
mighty  thought,  threading  a  dream,"  and  the  effect  of  that 
hushed  and  dreamy  life  upon  his  imagination  found  delightful 
expression  in  his  "Nile  Notes,"  which  are  full  of  the  flavor  and 


458  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

perfume  of  the  East.  Ten  years  afterward  they  conld  not  have 
been  written.  Stephens  visited  the  Nile  still  e^-rlier;  but  he  was 
a  man  of  merely  dry  observation.  He  had  no  enthusiasm,  no 
imagination,  and  the  record  of  his  journeyings  is  as  dull  as  a 
ledger  in  comparison  with  the  Howadji's  dreamy  musings  and 
charming  descriptions. 

A  journey  across  the  desert  by  way  of  Gaza  to  Jerusalem,  of 
which  he  wrote  an  account  in  the  "  Howadji  in  Syria,"  ended 
Mr.  Curtis'  eastern  travels.  He  spent  the  early  summer  of 
1850  in  England  and  returned  home  in  August.  His  pen  had 
not  been  idle  during  his  wanderings.  Besides  his  journal,  he 
had  written  letters  for  the  *'  Courier  and  Enquirer,''^  of  which 
Henry  J.  Raymond  was  then  managing  editor,  and  for  the 
New  York  "  Tribune,''''  where  his  friend,  Mr.  Charles  A.  Dana, 
held  the  same  position.  On  his  return,  he  entered  upon  an  ac- 
tive literary  life.  He  became  musical  critic  and  editorial  writer 
on  the  "  Tribune,''''  and  wrote  out  his  "  Nile  Notes,"  which 
were  published  in  1851  by  the  Harpers.  In  the  autumn  of  that 
year  he  wrote  a  series  of  picturesque  traveling  letters  to  the 
"  Tribune.^''  from  the  Catskills,  Saratoga,  Trenton,  Niagara, 
Newport  and  Nahant,  which  were  published  in  1852  as  "Lotus 
Eating,"  beautifully  illustrated  by  his  friend  Kensett.  In  the 
same  year  the  "Howadji  in  Syria"  was  published,  and  Mr. 
Curtis  wrote  some  sketches  of  social  life  for  ^"Harper's 
Monthly. 

The  establishment  of  "  Ptttnam' s  Monthly,''''  in  1853,  opened 
a  new  field  to  Mr.  Curtis,  who,  in  conjunction  with  Parke  God- 
win and  Charles  F.  Briggs,  assumed  the  editorial  management 
of  that  periodical,  which  was  destined  to  a  brilliant  though 
brief  career.  Within  the  first  year  of  its  existence  he  wrote 
the  papers  on  Emerson,  Hawthorne,  Longfellow  and  Bancroft, 
in  the  series  on  "The  Homes  of  American  Authors."  To  this 
magazine  Mr.  Curtis  contributed  "The  Potiphar  Papers,"  a 
brilliant  satire  on  certain  i^hases  of  New  York  society,  and 
"  Prue  and  I,"  a  series  of  delightful  sketches,  rather  than  a 
story,  which  was  published  in  1857.  When  the  magazine  passed 
into  the  hands  of  Messrs.  Dix  &  Edwards,  Mr.  Curtis  and  Mr. 
Frederick  Law  Olmsted  became  connected  with  the  firm  and 
were  involved  in  its  failure.  Considering  himself  morally, 
if  not  legally,  responsible  for  a  portion  of  the  indebtedness, 
Mr.  Curtis  refused  to  avail  himself  of  the  technicalities  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  459 

law  and  set  himself  to  the  work  of  paying  the  creditors.  He 
devoted  himself  diligently  to  literary  work.  The  amount  of 
labor  he  performed  was  literally  enormons.  Besides  filling  the 
"  Easy  Chair  "  of  "  Harper's  Magazine,'"  in  which  he  had  just 
taken  his  seat,  and  writing  "The  Lounger"  in  ''Harper's 
Weekly,'"  he  delivered  a  long  series  of  lectures,  sometimes 
speaking  a  hundred  nights  in  a  season,  and  traveling,  almost 
without  rest,  from  place  to  place  at  the  insatiable  call  of  man- 
agers and  committees.  No  man  was  ever  more  popular  as  a 
lecturer.  The  charm  of  his  manner  was  irresistible;  he  had  not 
only  something  to  say  which  the  people  wanted  to  hear,  but 
knew  how  to  say  it  with  the  grace  and  ease  which  belong  to  the 
true  orator.  One  of  the  most  popular  of  his  lectures  was  that 
on  that  perfect  soldier  of  chivalry.  Sir  Philip  Sidney. 
Scarcely  less  popular  were  his  Lowell  lectures  on  the  mod- 
ern English  novelists,  which  were  repeated  in  New  York, 
Brooklyn  and  other  places.  The  physical  and  mental  strain 
involved  in  this  labor  was  so  excessive  that  many  people 
wondered  that  he  was  willing  to  undergo  it.  A  few  only  of  his 
immediate  friends  knew  ihat  the  proceeds  of  all  his  lectures 
during  a  period  of  almost  ten  years,  and  a  part  of  his  salary 
as  editor,  were  devoted  to  the  liquidation  of  the  debt  from 
which  the  law,  bat  not  his  high  sense  of  moral  responsibility, 
'  would  have  absolved  him. 

During  these  years  the  slavery  question  had  gradually  ab- 
sorbed public  attention  and  had  become  the  paramount  theme 
in  the  press,  the  pulpit,  and  the  lyceum.  In  his  Newport 
loungings  Mr.  Curtis  had  noted  the  effect  produced  on  northern 
society  by  the  slave  power,  and  his  attention  had  been  called  to 
the  necessity  of  combating  the  evil  influence  by  every  popular 
means.  Accordingly,  in  all  his  lectures,  like  many  of  the  ly- 
ceum speakers  at  that  time,  he  discussed  the  subject  with  great 
freedom  and  force.  The  lecture  lyceum,  indeed,  did  much  to 
arouse  and  enlighten  pnblic  opinion  on  this  vital  question,  and 
to  X)repare  the  way  for  the  great  revival  of  anti- slavery  feeling 
in  the  north  which  followed  the  personal  assault  on  Charles 
Sumner  in  1856.  It  is  necessary  to  recall  these  times  in  order 
to  form  a  just  estimate  of  Mr.  Curtis,  and  his  career  in  public 
affairs.  He  was  one  of  a  large  number  of  young  men  who  felt, 
when  that  assault  took  place,  that  there  were  more  imperative 
duties  than   the  delights  of  dalliance  in  the  primrose  paths  of 


460  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

literature.  In  the  year  just  mentioned  he  delivered  a  college 
address  at  Middletown  on  the  "Duty  of  the  American  Scholar 
to  Politics  and  the  Times,"  in  which  the  situation  and  the 
impending  crisis  were  discussed  from  an  anti-slavery  point  of 
view.  He  went  on  the  stump  for  Fremont,  in  that  year,  speak- 
ing in  New  York,  New  England,  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania, 
and  entered  actively  into  politics  on  Staten  Island,  where  he 
lived,  and  where  for  many  years  he  was  chairman  of  the  repub- 
lican county  committee. 

Mr.  Curtis  was  a  delegate  to  the  second  national  convention 
of  the  republican  party,  which  assembled  at  Chicago  on  the 
16th  of  May,  1860.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  construction 
of  a  "  platform  "  was  a  labor  of  considerable  difficulty.  There 
were  still  many  republicans  who  wished  to  conciliate  the  border 
states,  and  when  Joshua  R.  Giddings  moved  in  convention  to 
add  to  the  first  resolution  the  "life,  liberty,  and  pursuit  of 
happiness"  clause  from  the  declaration  of  independence,  the 
opposition  was  loud  and  determined.  The  motion  was  lost  by 
a  large  vote  and  Mr.  Giddings,  who  had  urged  its  adoption  in 
the  most  eloquent  and  impressive  manner,  proposed  to  with- 
draw from  the  convention  ;  but  Mr.  Curtis  took  an  early  oppor- 
tunity to  renew  the  motion,  in  a  slightly  modified  form.  There 
were  again  loud  cries  of  opposition.  Mr.  Curtis  asked  whether 
the  party  was  prepared  at  its  second  national  convention  to  vote 
against  the  great  charter  of  American  liberty,  and  cautioned 
the  delegates  to  beware  how,  there  in  the  broad  prairies  of  the 
west,  they  receded  from  the  position  which  the  party  had 
occupied  at  Pittsburg,  and  refused  to  repeat  the  words  of  the 
fathers  of  the  revolution.  His  eloquent  periods  acted  like  magic 
on  the  convention.  The  amendment  was  adopted  unanimously 
amid  wild  excitement,  the  great  multitude  rising  and  giving 
round  after  round  of  applause.  "Ten  thousand  voices,"  says 
a  coniemporary  report,  "swelled  into  a  deafening  roar,  and  for 
several  minutes  every  attempt  to  restore  order  was  hopelessly 
vain.  The  crowd  of  people  outside  took  up  and  re-echoed  the 
cheers,  making  a  scene  of  excitement  and  enthusiasm  unparal- 
leled in  any  similar  gathering."  It  was  a  great  popular 
triumph,  and  was  of  vital  service  to  the  party,  not  only  in 
retaining  the  influence  of  Mr.  Giddings  and  his  followers,  but 
in  swelling  the  enthusiasm  which  greeted  the  platform  and  the 
candidates.      The  same  earnestness  of  purpose  which  charac- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOKD  COUNTY.  461 

terized  him  in  the  convention  of  1860  was  manifested  in  the 
action  of  Mr.  Curtis  at  the  convention  of  1884.  The  nomination 
of  Mr.  Blaine  for  the  presidency  he  believed  to  be  a  mistake  of 
too  grave  a  nature  to  be  passed  by  him  in  silence,  and  his  sub- 
sequent refusal  to  sujjport  the  republican  candidates  was  in 
simple  conformity  to  the  dictates  of  his  conscience. 

It  was  a  noteworthy  event  in  the  history  of  American  Journal- 
ism when,  in  December  of  1863,  Mr.  Curtis  became  the  political 
editor  of  '■^Harper's  Weekly^''  He  had  been  conducting  a  de- 
partment called  "The  Lounger,"  begun  in  the  autumn  of  1857, 
which  consisted  at  first  of  essays  in  the  lighter  vein  on  social 
and  literary  topics,  very  much  in  the  manner  of  the  "Easy 
Chair."  After  the  beginning  of  the  war  Mr.  Curtis  frequently 
introduced  subjects  of  a  national  and  political  character  in  this 
department,  but  his  field  was  comparatively  restricted.  From 
the  moment,  however,  that  he  took  his  seat  in  the  editorial 
chair,  his  discussions  assumed  a  wider  scope,  embracing  all  the 
great  issues  before  the  country.  Thoroughly  equipped  for  his 
new  position  by  mental  training  and  political  experience,  and 
in  full  sympathy  with  his  audience,  he  made  ^'■Harper's 
Weekly ' '  a  power  in  the  republican  party.  He  was  hampered 
by  no  office  restrictions.  The  publishers  knew  the  secret  of  real 
responsibility,  and,  giving  him  their  confidence,  gave  it  unre- 
servedly. There  was,  of  course,  entire  harmony  of  principle 
and  purpose  between  Mr.  Curtis  and  his  publishers  ;  and  while 
there  was  also,  of  course,  occasional  differences  of  judgment  as 
to  men  and  measures,  there  was  never  any  interference  with 
the  course  pursued  by  Mr.  Curtis,  nor  any  attempt  to  dictate 
the  tone  of  the  paper.  This  unrestricted  independence  gave  Mr. 
Curtis  a  commanding  influence  ia  republican  councils  and  over 
his  readers.  He  won  and  has  kept  the  enthusiastic  personal  sup- 
port and  admiration  of  his  audience,  as  no  other  editor  has  suc- 
ceeded in  doing,  with  the  single  exception  of  Horace  Greely.  The 
relations  between  Mr.  Curtis  and  his  readers  are,  in  fact,  almost 
personal  in  their  nature,  and  he  has  never  seriously  entertained 
proposals,  however  brilliant  and  tempting,  that  would  interrupt 
those  relations.  Thus,  although  he  could  serve  as  a  regent  of 
the  university,  and  a  non-resident  professor  at  Cornell  Univer- 
sity for  four  years,  he  declined  in  1869,  upon  the  death  of  Henry 
J.  Kaymond,  who  had  previously  asked  him  to  become  assistant 


462  iJISTORY  OF  EIOHMOND  COUNTY. 

editor,  an  invitation  to  the  chief  editorship  of  the  New  York 
''Times:' 

No  other  man  has  done  more  to  create  and  maintain  a  healthy 
popular  sentiment  on  the  subject  of  civil  service  reform. 
In  '^  Harper' s  Weekly,^''  and  in  his  public  addresses,  he  has 
expounded  and  advocated  this  important  measure  with  a  per- 
sistency which  has  drawn  upon  him  the  wrath  and  ridicule  of 
those  who  are  pleased  to  style  themselves  "practical"  politi- 
cians. "Sentimentalist"  and  "Visionary"  are  among  the 
mildest  names  applied  to  him  by  his  political  ojjponents  ;  and 
he  has  been  accused  frequently  of  treachery  to  party  allegiance, 
because  of  the  outspoken  manner  in  which  he  has  exposed  and 
denounced  obnoxious  measures  within  the  party.  But  Mr. 
Curtis  acknowledges  no  party  allegiance,  in  the  sense  that 
"machine"  politicians  understand  the  term  ;  his  only  allegiance 
is  to  right,  to  high  principle,  to  honor.  He  has  the  loftiest  con- 
ceptions of  the  duty  of  the  citizen.  He  holds  that  it  should  be 
the  aim  of  every  man,  not  only  to  keep  himself  pure,  but  to 
assist  in  the  purification  and  elevation  of  politics  ;  that  it  is  the 
duty  of  every  respectable  citizen  to  take  part  in  civil  affairs  and 
to  keep  them  out  of  the  control  of  the  baser  elements  of  society. 
Between  "sentimental"  politics  like  this,  and  "practical" 
politics,  which  implies  pandering  to  those  baser  elements,  there 
can  be  no  room  for  choice.  As  Charles  Sumner  once  said,  in 
his  imperious  way,  to  one  who  asked  him  to  consider  the  other 
side  of  the  slavery  question  :  "  Sir,  in  a  matter  of  this  sort  there 
is  no  other  side." 

That  the  views  which  Mr.  Curtis  holds  will  win  in  the  end 
admits  of  no  doubt.  Many  a  failure  may  yet  be  in  store  for 
their  advocates,  but,  unless  free  institutions  are  destined  to  go 
under,  civil  service  reform  must  ultimately  triumph.  Mr.  Cur- 
tis was  not  discouraged  by  its  failure  under  President  Grant's 
administration.  He  accepted  the  chairmanship  of  the  civil 
service  commission,  in  1871,  with  sanguine  hopes  of  success. 
The  president  was  sincere  and  earnest  in  his  desire  to  thus  sig- 
nalize his  administration ;  but,  in  1873,  becoming  convinced 
that,  yielding  to  the  pressure  of  "practical"  politicians,  Gen- 
eral Grant  had  changed  his  views,  Mr.  Curtis  resigned,  and  the 
next  year  the  president  formally  abandoned  the  project.  It 
had  been  well  for  the  president,  and  for  the  republican  party, 
had  he  listened  to  wiser  councils.    Even  those  who  have  always 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  463 

sneered  at  "  Sunday  school"  politics  begin  now  to  discern  the 
signs  of  the  times  ;  and  the  president's  recent  recommendations 
in  his  annual  message,  and  the  various  bills  hurriedly  intro- 
duced in  congress,  favoring  reform  in  the  civil  service,  show- 
that  the  views  which  Mr.  Curtis  advocates  have  taken  a  strong- 
er hold  on  the  public  than  was  dreamed  of  by  his  opponents. 

Mr.  Curtis  has  never  accepted  a  political  office,  although  often 
pressed  to  do  so.  By  Mr.  Seward  he  was  offered  the  consul- 
generalship  to  Egypt ;  President  Hayes  urged  him  to  accept 
the  post  of  minister  to  England,  and  afterward  that  of  minister 
to  Germany  ;  but  he  could  not  be  tempted  away  from  his  edito- 
rial position.  Once  he  accepted  the  nomination  for  representa- 
tive to  congress,  knowing  that  his  district  was  hopelessly 
democratic,  and  that  there  was  no  prospect  of  his  election.  In 
1867,  he  served  in  the  state  constitutional  convention  in  which 
he  was  chairman  of  the  committee  on  education.  He  frequently 
took  part  in  the  debates,  and  made  a  speech  in  favor  of  the  ex- 
tension of  the  franchise  to  women — a  measure  of  which  he  has 
been  for  years  a  consistent  advocate. 

Mr.  Curtis  was  married  in  1857,  to  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Eobert 
G.  Shaw,  the  eminent  philanthropist,  recently  deceased.  For 
many  years  he  has  resided  in  West  JSTew  Brighton,  Staten 
Island,  except  during  the  summer  months,  when  he  seeks  rest 
and  relaxation  in  a  pleasant,  old-fashioned  country  home  in  the 
village  of  Ashfield,  Mass. 

His  devotion  to  journalism  and  political  affairs  has  prevented 
Mr.  Curtis  from  pursuing  authorship  as  a  profession  if  we  are 
to  regard  authorship  as  the  writing  of  books;  but  although  he 
has  put  forth  no  volume  since  the  publication  of  "Trumps," 
the  readers  of  the  "Easy  Chair"  in  "-Harper's  Magazine,'" 
and  of  "Manners  Upon  the  Koad"  in  ''Harper's  Bazaar,'' 
will  recognize  in  him  the  most  charming  essayist  of  the  day. 
The  delicate,  graceful  humor  of  these  papers,  the  jjurity  of 
style,  the  wide  range  of  culture  and  observation  which  they  in- 
dicate, but  which  is  never  obtrusive,  give  them  a  distinctive 
character  of  their  own.  The  "Easy  Chair"  is  the  first  part  of 
the  magazine  to  which  the  reader  turns.  The  author  of 
"Trumps,"  "The  Potiphar  Papers,"  and  "Prueand  I,"  could 
hardly  have  failed  as  a  novelist,  had  he  chosen  to  pursue  that 
path  of  literature ;  but  we  will  not  regret  his  choice,  for  while 
we  have  many  novelists,  where  shall  we  look  for  another  name 
like  his  in  the  field  of  American  journalism  % 


464  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

John  Adams  Appleton,  one  of  the  members  of  the  firm  of 
D.  Appleton  &  Co.,  publishers  and  importers  of  books  in  New 
York  city,  and  for  many  years  one  of  Staten  Island's  most 
prominent  and  respected  residents,  was  born  in  Boston,  Mass., 
January  9, 1817.  As  a  young  man  he  entered  the  business  with 
his  father  and  brothers,  and  in  the  prosecution  of  that  business 
upon  sound  and  manly  principles  he  met  with  gratifying  suc- 
cess. He  acquired  a  large  fortune  which  he  wisely  used,  not 
only  for  the  benefit  of  his  immediate  family  and  friends,  but 
also  for  the  good  of  the  community  in  which  he  lived,  and 
especially  for  the  cause  of  the  church  to  which  he  was  devotedly 
attached. 

There  were  several  points  in  Mr.  Appleton' s  character  which 
deserve  to  be  noted.  He  was  first  of  all,  a  devout,  consistent 
Christian;  one  who  was  neither  ashamed  nor  afraid  to  acknowl- 
edge his  faith  in  his  Saviour,  and  one  who  strove  to  remember 
always  that  he  was  a  steward  of  Grod  placed  in  charge  of  large 
means  and  opportunities  for  promoting  the  spread  of  the  Gospel 
and  the  happiness  of  his  fellow-men.  Through  life  he  con- 
tinued steadfast  in  his  faith,  and  when  the  summons  came  he 
laid  down  the  burden  of  life  with  firm,  unwavering  confidence 
in  the  mercy  of  our  Heavenly  Father  in  and  through  Christ 
Jesus  our  Lord.  He  was  for  many  years  senior  warden  of  St. 
John's  Church,  Clifton,  and  was  one  of  its  largest  benefactors. 
It  may,  indeed,  be  called  his  monument.  A  mural  tablet  has 
been  erected  in  the  church  of  his  affections,  commemorating 
his  quiet  life  of  faith  and  service  as  a  Christian.  It  was  done 
by  the  members  of  the  church,  his  friends,  and  the  employees 
in  his  business. 

In  admirable  keeping  with  this  inner  life  of  faith,  Mr.  Ap- 
pleton always  proved  himself  to  be  a  gentleman  of  the  truest 
type.  He  was  uniformly  courteous  and  considerate  toward 
others,  never  wounding  the  feelings  of  any  one,  however  ob- 
scure or  lowly  his  lot,  and  always  ready  with  a  pleasant  word 
and  kindly  act.  Though  of  a  rather  nervous  temperament,  and 
disliking  everything  of  the  nature  of  parade  or  show,  he  was 
fond  of  congenial  society,  and  took  delight  in  dispensing  cordial 
and  unostentatious  hospitality  at  his  beautiful  residence  on 
Staten  Island. 

As  a  business  man  Mr.  Appleton  was  deservedly  esteemed, 
an  honor  to  the  name.     He  took  his  full  share  in  upholding  the 


^1^-7-L.. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  465 

reputation  which  the  house  of  D.  Appleton  &  Co.  has 
always  sustained  for  integrity  and  fairness  in  their  vast  busi- 
ness transactions.  He  was  Jealous  for  the  good  name  of  the 
house,  and  desirous,  by  every  effort  on  his  part,  to  extend  its 
honorable  influence.  A  few  years  previous  to  his  death  he  was 
severely  injured  by  being  thrown  from  his  carriage,  and  he 
never  fully  recovered  from  the  shock  which  was  thus  given  to 
his  system.  His  last  illness  was  aggravated  by  a  complication 
of  disorders,  and  he  sank  rapidly  under  the  attack,  passing  away 
in  the  early  morning  of  Wednesday,  July  13,  1881,  in  the  sixty- 
fifth  year  of  his  age. 

He  was  endeared  to  all  with  whom  he  was  brought  into  close 
business  relations,  as  touching  evidence  of  which  may  be  ad- 
duced the  spontaneous  gathering  of  the  employees  of  the  house, 
the  day  after  his  death,  and  the  resolutions  unanimously 
adopted  at  the  meeting.  Especially  was  he  respected  and 
esteemed  upon  Staten  Island,  where  his  liberality  and  charity 
won  for  him  a  host  of  admiring  and  constant  friends.  Perhaps 
no  private  citizen  ever  received  a  more  universal  eulogium  from 
the  press  at  the  time  of  his  death  than  did  Mr.  Appleton. 

The  Smith  Family. — Richard  Penn  Smith,  better  known 
on  Staten  Island  as  Col.  Penn  Smith,  is  a  descendant  of  the 
Smith  family  of  Philadelphia  so  many  members  of  which 
have  made  themselves  famous  by  their  literary  and  artistic 
abilities.  The  great-grandfather  of  Mr.  Smith  was  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Smith,  first  provost  of  Philadelphia  College  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania.  He  was  a  man  of  great  talent  and 
one  who  had  enjoyed  a  highly  finished  European  education. 
For  twenty-five  years  Doctor  Smith  stood  foremost  among -the 
eminent  persons  of  his  time.  He  was  a  profound  and  varied 
scholar,  a  vigorous  thinker  and  a  writer  of  great  beauty  and 
energy,  many  of  his  literary  productions  being  compared  by 
British  reviewers  to  those  of  Massillon  and  Bossuet.  Doctor 
Smith  was  prominent  in  all  the  aggressive  movements  of  his 
day,  and  was  among  the  first  to  recognize  and  assist  Benjamin 
West  toward  the  eminence  which  he  afterward  achieved. 
His  writings  have  been  collected  into  several  volumes  which 
have  passed  through  various  editions,  meeting  always  with 
marked  approbation. 

The  eldest  son  of  Rev.  Dr.  Smith,  William  Moore  Smith,  was 
also  a  man  of  note.     He  inherited  from  his  father  a  love  of 

30 


466  HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Study,  especially  of  the  classics.  Early  in  life  he  published  a 
volume  of  poems,  characterized  by  brilliancy  of  fancy,  ease  of 
versification,  justness  of  sentiment  and  chaste  and  nervous 
diction.  The  poems  were  reprinted  in  England,  where  they 
were  made  the  subject  of  much  commendation,  a  fact  at  that 
time  of  such  unfrequent  occurrence  that  it  deserves  to  be  re- 
membered. Mr.  Smith  enlarged  his  views  by  extensive  foreign 
travel,  after  returning  from  which  he  became  a  barrister  in 
Philadelphia.  Here  he  rapidly  rose  to  eminence  in  his  pro- 
fession, from  which,  however,  he  retired  at  an  early  age, 
spending  his  after  years  in  the  family  mansion  on  the 
Schuylkill. 

Richard  Penn  Smith,  son  of  the  preceding  and  father  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  a  man  of  distinguished  ability  both 
as  a  literateur  and  as  a  dramatist.  He  followed  in  the  foot- 
steps of  his  literary  predecessors,  and  is  remembered  among 
the  best  magazine  writers  of  his  day.  He  was  for  five  years 
proprietor  of  the  "  Jwrora,"  a  well  known  Philadelphia  paper 
and,  though  its  editor,  found  leisure  at  the  same  time  to  con- 
tribute many  articles  to  the  periodical  literature  of  the  time, 
besides  producing  several  dramatic  pieces,  some  of  which  were 
not  only  cordially  received  at  their  first  representation,  but 
still  continue  to  maintain  their  place  on  the  stage.  Among 
his  earliest  plays  were  the  "Disowned,  or  the  Prodigal"  and 
"Deformed,  or  Woman's  Trial."  These  plays  were  performed 
at  the  Chestnut  street  theater,  Philadelphia,  after  which  they 
were  taken  to  London  where  they  created  a  most  favorable  im- 
pression. Besides  these  dramas  Mr.  Smith  wrote  tragedy  and 
numerous  petite  comedies  and  farces.  He  composed,  at  the 
request  of  Edwin  Forrest,  the  tragedy  of  "Caius  Marius," 
which  was  performed  by  that  actor  at  the  Arch  street  theater, 
Philadelphia,  While  quite  young  Mr.  Smith  composed  a  novel 
in  two  volumes,  entitled  the  "  Forsaken."  In  1836  he  published 
two  volumes,  under  the  title  of  "The  Actress  of  Padua  and 
Other  Tales,"  which  had  an  extensive  sale.  In  the  same  year 
he  gave  to  the  public  "Colonel  Crockett's  Tour  in  Texas,"  a 
pseudo  autobiography  which  purported  to  have  been  written  by 
the  gallant  Tennesseean  prior  to  the  field  of  the  Alamo.  In  the 
course  of  a  single  year  upward  of  ten  thousand  copies  were  sold 
in  the  United  States  besides  an  extensive  sale  which  the  work 
received  in  England.  This  book  was  the  most  popular  of  all  the 


BEECHLAWN. 

RESIDENCE    OF    COL.    R.    PENN    SMITH 


Ks.Tft"^i^iv  t.  %\t^aTt*"a'^^  \k- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOJSTD  COUNTY.  467 

writings  of  Mr.  Smith,  who  died  at  Philadelphia  in  August, 
1854. 

His  son,  Colonel  R.  Penn  Smith,  of  whom  we  write,  was  born 
in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  May  9,  1837.  He  received  his  edu- 
cation at  West  Chester  college,  Pa.,  after  leaving  which,  in  1857, 
he  journeyed  westward,  becoming  one  of  the  early  settlers  of 
Kansas.  Here  he  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits,  in  which  his 
talent  for  business  soon  won  him  remarkable  success,  though 
the  territory  at  the  time  was  overrun  by  a  rough  class  of  immi- 
grants, some  of  whom  were  in  search  of  homes  but  the  majority 
were  adventurers.  To  add  to  the  difficulties  of  the  situation 
Kansas  at  that  time  was  engaged  in  the  bloody  Border  Ruffian 
wars.  Mr.  Smith  became  one  of  ten  selected  to  march  across 
the  prairie  to  Prazier's  river  and  the  extreme  northwestern  por- 
tion of  the  republic  in  search  of  gold.  In  1859  he  crossed  to 
Denver  city,  then  a  rude  hamlet,"  built  mostly  of  adobe  houses, 
there  being  but  six  frame  structures  in  the  town.  Prom  Den- 
ver, with  a  party,  he  started  into  the  wild  interior  of  the 
Rockies,  but  was  finally  obliged  to  abandon  the  search,  by 
hostile  Indians. 

In  1860  he  returned  to  his  home  in  Philadelphia  on  a  visit, 
and  while  there  became  greatly  interested  in  the  political  out- 
look. Soon  afterward  Fort  Sumter  was  fired  on,  and  he  im- 
mediately concluded  to  enlist.  Accordingly,  on  the  28th  of 
May,  1861,  he  was  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States 
government  as  first  lieutenant  of  Company  P,  Seventy-first 
Pennsylvania,  better  known  as  Baker's  California  regiment. 
Mr.  Smith's  army  career  is  well  known  to  the  American  public. 
His  promotion  was  rapid,  and  he  soon  assumed  command  of 
the  regiment.  Baker  being  killed  at  Balls  Bluff.  Colonel  Smith 
was  recognized  as  the  youngest  colonel  in  either  army,  being  a 
regimental  and  brigade  commander.  He  participated  in  many 
of  the  most  important  engagements  of  the  war,  among  which 
were  the  following  :  Falls  Church  reconnoissance  and  action  at 
Lewinsville,  advance  on  Munson's  hill,  action  at  Balls  Bluff, 
relief  of  Banks,  Savage  station.  White  Oak  swamp,  Charles  City 
Cross  roads,  Malvern  Hill,  Siege  of  Yorktown,  Fair  Oaks  or 
Seven  Pines,  action  at  Fair  Oaks,  Peach  Orchard,  covered  re- 
treat at  second  Bull  Run,  Hyattstown,  South  Mountain,  Antie- 
tam,  Dunker  church,  Fredericksburg,  Banks  Ford,  Thorough- 
fare Gap,  Gettysburg,  Auburn  Mills,  Bristoe  station,  action  Bull 


468  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Hun,  Mine  Run,  Robertson's  Tavern,  Morton's  Ford  and  Cold 
Harbor. 

At  Pair  Oaks,  as  lieutenant,  he  led  the  regiment  into  action, 
a  maneuver  which  was  witnessed  by  Greneral  Sedgwick,  who 
j-ecommended  him  as  a  held  officer.  At  Antietam  he  was 
wounded  at  the  cannon's  mouth,  and  his  services  at  the  battle 
of  Gettysbui"g  won  for  him  the  highest  enconiums  of  military 
men,  historians  and  private  citizens  throughout  the  country,  it 
having  been  stated  by  more  than  one  witness  of  the  affair  that 
the  action  of  Colonel  Smith  and  his  men  on  the  eventful  3d  of 
July  was  the  means  of  turning  the  tide  of  victory.  The  po- 
sition occupied  by  him  at  this  battle  is  known  as  the  bloody 
angle  where  Picket  made  his  charge,  and  where  the  backbone 
of  the  rebellion  was  broken.  Colonel  Smith  succeeded  in  bring- 
ing into  use  the  dead  guns  recovered  from  the  field  of  action  on 
the  2d  of  July,  and  with  these  he  poured  into  the  advancing 
columns  of  Picket  an  enfilading  fire,  which  effectually  checked 
his  advance.  On  July  3,  1864,  he  was  mustered  out  of  the  ser- 
vice, with  his  regiment,  and  at  once  engaged  in  the  manufactur- 
ing business  with  General  McCandless,  of  Pennsylvania  Reserve 
fame.  At  length,  however,  he  gave  up  his  partnership  with 
McCandless  and  came  to  New  York  city,  taking  up  his  resi- 
dence on  Staten  Island.  Almost  immediately  he  interested  him- 
self in  the  wholesale  coal  business,  in  which  he  rapidly  ac- 
cumulated a  fortune.  After  a  survey  of  the  prominent  points 
in  the  trade,  he  saw  that  immense  quantities  of  small  coal, 
amounting  to  millions  of  tons,  capable  of  use  in  the  making  of 
steam,  were  being  thrown  away  and  wasted.  He  succeeded  in 
surmounting  many  prejudices  against  its  introduction  as  a  fuel, 
and  at  last  obtained  the  consent  of  the  railroads  to  carry  it, 
since  which  he  has  devoted  himself  entirely  to  its  sale.  Through 
the  influence  of  Colonel  Smith  the  small  coal  has  become  the 
fuel  of  the  age  for  steam. 

Ten  years  ago  Colonel  Smith  purchased  seventeen  acres  of 
ground  on  the  Clove  road,  at  West  Brighton,  on  which  he 
erected  the  handsome  residence  at  present  occupied  by  him. 
Essentially  a  domestic  man,  he  spends  much  of  his  time  at  his 
home,  and  he  is  widely  known  and  highly  esteemed  in  social 
circles  both  on  Staten  Island  and  in  New  York  citv.  Mr.  Smith 
married  Miss  Lucy  P.Woods,  of  Pittsburs.  He  has  four  child- 
ren: R.  Penn.  Smith,  Jr.,  Mary  F.,  Morton  W.  and  Edward  G., 
all  of  whom  reside  with  their  parents. 


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CHAPTER  X. 


THE  PROFESSIONS  OF  LAW  AND  MEDICINE. 


The  Bench  and  Bar.*— Henry  B.  Metcalfe.— AlvinC.  Bradley.— Tompkins  Wester- 
velt.— Lot  C.  Clark.— Robert  Christie.— John  and  WiUiam  H.  Anthon.— 
Theodore  C.  Vermilye. — List  of  Practising  Attorneys. — Augustus  Prentice. — 
Richmond  County  Medical  Society.— I.  K.  Ambrose. — Herman  Beyer. — Alfred 
L.  Carroll.— Ephraim  Clark.— Alva  D.  Decker.— Henry  S.  Earl.— Joseph 
Feeny. — JohnL.  Feeny. — R.  Henry  Golder. — Edwin  A.  Hervey. — George  C. 
Hubbard. — Robert  M.  Ames. — F.  E.  Martindale. — James  J.  O'Dea. — S.  A. 
Robinson. — Robert  Rogerson. — Henry  W.  Sawtelle. — Samuel  Russell  Smith. — 
Walker  Washington,  Jr. — J.  Walter  Wood. — Notes  of  Quarantine  Superin- 
tendence, etc. 


RICHMOND  county,  owing  to  its  being,  as  a  matter  of  fact, 
simply  one  of  the  many  places  of  habitation  for  the 
business  men  of  the  city  of  New  York,  whose  business  is  done 
in  the  city  and  by  city  lawyers  and  before  city  courts,  has  not 
in  the  past  become  the  residence  of  any  great  number  of  the 
most  eminent  members  of  the  bar. 

In  the  distribution  of  judicial  districts  and  departments 
Richmond  county  is  attached  to  the  Second  judicial  district  and 
department,  and  in  the  selections  of  judges  for  the  higher  state 
courts  "little  Richmond,"  by  which  appellation  the  county  is 
known,  has  never  been  honored.  Although  lawyers  have  never 
been  wanting  competent  and  willing  to  fill  the  position  of  county 
judge  and  surrogate,  such  was  the  universal  respect  for  and 
confidence  in  Judge  Metcalfe  that  he  held  the  position  from  the 
adoption  of  the  constitution  of  1846  until  his  age  precluded 
him  from  further  service.  Judge  Tompkins  Westervelt  and 
Judge  Stephen  D.  Stephens,  his  successors,  are  noticed  in 
sketches  subjoined.  The  writer  is  unable  to  recall  any  litiga- 
tions of  great  public  importance  in  the  county,  excepting  the 
quarantine  riot  investigation  (1859)  and  the  murder  trial  of 
Polly  Bodine  (1844).  The  county  has  not,  however,  been  lack 
ing  in  litigations  of    more   than  ordinary  interest,    such  as 

*By  Sidney  F.  Rawson. 


470  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

the  will  case  of  Mrs.  Gardiner  (the  mother-in-law  of  President 
Tyler),  the  Seguine  will  case,  the  ferry  litigations  between  Cor- 
nelius Vanderbilt  and  George  Law,  John  H.  Starin  and  Erastus 
Wiman,  and  the  late  William  T.  Garner  and  the  North  Shore 
Perry  Company. 

We  append  sketches  of  the  lives  of  some  of  the  more  promi- 
nent of  the  legal  fraternity. 

Hon.  Henry  B.  Metcalfe  was  born  January  20,  1805,  at  Johns- 
town, then  Montgomery,  now  Fulton  county,  N.  Y.,  and  died 
at  his  residence  in  the  town  of  Southfield,  Richmond  county, 
February  7,  1881,  and  was  consequently  in  his  77th  year  at  the 
time  of  his  death.     Judge  Metcalfe  was  one  of  the  seven  chil- 
dren of  George  Metcalfe,  who  was  at  one  time  a  man  of  consid- 
erable prominence  in  this  state,  having  been  appointed  in  1796 
assistant  attorney-general  under  Governor  Jay,  and  having  held 
the  office  of  district  attorney  in  this  county— of  which  he  be- 
came a  resident  in  1816,  when  his  son  Henry  was  11  years  old. 
The  Metcalfes  were  of  English  extraction,  the  progenitor  of  the 
family  having  come  to  this  country  from  England  in  1765.    The 
family  in  England  was  one  of  some  note.     Henry  Bleeker  Met- 
calfe studied  Jaw  with  his  father,  and  at  his  arrival  at  majority, 
in  1826,  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  a  special  examination  having 
been  accorded  to  him  by  the  chancellor,  in  order  that  he  might 
be  admitted  as  an  attorney,  so  as  to  become  eligible  to  hold  the 
office  of  district  attorney,  made  vacant  by  his  father's  death. 
He  was  also  appointed  a  master  in  the  court  of  chancery,  which 
latter  office  he  held  until  the  abolition  of  that  court  in  1846. 
He  held  the  office  of  district  attorney  until  1833 — between  that 
time  and  1830  he  was  employed  by  the  Staten  Island  Ferry  Com- 
pany.    In  1840  he  was  appointed  county  judge  and  in  the  same 
year  he  became  a  United   States   boarding   officer  at   quaran- 
tine, which   latter  place  he  held  until  1843.     In  1847  he  was 
elected  (that  being  the  first  election  to  that  office  under  the 
constitution  of  1846)  county  judge  and  surrogate  of  this  county, 
which  office  he  held  continuously  till  1875,  at  which  time  he  re- 
signed to  take  his   seat  as  a  member  of  congress  for  the  first 
congressional  district  of  New  York,  in  the  forty-fourth  congress, 
to  which  he  had  been  elected. 

Judge  Metcalfe  was  also  a  prominent  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  and  for  many  years  was  the  active  manager  (in 
his  office  of  secretary)  of  the  Richmond  County  Mutual  Insur- 


HISTOKY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  471 

ance  Company.  The  above  is  a  brief  record  of  Jud^e  Metcalfe's 
official  career.  His  life  was  an  exceptional  one,  having  held 
almost  uuinterrnptedly,  for  a  period  of  almost  fifty-three  years, 
some  public  oflBce,  and  for  all  his  adult  life  some  place  of  trust. 
He  was  more  favorably  known  to  the  people  as  surrogate 
than  in  any  other  capacity.  His  unvarying  kindness  to  all 
who  came  in  contact  with  him,  his  readiness  at  all  times  to 
render  aid,  give  advice  and  otherwise  help  those  who  in  sorrow 
and  adversity  sought  his  counsel,  made  him  probably  the  most 
popular  man  in  this  county,  and  secured  his  election  from  time 
to  time,  sometimes  without  any,  always  without  substantial, 
opposition.  With  one  exception  Judge  Metcalfe  held  the  of- 
fice of  county  judge  and  surrogate  longer  than  any  other  officer 
in  this  state.  As  county  judge  he  was  more  noted  for  his  good 
sense  and  endeavors  to  get  at  the  right  of  such  matters,  civil 
and  criminal,  as  came  before  him,  than  he  was  for  his  knowl- 
edge of  abstruse  and  intricate  legal  questions.  He  was  the  pre- 
siding judge  of  the  court  of  sessions  when,  in  1856,  several  pub- 
lic officers  of  this  county  were  indicted  and  convicted,  as  he  was 
in  1872  when  similar  results  were  obtained.  In  their  prosecu- 
tion Judge  Metcalfe  held  the  scales  evenly  balanced— neither 
popular  prejudice  nor  personal  friendship  being  allowed  to  inter- 
fere with  the  due  course  of  the  law — and  when  at  the  time  of  the 
quarantine  riots  several  parties  were  brought  before  him  on  the 
serious  charge  of  arson,  Judge  Metcalfe  discharged  the  prison- 
ers, and  took  strong  ground  against  the  right  of  the  city  of  New 
York  to  cast  her  infected  dead  and  dying  upon  the  shores  of 
the  island.  In  congress  his  most  notable  vote  was  perhaps  that 
given  for  the  creation  of  the  electoral  commission,  for  which  he 
was  somewhat  criticised  by  his  party  friends,  but  his  judgment 
was  that  the  danger  of  anarchy  and  civil  war  which  threatened 
were  far  greater  than  any  harm  that  could  come  from  a  peace- 
able solution  of  the  then  pending  question. 

He  was  the  owner  of  a  farm  a  short  distance  from  Richmond 
village,  where  he  passed  the  latter  years  of  his  life,  and  where 
he  peacefully  passed  away,  surrounded  by  his  family  and 
friends. 

Judge  Metcalfe's  memory  was  honored  at  a  bar  meeting  held 
at  the  Richmond  county  court  house  October  9,  1881,  Hon.  Cal- 
vin E.  Pratt  presiding.  A  suitable  memorial,  presented  by 
Ex-District  Attorney  Sidney  F.  Rawson,  was  entered  upon  the 


472  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

minutes  of  the  court,  and  addresses  were  made  by  Hon.  T. 
Westervelt,  E.  B.  Merrill,  Esq.,  and  others. 

Among  the  many  lawyers  who  have  from  time  to  time  made 
their  homes  on  Staten  Island  none  have  been  more  worthy  of 
an  enduring  monument  by  the  use  of  the  "  art  preservative  of  all 
arts  "  than  the  late  Alvin  C.  Bradley,  who  died  at  his  residence 
near  Castleton  Corners,  on  Wednesday,  February  23,  1881, 
aged  70  years  and  7  months. 

Mr.  Bradley  was  not  a  native  of  Richmond  county,  having 
removed  hither  from  the  western  part  of  the  state  about  1851. 
He  purchased  the  fine  farm  of  Mr.  Garrett  Martling,  located 
partly  in  Middletown  and  partly  in  Castleton,  and  removed 
into  the  farm  house  upon  the  premises.  After  residing  there 
a  few  years,  he  erected  a  very  commodious  and  tasteful  man- 
sion upon  another  portion  of  the  farm  from  designs  which  were 
made  under  his  personal  direction.  In  this  very  comfortable 
and  agreeable  home  he  resided  till  his  death. 

During  the  time  of  his  residence  on  Staten  Island,  he  con- 
tinued the  practice  of  law  in  the  city  of  New  York,  in  which  he 
had  been  engaged  for  a  number  of  years  previous,  and  which 
was  of  an  important  character,  bringing  him  often  very  promi- 
nently before  the  public.  He  took  part  in  many  interesting 
trials  and  was  engaged  in  arguments  of  much  moment  in  the 
higher  courts.  One  of  the  many  cases  in  which  he  appeared 
was  that  of  referee  as  to  the  alimony  question  in  the  great  For- 
rest divorce  c^se,  a  matter  of  great  moment  to  the  parties  in 
the  suit  and  involving  a  large  amount  of  money.  He  was  a 
lawyer  of  superior  ability  and  was  possessed  of  an  acute  and 
subtle  mind,  to  the  cultivation  of  which  he  had  brought  very 
extensive  reading. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Bradley  belonged  to  the  old  whig  party  dur- 
ing its  existence,  and  at  one  time  ran  for  member  of  assembly 
on  that  ticket  in  this  county.  He  afterward  united  with  the 
republican  party  and  continued  a  very  ardent  member  of  that 
faith.  About  1873  he  was  elected  supervisor  of  the  town  of 
Middletown  and  served  for  one  term.  With  him  from  the  other 
towns  were  gentlemen  of  much  public  spirit  and  intelligence, 
and  the  board  which  they  composed  was  called  the  "  Reform 
Board,"  and  accomiilished  very  much  in  the  way  of  regulating 
the  affairs  of  the  county,  and  bringing  matters  to  a  condition 
wherein  the  laws  were  more  strictly  observed  by  public  officers. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  473 

Mr.  Bradley  gave  himself  almost  without  intermission  to  the 
duties  of  his  office  and  performed  an  immense  deal  of  hard  work 
in  connection  with  it,  for  which  the  public  were  exceedingly 
grateful  and  are  still  enjoying  the  benefits  of  the  same.  The 
deceased  was  an  invalid  for  three  years,  but  found  enjoy- 
ment during  his  enforced  retirement  in  reading  the  books 
contained  in  his  large  and  valuable  private  library.  At  a 
meeting  of  the  members  of  the  bar  shortly  after  Mr.  Bradley's 
death,  at  which  Hon.  Calvin  E.  Pratt,  justice  of  the  supreme 
court,  presided,  ,a  memorial  on  the  life  of  Mr.  Bradley  was  pre- 
sented and  ordered  entered  upon  the  minutes  of  the  court.  Ed- 
ward B.  Merrill,  Esq.  (now  of  the  New  York  bar,  then  of  Rich- 
mond county),  delivered  a  very  able  address,  and  remarks  were 
made  by  Hon.  Tompkins  Westervelt,  George  J.  Greenfield,  Hon. 
Theodore  Frean,  Sidney  F.  Rawson,  Isaiah  T.  Williams,  and 
others — and  a  letter  was  read  from  Charles  O'Connor,  saying 
that  "  his  brethren  not  only  recognized  the  able  lawyer  but  the 
true  and  honorable  citizen,  and  as  such  they  deplore  his  loss 
and  honor  his  memory." 

Hon.  Tompkins  Westervelt  was  the  son  of  Doctor  John  S. 
Westervelt  and  Hannah,  his  wife,  the  latter  being  the 
daughter  of  Hon.  Daniel  D.  Tompkins.  He  was  born  and 
always  resided  at  New  Brighton,  Staten  Island.  He  graduated 
at  the  age  of  21  years  at  Columbia  College;  was  almost  im- 
mediately admitted  to  the  bar  and  continued  in  practice  to  the 
time  of  his  death. 

He  was  a  courteous  gentleman  and  able  lawyer,  and  perfectly 
upright  in  all  his  transactions.  He  was  for  several  terms  trustee 
of  the  village  of  New  Brighton;  was  a  vestryman  in  St.  John's 
Protestant  Episcopal  church  at  Clifton;  one  of  the  founders  of 
the  S.  R.  Smith  Infirmary;  a  director  in  the  Staten  Island  Sav- 
ings Bank  and  for  many  years  its  counsel.  In  1871  he  was  twice 
a  candidate  for  the  office  of  district  attorney  but  was  defeated 
each  time.  In  1875  he  was  elected  county  judge,  which  office 
he  held  with  honor  and  distinction  for  six  years.  Judge  West- 
ervelt died  April  20,  1882,  aged  52  years.  At  the  term  of  the 
supreme  court  held  in  Richmond  county  in  May,  1882,  Hon. 
E.  M.  Cullen  presiding,  a  meeting  of  the  bar  was  held  and  a 
committee  consisting  of  County  Judge  Stephens,  Ex-District 
Attorney  Rawson  and  George  J.  Greenfield,  Esq.,  presented 
the  following  resolutions  on  the  death  of  Judge  Westervelt  : 


474  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

"  Whereas,  Tompkins  Westervelt,  a  native  of  this  county, 
who  for  fifty  years  resided  therein,  and  who  for  thirty-one  of 
these  years  was  a  practising  lawyer,  and  who  was  honored  by 
the  people  of  his  neighborhood  and  of  the  county  by  being 
placed  in  many  positions  of  trust  and  responsibility,  notably 
that  of  County  Judge  and  Surrogate,  has  recently  died,  and 

"  Whereas,  During  all  those  years.  Judge  Westervelt  has  led 
a  blameless  life,  and  has  left  to  his  family  and  friends  a  precious 
legacy  in  his  record  as  a  Christian  gentleman,  an  able  lawyer, 
an  upright  Judge  and  an  honorable  citizen;  now,  therefore, 

""Resolved,  That  the  members  of  the  Bar  of  Richmond 
County,  and  the  profession  generally,  have  in  the  death  of 
Judge  Westervelt  lost  an  honored  friend  and  an  able  member 
of  their  body; 

•'■Revolved,  That  the  people  of  this  community  have  sustained 
a  great  loss  in  the  death  of  Judge  Westervelt.  inasmuch  as  he 
was  in  every  respect  a  good  citizen,  having  at  all  times  in  his 
private,  as  well  as  in  his  public  capacities,  the  best  interests 
and  welfareof  the  community  at  heart; 

^'Resolved,  Also,  that  in  the  Christian  life  of  Judge  Wester- 
velt we  find  the  true  attributes  of  manhood,  and  that  we  may 
all  profit  by  his  example; 

''Resolved,  Further,  that  the  Court  be  requested  to  order 
these  resolutions  to  be  entered  at  length  upon  its  minutes." 

Eulogiums  were  pronounced  by  Mr.  Greenfield,  Mr.  Rawson, 
Judge  Stephens  and  others. 

LotC.  Clark,  who  died  at  his  residence  in  Seventeenth  street, 
New  York  city,  on  February  11,  1880,  in  the  62d  year  of  his 
age,  was  well  known  and  highly  respected  throughout  Rich- 
mond county.  He  was  born  in  Chenango  county,  this  state, 
being  the  son  of  Lot  Clark,  a  distinguished  lawyer,  and  at  one 
time  a  member  of  congress.  He  was  graduated  at  Yale,  studied 
law  in  the  office  of  the  late  Nicholas  Hill,  at  Saratoga  springs, 
and  began  his  practice  in  Richmond  county.  Becoming  district 
attorney  in  184],  he  filled  with  distinguished  ability  the  office 
for  eight  years,  during  which  time  he  prosecuted  several  noted 
cases,  among  them  that  of  Mrs.  Polly  Bodine,  who  was  indicted 
for  the  murder  of  her  sister-in-law  and  her  infant  niece  and  for 
arson.  Three  times  was  this  case  tried,  the  final  trial  resulting 
in  an  acquittal,  but  during  its  continuance  Mr.  Clark  won  for 
himself  a  lasting  reputation  as  an  energetic,  well  instructed  and 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  475 

able  lawyer.  Opposed  to  Mr.  Clark  in  this  case  were  Clinton 
De  Witt  and  David  Graham,  the  latter  of  whom  especially 
became  afterward  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  criminal 
lawyers. 

In  1856  Mr.  Clark  was  married  to  Miss  Frances  Sutherland 
Irving,  a  daughter  of  Rev.  Dr.  Theodore  Irving,  and  grand- 
daughter of  the  late  Jacob  Sutherland,  a  justice  of  the  supreme 
court.  In  1870  Mr.  Clark  removed  to  New  York  city.  He  was 
an  active  lay  member  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church,  and 
his  funeral  took  place  from  Calvary  church,  New  York  city. 
He  was  at  one  time  at  the  head  of  the  law  firm  of  De  Groot, 
Rawson  &  Stafford. 

Immediately  after  the  decease  of  Mr.  Clark  the  members  of 
the  bar  met  at  the  court  house  in  Richmond  county.  Honor- 
able H.  B.  Metcalfe  presided,  Mr.  George  Gallagher  was  secre- 
tary, and  large  numbers  of  the  legal  profession  were  present. 
A  committee,  consisting  of  Honorable  Tompkins  Westervelt, 
George  J.  Greenfield,  Esq.,  and  Ex-District  Attorney  S.  F. 
Rawson,  was  appointed  to  submit  resolutions,  and  the  following 
were  presented  and  adopted,  viz.: 

"  Whereas,  The  Bar  of  Richmond  County  has  just  sustained 
a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of  Mr.  Lot  C.  Clark,  for  many  years 
its  leading  member  and  brightest  ornament,  and 

"  Whereas,  We  desire  to  testify  publicly  our  sense  of  this 
loss  and  our  estimate  and  appreciation  for  our  departed 
brother: 

''  Jiesolved,  That  the  Bar  of  Richmond  County  have  learned 
with  profound  sadness  that  Mr.  Lot  C.  Clark  has  departed  from 
the  scene  of  earthly  activity  and  usefulness;  and  recognizing  in 
this  event  the  serious  loss  sustained  by  themselves  and  the  legal 
fraternity  at  large, 

"  Hesolved,  That  in  Lot  C.  Clark  we  see  one  who  combined 
all  the  best  and  highest  attributes  of  the  lawyer — purity  of  life, 
absolute  faithfulness  to  the  trusts  confided  to  him,  clear  and 
discriminating  intellect,  legal  erudition,  unwearied  toil  and  con- 
stant study,  and  great  forensic  ability;  and  added  to  these, 
those  qualities  that  mark  the  good  citizen — a  dutiful  son,  a  de- 
voted husband  and  father,  a  warm  and  unvarying  friend,  a  good 
neighbor  and  a  humble,  devout  Christian, 

•'  Resolved,  That  the  life  and  example  of  Lot  C.  Clark 
should  be  studied  and  followed  by  his  surviving  brethren,  who, 


476  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

if  they  cannot  reach  the  high  rank  which  he  held,  can  at  least 
do  their  duty  by  striving  to  attain  it  by  the  means  which  he  pur- 
sued, and  can  find  in  his  course  an  encouragement  to  more 
earnest  efforts. 

"  Resolved,  That  these  resolutions  be  presented  to  the  court, 
with  a  request  tliat  the  same  be  entered  upon  the  minutes: 

'^Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  prepared,  at- 
tested by  the  chairman  and  secretary  of  this  meeting,  and  trans- 
mitted to  the  family  of  the  deceased." 

Eloquent  addresses  were  made  by  Messrs.  Westervelt,  Green- 
field, Metcalfe  and  Rawson  and  the  resolutions  unanimously 
adopted.  These  addresses  may  be  found  in  full  in  the  Rich- 
mond county  '•'■Sentinel''''  of  February  21,  1880. 

Among  the  lawyers  of  prominence  in  the  profession  who  are 
now  deceased  mention  should  be  made  of  Hon.  Robert  Christie, 
who  was  state  senator  from  the  First  senatorial  district  in  1864-5, 
and  who  was  one  of  Richmond  county's  most  active  politicians 
and  prominent  lawyers.  He  resided  for  some  time  at  Clifton  in 
an  elegant  mansion  and  died  there  about  1873.  He  was  a  man 
of  imposing  personal  appearance  and  had  great  natural  talent, 
which,  added  to  his  legal  training,  made  him  one  of  the  most 
talented  lawyers  of  his  day. 

The  brothers  John  and  William  Henry  Anthon  (sons  of  John 
Anthon,  an  eminent  lawyer  of  New  York  city),  were  for  many 
years  residents  of  Richmond  county,  and  for  a  time  controlled 
a  large  part  of  the  legal  business  therein.  John  became  grand 
master  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  of  New  York  state.  William 
Henry  was  member  of  assembly  from  Richmond  county  in  1851, 
and  judge  advocate  general  of  the  state  of  New  York  in  the 
early  part  of  the  civil  war.  Both  of  them  were  lawyers  far 
above  the  average.  John  died  about  1873,  and  William  H. 
about  1875. 

Theodore  C.  Vermilye,  who  died  about  1879,  was  a  lawyer  of 
considerable  ability.  He  was  member  of  assembly  in  1860, 
counsel  to  the  board  of  supervisors  of  Richmond  county  for 
many  years,  was  justice  of  the  peace,  town  clerk  and  police 
justice  of  the  village  of  New  Brighton. 

Lawyers  residing  in  Richmond  county,  in  1886  : 

Acker,  Augustus,  West  New  Brighton  ;  Alston,  Lot  C,  Port 
Richmond. 

Benedict,  Charles  L.,  New  Dorp  post  office,  United  States 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  477 

district  judge,  Eastern  district;  Birmingham,  D.  Walton, 
Stapleton;  Bonner,  George  W.,  New  Brighton;  Boardman, 
Albert  B.,  New  Brighton  ;  Butler,  Aaron,  New  Brighton  ;  Butts, 
Thomas  W.,  Mariners'  Harbor. 

Collins,  William  A.,  New  Brighton  ;  Clark,  Lester  W.,  New 
Brighton ;  Crook,  John,  ex-district  attorney,  Port  Richmond  ; 
Crowell,  E.  B.,  New  Brighton  ;  Cary,  Melbert  B.,  New  Brighton. 

Davison,  C.  Stewart,  New  Brighton ;  DeGroot,  Alfred,  ex- 
district  attorney.  Port  Richmond ;  DeKay,  Sidney,  New 
Brighton  ;  Delavan,  Edward  C,  New  Brighton  ;  Belavan,  Ed- 
ward C,  Jr.,  New  Brighton  ;  Duer,  John,  New  Brighton. 

Everett,  William,  Tompkinsville  ;  Elliott,  Walter  T.,  Totten- 
ville. 

Finch,  Richard  L.  N.,  Tompkinsville;  Fitzgerald,  Thomas 
W.,  Mariners'  Harbor,  Fitzgerald,  Daniel  H.,  Mariners'  Har- 
bor ;  Frean,  Theodore,  Stapleton. 

Gallagher,  George,  district  attorney  Richmond  county.  West 
New  Brighton  ;  Greenfield,  George  J.,  Stapleton. 

Hubbe,  Edward  S.,  Stapleton  ;  Heydenreich,  A.,  Tompkins- 
ville ;  Hornfager,  W.  S.,  Stapleton;  Huebner,  Max  C,  Staple- 
ton. 

Johnston,  George  H.,  Port  Richmond;  Jones,  Patrick  H., 
Port  Richmond. 

Kenney,  John  I.,  New  Brighton;  Killian,  B.  D.,  Totten- 
ville ;  King,  J.  Travis,  Port  Richmond. 

McNamee,  James,  Stapleton ;  Maccafferty,  Augustus,  Tomp 
kinsville ;  MacFarland,  William  W.,  Stapleton ;  Mackellar, 
George  M.,  West  New  Brighton  ;  Marsh,  Nathaniel,  Stapleton; 
McCarthy,  John  A.,  Tompkinsville  ;  McMahon,  Thomas,  New 
Brighton  ;  Middlebrook,  Charles  T.,  New  Brighton  ;  Mullen, 
William  M.,  Stapleton;  Martin,  John  M.,  Port  Richmond; 
McNamee,  Charles,  Stapleton  ;   McKeon,  Joseph  I.,  Stapleton. 

Openshaw,  Edward,  New  Brighton. 

Powers,  William  J.,  West  New  Brighton  ;  Prentice,  Augus- 
tus, New  Brighton. 

Rawson,  Sidney  F.,  ex-district  attorney,  Port  Richmond; 
Robinson,  Robert  E.,  New  Brighton  ;  Rawcliffe,  Henry  Alonzo, 
Stapleton  ;  Robinson,  George  W.,  Stapleton. 

Stafford,  Dewitt,  Port  Richmond;  Scofield,  George  S.,  Jr., 
Stapleton  ;  Stewart,  William  A.  W.,  New  Brighton  ;  Stephens, 
Stephen  D.,  Richmond  county  judge.  New  Brighton. 


478  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Talbot,  John  E.,  Stapleton ;  Telfair,  Jacob  E.,  Tompkins- 
ville;  Thompson,  B.  Gt.,  ]S"ew  Brighton;  Townsend,  William 
B.,  Stapleton;  Townsend,  Henry  D.,  Stapleton. 

Ulman,  H.  C,  Stapleton;  Ullman  Percival  G.,  Huguenot, 
Eossville  post  office. 

A'ermilye,  Theodore  C,  Tompkinsville ;  Van  Hoevenburgh, 
James  D.,  Tompkinsville;  Van  Name,  C.  D.,  Mariners'  Harbor; 
Van  Ness,  William  E..  Mariners'  Harbor. 

Welch,  Joseph  A.,  New  Dorp;  Warner,  John  Dewitt,  New 
Brighton;  White,  Elias  M,,  Stapleton;  Willcox,  David  J.  H., 
New  Brighton;  Wyeth,  Nathaniel  J.,  New  Dorp  ;  Whitehead, 
A.  P.,  New  Brighton  ;  Winsor,  Thomas,  Rossville. 

Augustus  Prentice  was  born  in  New  London  county,  Connec- 
ticut, September  30,  1826.  A  genealogy  of  the  Prentice  family 
in  America,  published  in  1883,  shows  his  ancestors  on  the 
father's  side  to  have  emigrated  from  Essex  county,  England,  in 
the  year  1631,  and  to  have  settled  in  Roxbury,  Massachusetts. 
In  the  year  1700  one  branch  of  the  family  settled  in  the  town 
of  North  Stonington,  Conn.,  and  from  this  branch  Mr.  Prentice 
is  a  direct  descendant.  His  father  (Asa  Prentice)  was  born  in 
New  London  county,  Conn.,  February  18,  1792,  and  at  this  date 
(1887)  is  still  living  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  good  bodily  health 
and  all  his  faculties.  His  ancestors  on  the  mother's  side  were 
also  among  the  earlier  settlers  of  New  England.  His  great- 
grandfather on  the  mother's  side  was  a  wholesale  merchant 
and  extensive  real  estate  owner  in  Newport,  Rhode  Island, 
at  the  time  the  English  bombarded  that  place  during  the  revo- 
lutionary war,  and  had  several  houses  nearly  destroyed  by 
English  cannon  balls. 

Until  he  arrived  at  the  age  of  about  10  years  his  father  was 
engaged  in  the  dry  goods  business  in  Springfield,  Mass.,  and 
Montpelier,  Vermont,  and  in  both  places  Mr.  Prentice  attended 
the  public  school.  His  father  then  retired  from  the  mercantile 
business  and  purchased  and  moved  to  a  large  farm  in  Tolland 
county.  Conn.,  where  Augustus  continued  attending  the  public 
school  for  several  years,  after  which  he  was  sent  for  a  year  or 
two  to  a  private  school.  Here  his  inclination  to  study  began  to 
show  itself  and  he  made  rapid  and  thorough  progress  in  the 
more  substantial  branches.  From  this  private  school  he  went, 
at  about  the  age  of  17  years,  to  Wilbraham  academy,  at  Wil- 
braham,  Mass.    His  attendance  at  this  academy  extended  over 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  479 

a  period  oJ:  three  or  four  years.  During  the  winter  months  he 
taught  school  at  West  Hartford,  Farmington  and  Old  Windsor, 
in  Conn.,  and  one  winter  on  Cape  Cod.  Having  prepared  him- 
self for  college  and  made  all  his  arrangements,  even  to  packing 
his  trunk  preparatory  to  leaving  the  following  day  for  college, 
he  was  brought  to  a  sudden  halt  in  his  course.  He  was  seized 
with  violent  hemorrhage  which  returned  at  periods  for  several 
months.  Medical  aid  seemed  of  little  avail,  as  the  doctors  pro- 
nounced his  case  one  of  enlargement  of  the  heart.  In  the  fall 
of  that  year  he  came  to  New  York  city  for  the  first  time  in  his 
life  to  procure  further  medical  advice.  He  was  advised  that  his 
trouble  arose  from  the  lungs  and  that  he  must  at  once  leave  for 
Florida,  which  was  then  just  coming  into  favorable  notice.  This 
advice  was  followed  and  though  he  had  left  home  expecting  to 
return,  he  immediately  changed  his  plans,  and  late  in  Decem- 
ber was  rowed  from  the  Battery  to  a  Maine  vessel  anchored  just 
below  bound  up  the  St.  John's  river,  Florida,  for  lumber.  He 
remained  in  Florida  that  winter,  the  following  summer  and  the 
second  winter  before  he  left  the  state.  About  May  of  the 
second  year  he  made  a  visit  home  and  remained  in  New  Eng- 
land during  the  summer  and  in  the  fall  returned  to  Florida  and 
sj)ent  his  third  and  last  winter  in  that  state.  Upon  his  return 
he  commenced  the  study  of  the  law  in  the  oflBce  of  Thomas  W. 
Gierke,  who  was  subsequently  judge  of  the  supreme  court  for 
the  city  of  New  York.  He  continued  in  Judge  Gierke's  office 
until  his  admission  to  the  bar  in  the  fall  of  1851.  In  the  spring 
of  1852  he  commenced  practice  in  the  city  of  New  York.  He 
was  married  at  Gales  Ferry,  Connecticut,  in  June,  1855,  to 
Catharine  A.,  daughter  of  William  Browning,  Esq.,  and  they 
commenced  their  married  life  in  a  house  Mr.  Prentice  had  just 
purchased  in  the  city  of  New  York.  His  attention  having 
been  accidentally  called  to  Staten  Island,  and  being  much 
pleased  with  the  place  they  determined  to  rent  their  city  home 
and  move  to  the  island,  which  they  did  in  the  spring  of  1858, 
when  he  built  the  house  on  Tompkins  avenue  in  the  village  of 
New  Brighton,  where  he  has  long  resided.  At  that  time  there 
were  no  incorporated  villages  on  the  island,  the  usual  govern- 
ment of  towns  alone  existing.  In  the  summer  of  1865  Mr. 
Prentice,  having  come  to  the  conclusion  that  village  govern- 
ment was  desirable  for  that  end  of  the  island,  proceeded  to 
draft  such  a  charter  as  he  thought  was  suited  to  the  wants  of 


480  HISTOEY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

the  commuDity.  Late  in  the  fall  he  issued  invitations  to  many 
of  his  neighbors  and  gentlemen  active  in  public  affairs  to  meet 
at  the  St.  Mark's  hotel  and  hear  the  proposed  charter  for  the 
proposed  village  of  New  Brighton  read,  which  was  done,  the 
charter  approved,  and  a  committee  appointed  to  go  to  Albany 
and  procure  its  passage.  The  village  government  first  organ- 
ized in  1866. 

January  30,  1866,  their  only  child  was  born  to  them  and  was 
named  Augustus  Browning  Prentice.  Mr.  Prentice  has  steadily 
continued  in  the  jjractice  of  his  profession,  through  which  he 
early  formed  the  acquaintance  of  a  large  circle  of  business 
men  in  the  city  of  New  York.  Through  many  years  he  has 
retained  the  legal  business  of  most  of  them.  Various  corpora- 
tions have  at  different  times  come  under  his  control  as  counsel, 
among  them  the  Artizans'  Bank,  the  St.  Louis  and  St.  Joseph 
Railroad  Company,  the  St.  Joseph  and  Denver  City  Railroad 
Company,  which  he  formed  by  consolidating  several  smaller 
companies.  In  the  construction  of  this  railroad  he  formed  one 
of  the  executive  committee.  These  corporations  materially  in- 
creased his  already  well  established  practice.  Mr.  Prentice's 
financial  success  has  been  due  largely  to  his  business  tact  and 
his  ability  to  make  good  investments,  which  he  has  confined 
largely  to  real  estate,  and  of  which  he  is  an  owner  both  on  Staten 
Island  and  in  New  York  city.  He  has  a  large  income  from  his 
real  estate,  to  say  nothing  of  his  income  from  his  profession, 
from  which  alone  he  has  made  his  fortune,  as  it  is  said  he  never 
speculates.  Though  often  requested  to  become  a  director  in 
different  corporations,  he  has  invariably  refused.  He  did,  how- 
ever, after  much  solicitation,  accept  the  position  of  president 
of  the  Bank  of  Staten  Island,  which  position  he  holds  at 
present. 

Richmond  County  Medical  Society.— On  the  10th  of  July, 
1806,  five  physicians  met  at  the  court  house  in  the  village  of 
Richmond,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  the  first  medical 
society  in  this  county.  Their  names  were  Benjamin  Parker, 
Isaac  Stewart,  Richard  Henderson,  I.  B.  Halsey  and  John  R.  B.' 
Rodgers.  This  organization  was  the  consequence  of  the  enact- 
ing of  certain  laws  of  the  state  (April  8  preceding)  which  were 
deemed  necessary  to  regulate  the  practice  of  physic  and  surg- 
ery, pronouncing  none  but  members  of  county  societies  whose 
diplomas  must  have  been  filed  in  the  office  of  the  county  clerk 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  481 

to  be  regularly  authorized  physicians.  Meetings  of  the  society 
were  regularly  held  down  to  1832,  since  which  time  there  are  no 
records  of  the  meetings  until  a  reorganization  was  effected. 
The  records  do  not  state  who  the  first  president  was,  but  at  a 
meeting  held  July  17,  1807,  Benjamin  Parker  was  chosen  pres- 
ident. 

On  the  evening  of  January  17,  1855,  a  meeting  was  held  at 
the  Tompkins  Lyceum,  Tompkinsville,  for  the  purpose  of  tak 
ing  preliminary  measures  to  reorganize  the  "  Medical  Society 
of  the  County  of  Richmond."  The  meeting  was  composed  of 
the  following  physicians  :  John  S.  Westervelt,  James  Harcourt, 
Isaac  Lea,  John  W.  Sterling,  William  C.  Anderson,  James  R. 
Boardman,  F.  Campbell  Stewart,  Joseph  Peeny,  E.  W.  Prender- 
gast,  Y.  Hestizka,  C.  G.  Rotha,  H.  R.  Baldwin,  Theodore 
Walser,  J.  C.  Cavelti  and  Edward  C.  Mundy.  A  committee 
was  appointed  to  prepare  or  revise  the  constitution  and  by-laws 
and  report  at  a  subsequent  meeting.  The  chairman  of  this 
meeting  was  Doctor  Westervelt.  At  the  next  meeting,  held  at 
the  same  place;  February  2,  1855,  the  report  of  the  committee 
was  presented  and  accepted,  and  the  constitution  and  by-laws 
prepared  by  them  were  adopted.  Dr.  John  W.  Sterling  was 
chosen  president  of  the  society. 

The  officers  in  1886  were :  R.  Henry  Golder,  jJ^esident ;  F.  U. 
Johnston,  vice-president;  E.  D.  Coonly,  secretary  and  treasurer; 
J.  Walter  Wood,  Herman  Beyer,  T.  J.  Thompson,  censors. 

The  members  are  :  J.  K.  Ambrose,  Clifton;  Frank  Anderson, 
U.  S.  N. ;  J.  A.  Andrews,  Clifton;  Herman  Beyer,  Stapleton; 
A.  L.  Carroll,  Few  Brighton;  F.  E.  Clark,  West  New  Brighton; 
J.  G.  Clark,  West  Kew  Brighton;  E.  D.  Coonly,  Mariners' 
Harbor;  J.  L.  Feeny,  Stapleton;  R.  H.  Golder,  Rossville;  H.  R. 
Harrison,  Port  Richmond;  G.  C.  Hubbard,  Tottenville;  F.  U. 
Johnston,  Stapleton;  I.  Lea,  Stapleton;  Anna  Lukes,  West 
New  Brighton;  F.  E.  Martindale,  Port  Richmond;  I.  L.  Mills- 
paugh,  Richmond;  Jefferson  Scales,  Staj)leton;  Thonias  J. 
Thompson,  Clifton;  J.  J.  Van  Rensselaer,  New  Brighton;  T. 
Walser,  New  Brighton;  W.  C.  Walser,  Port  Richmond;  E.  J. 
Westfall,  Tottenville;  Rudolph  Mautner,  Stapleton;  Mary  R. 
Owen,  Eltingville;  F.  Walter  Wood,  Port  Richmond;  W.  E. 
Bowne,  Tompkinsville. 

In  addition  to  those  belonging  to  the  medical  society  the  fol- 
1  owing  physicians  are  registered  in  the  county  :  Henry  E.  Earl, 

31 


482  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

West  Brighton  ;  Alice  Avery,  Nursery  and  Child's  Hospital  ; 
S.  V.  E,.  Bogart,  New  Brighton;  Samuel  Adams  Robinson,  West 
New  Brighton  ;  Caleb  Lyon,  Rossville  ;  Robert  Rogerdon,  Port 
Richmond  ;  David  Emory  Holman,  Stapleton  (Seaman's  Re- 
treat) ;  Eugene  B.  Sanborn,  Quarantine ;  Alva  D.  Decker, 
Pleasant  Plains ;  James  Oliver  Van  Hoevenberg,  Eltingville  ; 
Gottlieb  Stein,  Stapleton  ;  William  M.  Smith,  Clifton  ;  Thomas 
Washington  Donovan,  New  Brighton ;  Ferdinand  Gustav 
Behme,  New  Brighton ;  Thomas  B.  Newby,  Stapleton  ;  George 
Milton  La  Rue,  Tottenville;  James  J.  O'Dea,  Stapleton;  Thomas 
Sheppard  Goodwin,  West  New  Brighton  ;  Theodore  D.  Lyons, 
Port  Richmond  ;  Edward  Francis  Arnoux,  N.  Y.  city  ;  A.  C. 
Montgomery,  West  New  Brighton  ;  Henry  Mitchell  Rogers, 
Tompkinsville;  Frank  E.  Wilson,  Stapleton;  Albert  D.  Jaupet, 
West  New  Brighton;  L.  L.  Doolittle,  Stapleton;  William  Bryan, 
West  New  Brighton  ;  William  Francis  Bowne,  Tompkinsville  ; 
Edwin  A.  Hervey,  Rossville  ;  Henry  W.  Sawtelle,  Stapleton  ; 
Robert  P.  M.  Ames,  Stapleton  ;  William  Rose,  Stapleton  ; 
David  Coleman,  Tottenville ;  Charles  Wooster  Butler,  Port 
Richmond  ;  Joseph  Henry  McDougall,  New  Brighton;  Walker 
Washington,  Tottenville. 

The  following  brief  personal  notes  of  some  members  of  the 
medical  fraternity  will  be  an  appropriate  sequel  to  the  fore- 
going : 

L  K.  Ambrose,  lately  a  resident  of  Townsend  avenue,  Clifton, 
but  at  present  residing  in  New  York  city,  still  practices  on  the 
Island.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Richmond  County  Medical  So- 
ciety, and  was  for  a  term  county  coroner.  He  was  born  in  Ire- 
land, about  forty-eight  years  ago,  received  his  early  education 
in  colleges  in  Ireland  and  Prance,  and  graduated  in  medicine 
and  surgery  at  the  Long  Island  College  hospital,  in  Brooklyn, 
in  1870.  During  his  stay  on  Staten  Island,  he  became  a  general 
favorite,  especially  among  the  Irish,  and  had  a  large  practice. 
He  was  known  as  the  '-Irish  Doctor,"  being  the  only  one  of 
that  nationality  in  the  county  at  the  time. 

Dr.  Herman  Beyer  was  born  in  Coblentz,  Germany,  in  1836. 
Having  received  a  private  Latin  school  education  he  studied  phar- 
.macy  in  Westphalia,  as  a  preliminary  step  to  the  study  of  med- 
icine. In  1856  he  served  in  the  Prussian  army  as  pharmaceutist. 
He  sailed  for  this  country  in  1860.  In  April,  1861,  he  enlisted  as 
^a  private  in  the  Eighth  regiment,  N.  Y.  V.    In  1862  he  was  trans- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  483 

ferred  to  the  medical  department,  where  he  served  as  pharma- 
ceutist until  the  end  of  the  war.  He  then  began  the  study  of 
medicine  at  Bellevue  hospital,  where  he  graduated  in  1869,  and 
took  an  extra  course  in  1877  and  1878,  besides  a  private  course 
of  Dr.  F.  Knapp's,  in  1878  and  1879,  in  the  Eye  and  Ear  In- 
firmary. He  commenced  practice  at  Astoria,  L.  I.,  in  1869, 
and  removed  to  Staten  Island  in  1880. 

Alfred  Ludlow  Carroll  was  born  in  the  city  of  IS'ew  York  on 
the  4th  of  August,  1833,  educated  at  sundry  private  schools, 
and  in  the  University  of  New  York,  studied  medicine  with  the 
late  Dr.  Valentine  Mott,  and  was  graduated  M.  D.  from  the  Uni- 
yersity  of  New  York  in  1855 ;  removed  to  Staten  Island  in 
1870 ;  elected  secretary  of  the  state  board  of  health  iu  March, 
1884  ;  resigned  February  1st,  1866. 

Dr.  Ephraim  Clark,  who  for  many  years  has  been  actively 
and  intimately  associated  with  most  of  the  prominent  move- 
ments and  public  enterprises  of  the  island,  was  born  in  Rah- 
way,  N.  J.,  in  1797.  He  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Valentine 
Mott,  of  New  York,  and  afterward  graduated  in  the  college  of 
the  state  medical  society  at  New  Brunswick.  In  1820  he  came 
with  some  friends  on  a  gunning  expedition  to  the  island,  and 
was  so  well  pleased  with  the  people  and  surroundings  of  Port 
Richmond  that  he  decided  to  make  that  place  his  home.  -He 
accordingly  located  there,  and  soon  found  himself  in  the  en- 
joyment of  a  lucrative  practice.  He  grew  into  popular  favor, 
and,  being  a  remarkably  active  and  ready  man,  he  naturally 
fell  into  a  prominent  position  in  nearly  every  benevolent  and 
progressive  movement  of  the  day. 

On  the  arrival  of  General  Lafayette,  on  his  last  visit  to  this 
country,  Dr.  Clark  was  a  member  of  the  committee  that  re- 
ceived the  distinguished  soldier  at  the  residence  of  Governor 
Tompkins,  who  was  then  vice-president  of  the  United  States,  at 
the  old  mansion  at  Tompkinsville.  The  general  came  to  Staten 
Island  before  going  to  New  York  city,  and  remained  at  Gov- 
ernor Tompkins'  residence  during  his  sojourn.  On  the  evening 
of  his  arrival  a  grand  reception  was  given,  and  throngs  of 
people  gathered  at  the  place  to  greet  the  gallant  Frenchman. 
Among  the  guests  were  the  leading  men  of  the  country.  On 
his  departure  for  New  York  city  on  the  following  morning 
business  was  suspended,  shops  and  stores  were  closed,  and  the 
people  thronged  the  landing  and  the  shore  of  the  bay  to  see 


.  484  HISTOET  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

him  off,  while  the  water  was  literally  alive  with  all  manner  of 
craft  which  came  to  witness  or  escort  his  passage  from  the 
island  to  the  city.  Over  the  grand  concourse  of  shipping,  said 
to  be  the  most  magnificent  ever  witnessed  in  New  York  bay, 
floated  the  flags  of  all  nations.  On  this  occasion  Governor 
Ogden,  of  New  Jersey,  came  to  greet  Lafayette.  They  had 
been  intimate  friends  during  the  revolution  and  as  they  met 
now  they  squarely  embraced  each  other,  and  Doctor  Clark  says 
he  never  witnessed  a  more  affectionate  greeting  than  was  mani- 
fested by  them. 

Kossuth,  on  his  visit  to  America,  was  a  guest  of  Doctor 
Doane,  health  officer  at  quarantine,  and  was  entertained  at  his 
residence.  The  reception  committee  were  Doctor  Westervelt, 
Doctor  Clark,  Samuel  French,  Judge  Clawson,  and  Richard 
Adam  Locke.  The  latter  delivered  the  welcoming  address. 
General  Garibaldi  was  present,  and  made  a  pleasing  address. 
Kossuth  made  an  affecting  reply,  and  the  words  of  the  great 
patriot  found  a  warm  place  in  every  heart.  A  large  procession 
formed  and  escorted  the  distinguished  visitor  to  the  old  Dutch 
Reformed  church,  now  used  as  a  carriage  manafactory  in 
Tompkinsville,  in  which  the  Tompkins  Guards,  a  local  infantry 
company,  took  the  lead. 

When  General  Jackson  made  his  famous  visit  to  New  York, 
Doctor  Clarke  was  also  a  member  of  the  reception  committee 
that  met  the  old  soldier  at  Port  Richmond  and  escorted  him  to 
New  York  city,  where  they  landed  near  the  present  site  of 
Castle  Garden.  Other  members  of  that  committee  were  Colonel 
Barton,  Doctor  Van  Pelt,  Doctor  Harrison  and  Colonel  Barrett. 

Doctor  Clark  was  with  Doctor  Harrison,  an  attendant  physi- 
cian to  Aaron  Burr,  during  his  sojourn  on  the  island.  He  was 
also  the  committee  appointed  by  the  officers  of  the  Reformed 
church  to  secure  the  services  of  a  pastor,  and  through  his 
agency  the  Reverend  Doctor  Brownlee  was  brought  to  this 
church,  which  he  has  so  acceptably  served  for  more  than  half 
a  century. 

Doctor  Clark  was  appointed  surgeon  of  the  One  Hundred  and 
Forty-sixth  regiment  of  infantry  by  Governor  Yates  in  1823, 
and  having  resigned  that  position  was  in  1837  appointed  sur- 
geon of  the  Sixty- fifth  regiment,  N.  Y.  militia,  by  Governor 
Marcy.  He  was  afterward  an  aid-de-camp,  with  the  rank  of 
colonel,  tothe  general  commanding  the  second  division  of  in- 


HISTOEY  OP  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  485 

fantry,  receiving  his  appointment  from  Governor  Seward. 
During  the  rebellion  he  was  appointed  post  surgeon  at  Camp 
Sprague,  New  Dorp,  and  while  holding  that  position  examined 
over  4,000  men.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Charleston  conven- 
tion of  1860  that  nominated  Breckenridge  and  Lane  ;  and  held 
at  different  times  offices  of  trust  among  his  fellow  citi- 
zens, such  as  supervisor  of  the  town,  physician  of  the  county 
jail,  a  charter  member  of  the  first  Masonic  lodge  on  the  island, 
and  others.  His  was  a  life  of  action,  up  to  the  very  end.  He 
died  at  a  ripe  old  age,  in  November,  1885. 

Dr.  Alva  D.  Decker  was  born  at  Marksboro,  N.  J.,  July  8, 
1848  ;  educated  in  public  schools,  and  in  the  collegiate  institute 
of  Newton,  N.  J.;  studied  medicine  under  Doctors  Sayre,  of. 
Newton,  and  Miller,  of  Andover,  N.  J.  ;  attended  lectures  at, 
and  received  his  diploma  from  the  Long  Island  College  Hos- 
pital, Brooklyn,  in  the  class  of  1876.  He  located  at  Pleasant 
Plains,  S.  I.,  in  June,  1877,  and  is  still  practicing  in  the  same 
town,  and  also  has  a  drug  store  in  connection  with  his  prac- 
tice. 

Henry  E.  Earl  was  born  at  Clapham,  England,  May  26,  1837. 
He  is  a  graduate  of  Columbia  Veterinary  College,  April  23, 
1879  ;  also  of  the  United  States  Medical  College,  March  4,  1880. 
He  is  now  president  of  the  New  York  State  Academy  of  Veter- 
inary Science  and  Comparative  Pathology,  and  second  vice- 
president  of  the  National  Veterinary  Medical  Association. 

Older  residents  of  Staten  Island  will  recall,  as  they  read  this 
sketch,  the  studious  features  and  scholarly  bearing  of  Dr. 
Joseph  Feeny,  whose  name  was  for  many  years  conspicuous  as 
a  leader  in  the  social,  business  and  intellectual  life  of  Richmond 
county.  He  was  born  at  Sligo,  in  Ireland,  March  19,  1813,  and 
was  the  first  of  his  family  to  settle  in  America.  A  person  of 
more  than  average  mental  vigor,  he  gave  his  early  years  to  the 
acquirement  of  a  thorough  classical  education  (in  Trinity  Col- 
lege, Dublin)  which  he  afterward  used  with  effect  in  his  profes- 
sion as  a  teacher.  The  obtaining  of  an  education  with  him,  as 
with  the  majority  of  young  men  of  his  day,  was  a  combined 
struggle  for  knowledge  and  physical  support.  In  1836  he 
entered  the  "  University  of  the  State  of  New  York,  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons,"  from  which  he  did  not  graduate 
till  1850,  his  course  being  divided  between  the  years  1837  and 
1839,  and  again  between  1840  and  1849.     During  these  intervals 


486  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

he  was  engaged  in  teaching,  a  capacity  in  which,  perhaps, 
though  his  later  years  were  mostly  spent  in  mercantile  pursuits, 
he  will  be  best  remembered  on  Staten  Island.  He  was  first 
engaged  as  Latin  and  Greek  tutor  in  the  academy  of  Doctor 
Fitch,  but  from  1841  to  1849  he  conducted  a  highlj'^  successful 
classical  school  of  his  own  in  which  many  of  Staten  Island's 
most  prominent  men  were  prepared  for  college  and  business. 

In  1849,  shortly  before  his  graduation.  Doctor  Feeny  opened 
a  drug  store  at  Stapleton,  the  first  one  in  Richmond  county. 
It  stood  on  the  same  ground  as  that  now  occupied  by  his  son, 
James  Feeny,  and  is  in  fact  the  same  store,  with  alterations 
necessary  to  the  times.  Previous  to  its  establishment  Rich- 
mond county  physicians  had  been  obliged  to  supply  their  own 
medicines,  but  the  new  enterprise  revolutionized  matters  in  this 
respect.  Doctor  Feeny  continued  to  conduct  this  store  till  1863, 
when  he  sold  it  to  his  son,  James  Feeny,  who  still  conducts  it, 
and  who  received  his  diploma  from  the  "Board  of  Pharmacy 
of  the  City  of  New  York,"  in  September,  1872. 

In  1863  Doctor  Feeny  began  practicing  regularly  as  a  physi- 
cian, removing  his  office  to  Jersey  City  in  1864.  In  1865  he  was 
appointed  health  officer  of  that  city,  and  on  January  9,  1866, 
he  died. 

In  Jersey  City,  as  on  Staten  Island,  Doctor  Feeny  won  the 
esteem  and  approbation  of  his  fellow  citizens  by  his  careful  at- 
tention to  his  own  and  the  public  affairs.  At  his  death  the 
common  council  of  the  city  passed  resolutions  of  sympathy, 
and  many  influential  gentlemen  took  occasion  to  express  their 
sorrow  at  his  loss.  He  was  an  unostentatious  man.  His  man- 
ners were  quiet  but  impressive.  A  constant  student,  and  one 
who,  during  his  life,  took  advantage  of  every  favorable  circum- 
stance to  increase  his  store  of  knowledge,  he  became  and  was 
recognized  as  a  man  of  culture  and  great  attainments.  During 
his  medical  course  he  enjoyed  the  advantage  of  attending  the 
lectures  of  Willard  Parker,  Robert  Watts,  Jr.,  Grurdon  Buck 
and  Professor  Gillman.  This,  together  with  his  extended  ex- 
perience, made  him  an  authority  on  medical  subjects. 

He  had  seven  children,  of  whom  four  still  survive.  Of  these, 
three  reside  on  Staten  Island  :  James,  who  succeeded  his  father 
in  the  drug  business,  John  L.,  and  Anna,  who  graduated  from 
the  state  normal  school  at  Albany,  and  who  is  the  wife  of 
Thomas  Gordon  of  Stapleton.     She  was  for  some  time  principal 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  487 

of  district  school  N"o.  2,  town  of  Middletown,   and   many  who 
studied  under  her  have  since  achieved  distinction. 

John  L.  Feeny,  M.D.,  i)resent  health  officer  of  the  village  of 
Edgewater,  and  one  of  the  foremost  physicians  on  Staten  Is- 
land, w^s  born  at  Stapleton,  May  29,  1845.  His  early  educa- 
tion received  the  special  attention  of  his  father,  and  at  the  age 
of  fifteen  he  entered  the  "  Seaman's  Eetreat  Hospital,"  where 
he  remained  for  eight  years.  After  a  preparatory  course  un- 
der Dr.  T.  C.  Moffat,  he  attended  the  "  University  of  the  City 
of  New  York,  Medical  Department,"  from  which  he  graduated 
among  the  highest  in  his  class,  in  1866.  During  his  college 
course  he  studied  under  the  famous  physicians,  Valentine  Mott, 
Alfred  C.  Post,  William  H.  Van  Buren,  Alfred  Loomis  and 
John  T.  Metcalfe,  also  under  Professors  Budd,  Paine  and  the 
three  Drapers.  After  leaving  the  university  he  supplemented 
the  instruction  there  received  with  a  special  and  private  coarse 
under  Professor  Ayelette. 

Almost  immediately  upon  the  completion  of  his  Student  life 
he  received  an  appointment  as  house  physician  of  the  "Sea- 
man's Retreat,"  which  he  resigned  in  1869  to  enter  on  private 
practice  in  Stapleton.  Here  he  still  remains.  In  1870  he  was 
appointed  physician  to  the  "Metropolitan  Police,"  and  detailed 
to  sjjecial  duty.  To  obtain  this  position  he  was  obliged  to  un- 
dergo an  examination  before  the  eighteen  physicians  who,  at 
that  time,  constituted  the  board.  For  the  last  four  years  he 
has  held  the  position  of  health  officer  of  the  town  of  Middle- 
town  and  the  village  of  Edgewater,  is  at  present  examining 
physician  of  the  "Mutual  Reserve  Fund,"  and  has  been  since 
its  organization  vice-president  of  the  "Staten  Island  Academy." 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Richmond  County  Medical  Society 
and  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  As  a  republican  he  has  taken 
a  prominent  part  in  the  politics  of  the  county. 

Doctor  Feeny  has  now  been  in  active  practice  more  than  sixteen 
years,  during  which  time  many  remarkable  cases  have  comeun 
der  his  notice  and  have  been  treated  by  him.  He  adds  to  his 
large  experience  an  intense  love  not  only  of  his  profession  but 
of  all  scientific  and  artistic  study.  He  is  up  in  the  classics,  has 
travelled  considerably,  and  has  taken  a  deep  interest  in  historic 
research.  His  cordial  manners  and  general  intelligence  have 
long  been  noticed  by  those  who  enjoy  his  acquaintance,  and 
have  resulted  in  endearing  him  to  them.     This  is  shown  in  the 


488  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

fact  that  he  has  several  times  been  tendered  nominations  to  po- 
litical office,  which,  however,  private  interests  have  necessitated 
him  to  decline. 

He  was  married  June  9,  1870,  to  Miss  Emma  L.  Bateman,  of 
Portland,  Me.*  They  have  had  five  children,  one  of  whom  is 
dead.  No  physician  has  to  any  greater  degree  succeeded  in 
winning  the  confidence  or  affection  of  those  around  him  than 
has  Doctor  Feeny.  The  deep  interest  which  he  has  taken  in 
the  health  of  the  community  in  which  he  lives,  and  the  county 
at  large,  and  especially  the  freedom  with  which  he  responded 
to  calls  made  on  him  for  lectures  on  hygienic  subjects  during 
the  recent  cholera  agitation  will  long  be  remembered  with  pleas- 
ure by  the  people  of  Staten  Island. 

Dr.  R.  Henry  Golder  has  been  president  of  the  county  medi- 
cal society  since  July,  1884.  He  was  born  in  1820,  at  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  moved  to  New  York  city  in  1839,  received  a 
diploma  of  license  from  the  New  York  Medical  Society  in 
1846;  received  the  degree  of  M.  D.  from  the  University  Medi- 
cal College  of  New  York  city  in  1851.  He  practised  in  the 
town  of  Westfield  thirty-five  years,  and  in  New  Jersey  for 
five  years  previous.  He  has  held  the  following  offices  in  this 
county :  superintendent  of  common  schools,  commissioner  of 
highways,  associate  judge  for  fouf  years  of  the  courts  of  oyer 
and  terminer  and  sessions,  and  is  at  present  health  officer  of 
the  town  of  Westfield. 

Edwin  A.  Hervey  was  born  January  16,  1824,  in  South  Dur- 
ham, Greene  county.  New  York.  He  received  his  early  educa- 
tion in  the  district  schools  of  his  native  town,  and  from  private 
tutors.  At  the  age  of  17  years  he  was  invited  to  teach  the 
school  in  his  district  which  he  accepted,  and  continued  in  that 
vocation  for  five  years  in  the  different  schools  of  his  county. 
He  was  then  offered  a  situation  near  Ellenville,  Ulster 
county,  as  clerk  and  bookkeeper  in  a  store,  tannery  and  saw- 
mill, where  he  remained  two  years.  He  then  engaged  as 
teacher  in  Westfield,  Richmond  county.  New  York,  where  he 
continued  about  ten  years,  during  the  last  six  of  which  he  re- 
sided with  Dr.  E.  .W.  Hubbard,  and  received  his  preparatory 
course  of  medical  instruction.     He  then  entered  the  University 

*She  was  a  daughter  of  John  F.  Bateman,  who  distinguished  himself,  together 
with  De  Lesseps,  in  the  Panama  Construction  Company,  of  which  he  was  chief 
engineer. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  489 

Medical  College  of  the  city  of  New  York,  whence  he  graduated 
in  March,  1859,  and  has  since  practiced  in  Rossville. 

George  C.  Hubbard,  M.  D.,  is  a  grandson  of  Fairchild  Hub- 
bard, who  resided  in  Jefferson  county,  N.  Y.  By  his  marriage 
to  Miss  Ward  were  born  four  sons  and  four  daughters,  the  eldest, 
Heber  W.  Hubbard,  also  a  native  of  the  same  county,  having 
removed  to  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Honor  Martha  Kingsbury,  of 
Massachusetts,  and  had  children,  George  C,  Delia  D.,  wife  of  D. 
C.  Clapp,  Van  Buren,  William  W.,  Edwin  K.,  and  Alice  S.,  wife 
of  David  Pepper.  The  birth  of  George  C,  the  eldest,  occurred 
on  the  8th  of  June,  1831,  in  La  Grange,  Ohio,  from  whence  he 
removed  with  his  parents  to  Elyria  in  the  same  state.  Here  he 
pursued  his  academic  studies,  and  subsequently  entered  Dela- 
ware College,  located  at  Delaware,  Ohio.  Soon  after  ,  he 
entered  mercantile  life  and  remained  thus  occupied  until  1856, 
when  the  profession  of  medicine  proving  more  attractive,  he 
became  a  student  in  his  father's  office,  and  was  graduated  from 
the  New  York  Medical  University  in  1859.  Doctor  Hubbard 
began  his  professional  career  at  Tottenville,  where  his  father 
had  previously  removed,  and  has  since  that  time  continued  in 
active  practice  at  this  point.  On  the  16th  of  September,  1862, 
he  entered  the  United  States  service  as  assistant  surgeon  of  the 
One  Hundred  and  Sixty-fifth  Eegiment  New  York  Volunteers, 
was  later  commissioned  surgeon,  and  continued  with  this  regi- 
ment until  his  discharge  September  16,  1865.  The  doctor  on 
his  return  from  the  service  resumed  his  practice  at  Tottenville, 
where  he  has  since  resided.  His  thorough  medical  training 
and  wide  experience  have  enabled  him  to  take  a  leading  rank 
in  his  profession,  and  brought  a  correspondingly  extended  field 
of  labor.  His  skill  in  diagnosis  and  success  in  the  treatment 
of  disease  in  its  various  forms  have  caused  his  presence  to  be 
much  sought  in  consultation.  In  1883  he  was  appointed  physi- 
cian to  the  mission  of  the  Immaculate  Virgin  at  Mount  Loretto, 
Staten  Island.  The  doctor  is  a  member  of  the  Richmond  County 
Medical  Society.  He  is  also  an  active  mason,  and  was  master 
of  Huguenot  Lodge,  No.  381,  of  Tottenville,  and  High  Priest  of 
Staten  Island  Chapter,  No.  196,  R.  A.  M.  Doctor  Hubbard  was 
married  February  26,  1866,  to  Miss  Carrie  L.,  daughter  of 
Joseph  Wesley  Totten,  of  Tottenville.  ■  Their  children  are:  Van 
Eber,  Fannie,  deceased,  and  George  C,  Jr. 


490  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Dr.  Eobert  M.  Ames  was  born  in  Springfield,  Mass.,  October 
20,  1857,  and  was  educated  in  the  same  place,  taking  a  collegiate 
coarse,  after  graduating  from  Springfield  high  school  in  1876. 
His  diploma  (medical)  was  received  from  Jefferson  Medical 
College,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  in  1880,  after  a  three  years'  course. 
He  is  a  past  assistant  surgeon  in  United  States  marine  hospital 
service,  and  executive  officer  of  the  station  which  rents  the  Sea- 
man's Retreat  building,  and  has  from  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  patients  in  hand  all  the  time. 

Dr.  F.  E.  Martindale  is  a  native  of  Sandy  Hill,  Washington 
county,  N.  Y.,  being  the  youngest  of  three  sons  of  the  late 
Hon.  Henry  C.  Martindale,  at  the  time  of  his  death  the  oldest 
and  most  distinguished  member  of  the  bar  in  his  section  of  the 
state.  Dr.  Martindale  is  an  alumnus  of  Union  College,  where 
he  graduated  in  1849.  He  took  his  degree  of  M.  D.  at  the  Al- 
bany Medical  College,  as  a  pupil  of  the  late  Dr.  Alden  March, 
who  then  occupied  the  chair  of  surgery  in  that  institution. 
Soon  afterward  he  was  appointed  deputy  health  officer  of  the 
port  of  ]S"ew  York,  during  the  administration  of  Gov.  Myron 
H.  Clark.  Doctor  Martindale  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  es- 
teemed of  the  medical  profession  in  Richmond  county,  occupy- 
ing the  responsible  positions  of  president  of  the  medical  board 
of  the  "  Nursery  and  Child's  Hospital,"  and  visiting  surgeon 
to  the  S.  R.  Smith  Infirmary.  He  was  in  the  medical  corps  of 
both  the  army  and  navy,  at  different  periods  during  the  late 
war. 

Dr.  James  J.  O'Dea  was  born  in  Toronto,  Canada,  September 
6,  1837.  He  received  his  classical  education  at  Upper  Canada 
College,  and  at  the  College  of  Saint  Sulpice,  Montreal,  and  his 
medical  education  at  Trinity  College,  Toronto,  and  Mc- 
Gill  University  Medical  College,  Montreal.  He  received  his 
diploma  as  doctor  of  medicine  and  surgery,  from  McGill  Univer- 
sity in  the  spring  of  1859.  He  began  the  practice  of  medicine 
in  his  native  city  where  he  soon  attained  prominence.  After 
practicing  six  years  in  Canada  he  removed  to  New  York,  where 
he  acquired  position  as  a  writer  and  practitioner.  He  contributed 
to  the  "  New  York  Psychological  Journal,''  and  to  the  "  New 
YorTi  Medical  Journal:''  He  was  also  corresponding  member 
of  the  Canadian  Institute,  and  in  1871  was  chairman  of  the 
committee  on  criminal  abortion  which  drew  up  the  law  on  that 
offense  as  it  now  exists  in  this  state. 


HISTORY  OF  KIOHMOND  COUNTY.  491 

After  laboring  for  six  years  in  New  York  he  removed  to 
Staten  Island,  where  he  acquired  a  large  practice  to  which  he 
has  devoted  himself.  In  1882  he  published,  through  Messrs. 
Putnam's  Sons,  a  volume  on  suicide,  the  first  of  the  kind  by  any 
American  writer,  which  was  received  with  favor  both  at  home 
and  abroad.  Besides  this,  his  Magnum  Opus,  he  has  written 
on  a  variety  of  scientific  subjects,  of  which  the  following  are 
chief:  "  Hereditary  Influence  in  Mental  Diseases,''  "Plea of  In- 
sanity in  Criminal  Cases,"  "  Sphere,  Rights  and  Obligations 
of  Medical  Experts,"  "  Principles  of  Criminal  Law  as  applied 
to  Insanity,"  and  "  The  Physiology  and  Psychology  of 
Dreams." 

Samuel  Adams  Robinson,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Franklin,  Pa. 
He  is  a  son  of  Rev.  John  Robinson,  D.  D.,  a  native  of  Freder- 
ick county,  Va.,  who  was  a  direct  descendant  of  the  Scotch- 
Irish  family  Robinson,  settled  in  Ulster,  Ireland,  by  James  I. 
in  1603.  The  parents  of  Reverend  Doctor  Robinson,  John  and 
Rosanna  Robinson,  were  the  first  representatives  of  the  family 
in  America.  They  brought  with  them  a  strong  faith  in  the 
Protestant  doctrine,  with  which  they  had  been  early  inculcated, 
and  their  son,  on  finishing  his  collegiate  course  at  the  age  of 
21,  immediately  entered  the  ministry  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church.  In  it  he  labored  with  great  success  for  more  than 
fifty  years,  being  widely  known  in  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  New 
York  and  Ohio,  and  filling  every  position  in  the  gift  of  his 
chiirch  except  that  of  bishop.  He  now  resides  with  the  doctor, 
and  though  over  80  years  of  age  retains  his  mental  and  physical 
powers  to  a  remarkable  degree. 

The  doctor's  mother,  Hannah  Walker  Adams  Plumer,  was 
born  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and  died  at  the  residence  of  her  son  in 
1886,  in  the  76th  year  of  her  age.  She  was  a  noble  example  of 
Christian  womanhood,  admired  and  respected  by  all  who  saw 
her  and  beloved  by  all  who  knew  her.  Her  mother,  Patty 
Adams,  was  born  near  Boston,  Mass.,  and  was  closely  related 
to  Samuel  and  John  Adams,  the  well-known  statesmen  and 
orators  of  the  American  revolution.  Patty  Adams  was  the  wife 
of  Major  Samuel  Plumer,  of  Newburyport,  Mass.,  a  memberof 
the  old  Plumer  family  of  that  state.  Major  Plumer  was  the 
son  of  Nathaniel  Plumer,  who  settled  at  Pittsburgh,  in  Penn- 
sylvania, where  he  purchased  a  large  estate,  much  of  which  his 
descendants  still  own.     The  granite  mansion  which  he  built. 


492  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

and  in  which  Doctor  Robinson's  mother  was  born,  has  always 
been  occupied  by  the  family.  The  major  settled  in  Venango 
county,  Pa.,  when  it  was  a  wilderness.  He  became  possessed 
of  large  tracts  of  land  and  established  a  family  which  is  among 
the  most  prominent  in  that  state. 

Both  of  Doctor  Robinson's  grandfathers  died  in  middle  life, 
leaving  their  wives,  neither  of  whom  married  again,  to  bring  up 
large  families,  which  they  did  admirably,  training  them  to  lives 
of  usefulness  and  honor.  Both  lived  to  old  age,  retaining  their 
mental  powers  till  the  last  and  enjoying  the  satisfaction  of 
knowing  that  every  child  was  doing  well.  The  Hon.  James 
Robinson,  of  West  Virginia,  Judge  Benjamin  Adams  Plumer 
and  the  Hon.  Arnold  Plumer,  of  Pennsylvania,  were  the  most 
prominent  of  their  children. 

Doctor  Robinson  was  chiefly  educated  by  his  father.  He 
showed  an  early  predilection  for  medicine  and  began  study  for 
his  profession  with  Dr.  Edward  Lawrence  Lakin  when  about 
16  years  of  age,  finishing  a  regular  four  years'  course  and  re- 
ceiving the  degree  of  M.  D.  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  before  he  was 
20.  He  has  since  spent  six  years  in  professional  study,  princi- 
pally in  'New  York,  London,  Paris,  Vienna  and  Berlin.  He  is 
a  highly  esteemed  member  of  Crescent  Lodge,  No.  402,  F.  & 
A.  M.,  Palestine  Commandery,  No.  18,  K.  T.,  and  of  the  four 
regular  A.  A.  Scottish  rite  bodies  of  New  York  city;  also  of 
Tyrian  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  of  Staten  Island.  He  took  an  active 
part  in  founding  Saint  Austin's  school,  of  which  he  is  a  trus- 
tee, also  in  the  organization  and  establishment  of  the  Kill  von 
Kill  Workingmen's  Club  and  Institute  of  West  New  Brighton, 
of  which  the  Hon.  Erastus  Brooks  was  the  first  president,  and 
upon  the  death  of  whom  Doctor  Robinson  was  unanimously 
chosen  to  succeed  him.  He  is  also  a  director  in  one  of  the 
largest  life  insurance  companies  of  New  York  city  and  chair- 
man of  its  investment  committee. 

He  has  a  large  and  very  select  general  practice,  extending  into 
New  York  and  Brooklyn,  in  each  of  which  cities  he  treats 
many  excellent  families.  In  chronic  diseases  he  has  patients 
from  the  most  distant  states  of  the  Union.  He  has  been  a 
widower  since  1874.  His  wife  was  the  eldest  daughter  of  the 
Hon.  Hiram  Greely  Butler,  of  Pennsylvania,  who  was  a  cousin 
of  Horace  Greely.  He  has  but  one  child.  Rush  Robinson,  who 
resides  with  his  father.     Doctor  Robinson  is  well  known  in. 


■^'■'fJ^'hy  ATI  r>jU  ''.lie 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  493 

professional  and  social  circles  and  enjoys  the  esteem  of  all  with 
whom  he  is  brought  into  contact.  In  addition  to  his  acknowl- 
edged skill  and  large  experience  he  has  a  high  sense  of  personal 
and  professional  honor,  which  renders  him  at  once  the  safe 
confidant  and  true  friend  of  his  patients. 

Dr.  Robert  Rogerson  was  educuated  in  the  University  of 
Edinburgh,  Scotland,  and  graduated  there  as  an  L.  M.  in  1859; 
also  in  September,  1859,  he  graduated  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  as 
physician,  surgeon  and  accoucheur.  During  the  last  sixteen 
years  he  has  practiced  in  Port  Richmond,  his  practice  being 
that  of  the  liberal  school. 

Dr.  Henry  W.  Saw  telle  was  born  in  1842,  at  Sidney,  Maine, 
and  was  educated  at  Waterville,  in  the  same  state.  He  was 
graduated  at  the  University  of  Greorgetown,  D.  C.  (medical  de- 
partment), March  3,  1868,  and  began  practice  on  the  island  in 
May,  1883.  Being  an  officer  of  the  United  States  marine  hos- 
pital service,  he  moved  the  hospital  from  Bedloe's  Island  to  the 
old  Seaman's  Retreat,  which  was  leased  in  behalf  of  the  gov- 
ernment for  use  as  a  marine  hospital  in  188S.  He  remained  in 
charge  until  June  15,  1885,  when  he  was  ordered  to  another 
port. 

Dr.  Samuel  Russell  Smith  was  born  at  Waterbury,  Connec- 
ticut, on  the  10th  day  of  April,  1801.  At  the  age  of  four- 
teen he  became  a  clerk  in  a  bookstore  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
and  later  entered  the  drug  business,  and  at  the  same  time  com- 
menced the  study  of  medicine,  in  due  time  graduating  at  the 
University  of  the  State  of  New  York,  in  the  class  of  1828.  In 
May  of  that  year,  he  came  to  Tompkinsville,  and  began  the 
practice  of  his  profession,  which  he  pursued  successfully  until 
his  death,  which  occurred  December  24,  1851. 

He  devoted  himself  assiduously  to  his  profession,  in  which 
he  was  remarkably  successful.  He  was  no  respecter  of  persons, 
for  all  ranks  and  conditions  of  life  equally  received  his  atten- 
tions when  required.  The  following  instance  of  the  goodness 
of  his  heart  is  related  by  Clute  : 

"One  cold  winter  night;  after  a  more  than  ordinary  fatiguing 
day's  work,  he  was  awakened  by  a  loud  rap  at  his  door.  Upon 
answering  the  call,  he  found  a  poor  lighterman  there,  who 
said  his  wife  required  the  doctor's  services  as  soon  as  possible. 
-'I  will  come  immediately,'  was  his. reply.  Without  delay  he 
prepared  himself  to  face   the  snow-storm   which  was  raging 


494  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTy. 

without,  and  hastened  to  the  lighterman's  dwelling.  After  he 
had  performed  the  duty  required  of  him,  and  as  he  was  prepar- 
ing to  return  to  his  home,  the  lighterman  tendered  him  five 
silver  dollars,  at  the  same  time  remarking,  '  I  have  been  saving 
up  this  money  for  several  weeks,  knowing  that  I  would  soon 
need  your  services,  but  as  there  is  but  little  doing  in  my  busi- 
ness at  this  season  of  the  year,  it  is  all  I  have  been  able  to  raise.' 

"  'No,  no,'  replied  the  doctor,  putting  his  hand  behind  him, 
'  you  need  that  money  just  now  more  than  I  do  ;  your  ex- 
penses, in  the  present  condition  of  your  family,  will  be  heavier 
than  usual,  so  instead  of  taking  your  money,  you  must  allow 
me  to  add  to  it,'  at  the  same  time  laying  a  five-dollar  bank  note 
on  the  table,  and  hurrying  away  to  avoid  hearing  the  poor  man's 
expressions  of  gratitude.  This  was  so  characteristic  of  the 
man,  that  when  the  recipient  of  the  doctor's  bounty  related 
the  circumstance  to  his  fellows  on  the  following  morning  it 
created  no  surprise  whatever,  but  one  of  them  remarked, 
'That's  just  like  Doctor  Smith.'  Though  the  saying  that  a 
man  'had  not  an  enemy  in  the  world'  has  become  exceedingly 
trite,  it  was  never  more  applicable  than  to  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  The  grief  of  the  community  at  his  death  was  universal." 

Dr.  Walker  Washington,  Jr.,  was  born  near  Fredericksburg, 
Ya.,  on  the  23d  of  November,  1860.  He  attended  school  under  a 
private  teacher  for  several  years,  until  he  commenced  his  colle- 
giate education.  He  spent  three  years  at  the  Randolph  Macon 
College,  of  Ashland,  Hanover  county,  Va.,  and  completed  his 
collegiate  course  at  Richmond  College,  Va.  After  leaving  there 
he  took  up  the  study  of  medicine  and  received  his  diploma 
from  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College,  in  March,  1885.  He 
removed  to  Tottenville,  Staten  Island,  October  28,  1885. 

Dr.  J.  Walter  Wood  is  the  youngest  child  of  Walter  D.  and 
Catherine  S.  Wood,  and  a  descendant  of  the  Dongan  family. 
He  is  a  native  of  the  island,  and  was  born  at  Mariners'  Harbor, 
April  23,  1856.  The  doctor  attended  the  district  school  of  his 
native  place  and  several  private  schools.  He  then  moved  to  the 
city  and  graduated  from  "  Grammar  School  No.  35."  He  im- 
mediately entered  the  "  College  of  the  City  of  New  York,"  in 
the  academic  department,  passed  through  it  with  honors'  and 
received  the  degree  of  A.  B.,  in  1878.     He   then  entered  the 

College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,"  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated three  years  later.     He  afterward  settled  in  Madison,  N  J 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  495 

and  in  September,  1881,  married  Miss  Mattie  Sprague,  second 
daughter  of  Prof.  J.  S.  Sprague,  then  of  West  New  Brighton. 
In  September,  1882,  his  health  failing,  he  sold  his  practice  in 
New  Jersey,  and  located  at  Port  Richmond,  S.  I.,  where  he  soon 
gained  a  lucrative  practice.  He  stands  high  in  the  Masonic 
order,  is  an  active  member  of  Richmond  County  Medical  So- 
ciety, and  is  one  of  the  stewards  of  Grace  M.  E.  church. 

Major  George  Howard,  a  resident  of  the  city  of  New  York, 
after  having  been  boarding  officer  of  the  port  for  eleven  years, 
was  appointed  keeper  of  public  stores  at  Staten  Island  in  the 
year  1830;  consequently  he  moved  with  his  family  to  the  island. 
He  erected  on  Brighton  Heights  a  line  mansion,  the  first  one 
built  on  the  Heights.  After  occupying  it  a  few  years,  he  sold 
the  house  and  grounds  to  John  Anthon  (in  the  year  1838),  for 
$22,000.  He  then  removed  to  the  village  (Tom pkinsville)  where 
he  resided  until  the  year  1844,  when  (owing  to  political  changes) 
he  resigned  his  office  as  public  storekeeper. 

Dr.  John  T.  Harrison  was  for  many  years  mate  of  the  marine 
hospital,  and  subsequently  health  officer.  Dr.  John  S.  Wester- 
velt  served  five  years  as  mate  to  the  marine  hospital,  from  1823 
to  1827,  inclusive,  under  John  T.  Harrison.  Dr.  Westervelt  was 
appointed  health  officer  in  the  year  1829,  in  which  capacity  he 
served  till  1836.  Dr.  Daniel  M.  Hitchcock  at  that  time  was 
mate  and  deputy.  Dr.  William  Rockwell  (successor  to  Dr. 
Westervelt)  served  as  health  officer  four  years.  During  the 
first  two  years  of  office.  Dr.  Charles  A.  Vanzandt  was  deputy, 
and  the  last  two  Dr.  Henry  Van  Hoevenberg.  Dr.  James  Har- 
court  was  at  that  time  mate  of  the  marine  hospital.  Dr.  A.  J. 
Doane  succeeded  Doctor  Rockwell,  and  held  the  office  three 
years.  Dr.  Henry  Van  Hoevenberg,  Doctor  Doane' s  successor, 
commenced  his  official  duties  in  1843.  He  appointed  Dr.  James 
Harcourt  deputy  health  officer. 

During  Doctor  Harrison's,  also  Doctor  Westervelt' s  term  of 
office,  vessels  were  only  boarded  seven  months  in  the  year,  viz., 
from  April  2d  to  October  31st,  inclusive,  unless  a  vessel  arrived 
in  the  interim  having  on  board  contagious  or  infectious  diseases, 
which  was  seldom  the  case.  The  hospital  was  generally  closed 
about  November  1st,  and  remained  so  until  April  2d.  At  the 
closing  of  the  hospital  the  inmates  were  sent  to  the  New  York 
Hospital,  their  board  and  medical  attendance  being  paid  for  by 
the  commissioners  of  health,  from  the  funds  of  the  institution. 


496  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUTSTTY. 

During  the  last  two  years  of  Doctor  Van  Hoevenberg's  term  of 
office,  the  law  was  changed,  making  it  obligatory  on  the  health 
officer  to  board  vessels  from  foreign  ports  having  passengers,  all 
the  year  round. 

Dr.  Harcourt  was  on  the  hospital  ship  "  Falcon,"  in  1866 
with  Dr.'Bissell,  attending  to  cholera  patients.  Dr.  Bissell  was 
attacked  with  cholera  but  recovered.  Doctor  Swinburne  was 
then  health  officer. 


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CHAPTER  XL 


OLD    FAMILIES   AND    PROMINENT   INDIVIDUALS. 


Alston.— Androvette.— Bedell.— Barnes.— Samuel  Ward  Benedict.— Read  Bene- 
dict.—Bodine.—W.  H.  J.  Bodine.— Blake.— Bogart.— Braisted.—Britton.— 
Burbanck.— Burgher,  Burger.— Bush.— Butler.— Cannon.— Christopher.— 
Cole.— Abraham  Cole.— William  A.  Cole.— Colon.— Conner.— Corsen. — Cor- 
telyou.— Crips.— Crocheron.—Cruser.—Cubberly.— George  William  Daley.— 
George  Henry  Daley.— Decker.— De  Groot.— DeHart.— Depuy.— Disosway.— 
DuBois.  —  Dustan.  —  Eddy.  —  Andrew  Eddy.  —  Egbert.  —  Ellis.  —  Enyard.— 
Fountain.— Frost.— Garrison.— Guyon.— Hatfield.— Haughwout.— Charles  A. 
Herpich.—  Hillyer.— Holmes.—  Housman.—  Jacobson.— Johnson.—  Jones.— 
Journeay.  —La  Forge.  —Lake.  — Larzalere.  — Latourette.  —Lawrence.  — Lisk.— 
Lockman. — Manee.— James  M.  Manee.—Martling.—Martino.— Merrill.— Mer- 
sereau. — Metcalfe. — Nicholas  C.  Miller. — Morgan. 


ALSTON.— Originally  this  was  a  Scotch  family.     One  of  its 
most  noted  members  was  Charles  Alston,  a  celebrated 
Scotch  physician  and  author.    He  died  in  1760.    Joseph  Alston, 
the  son-in-law  of  Aaron  Bnrr,  and  a  former  governor  of  South 
Carolina,  was  also  of  this  family.    The  first  of  the  name  on  Staten 
Island  was   David  Alston,  who  came   here  from   New  Jersey, 
somewhere  about  the  beginning  of  the  revolution.     He  was  com- 
missioned a  captain  in  the  British  army;  his  company  was  com 
posed  of  provincial  loyalists  or  tories;  he  owned  the  property 
recently  belonging  to  the  estate  of  Samuel  Decker,  deceased,  in 
Northfield.      The  large  stone  house  in  which  he  lived  and  died 
was  demolished  a  few  years  ago.     He  died  between  the  6th  and 
14th  of  May,  1805,  for  these  are  the  dates  of  his  will  and  its 
probate.     He  speaks,  in   that  document,  of  his  sons  Warren, 
Japhet  and  David.     It  is  said  that  he   continued  to  draw  his 
half  pay  from  the  British  government  as  long  as  he  lived.     His 
son  Japhet,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  July  31, 
1842,  at  the  Four  Corners,  Castleton,  was  the  father  of  Moses 
Alston,    Esq.,  late   twice  sheriff    of    the  county,  and  of   his 
brothers  David,  Japhet,  Adam,  George  and  William. 

32 


498  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Androvette. — This  is  one  of  the  old  families  of  the  island, 
but  it  was  never  very  prominent  nor  very  numerous;  the  notices 
of  it  therefore  are  few.  They  appear  to  have  confined  them- 
selves chiefly  to  Westfield.  The  name  occurs  nowhere  in  the 
civil  list  of  the  county.  John  is  mentioned  in  the  county 
records  as  having  bought  land  of  Tunis  Egbert,  January  27, 
1699,  and  as  having  sold  land  in  1705.  Peter  and  Rebecca  Cole 
had  the  following  children  :  Daughter  Rebecca,  baptized  March 
27,  1720;  daughter  Elizabeth,  baptized  December  25,  1723,  died 
in  infancy;  twins  Elizabeth  and  Anna,  baptized  January  1, 
1726.  John  and  Leah  Swaim  had  a  son,  John,  baptized  April  7, 
1729,  and  a  daughter,  Leah,  baptized  May  17,  1724;  this  John 
we  find  mentioned  as  collector  of  the  West  Division  in  1767  and 
1768.  Peter,  and  Caty,  his  wife,  had  a  son  Peter,  born  July  6, 
1765;  he  made  his  will  December  21,  1792,  proved  March  17, 
1802,  in  which  he  speaks  of  his  wife  Catharine,  his  daughter 
Catharine,  wife  of  Dow  Storer;  daughter  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
Peter  Latourette;  daughter  Mary,  wife  of  Joseph  Totten;  sons 
Peter,  Charles  and  John.  These  three  sons  were  married  as  fol- 
lows :  Peter  and  Elizabeth  Slack,  January  4,  1789;  Charles  and 
Margaret  Slack,  September  11,  1797;  and  John  and  Ann  Cole, 
August  21,  1802.  The  family  is  at  present  represented  by  the 
three  brothers,  Cornelius  C,  John  and  Benjamin;  their  grand- 
father was  usually  known  as  Major  John,  and  their  father  as 
young  Major  John. 

Bedell. — We  find  this  name  at  an  early  date  in  America,  but 
not  in  connection  with  Staten  Island.  In  1673  we  find  Robbert 
Beedill,  Daniel  Beedel,  Mathew  Beedel,  and  John  Beddel, 
enrolled  among  the  inhabitants  of  Hempstead,  Long  Island.  It 
is  nearly  a  century  after  that  date,  that  we  find  the  name  in 
any  of  the  records  of  Richmond  county.  In  1767,  Silas  ren- 
dered a  bill  for  "  docktering,"  whence  we  infer  that  he  was  a 
physician.  In  the  same  year  mention  is  made  of  John,  who 
was  county  treasurer  when  he  died,  in  the  early  part  of  1781. 
There  is  a  Joseph  also  mentioned  in  1770,  but  not  the  Joseph 
alluded  to  elsewhere  as  having  been  taken  prisoner  by  the 
Americans  when  a  boy  ;  they  were  father  and  son.  The  father 
made  his  will  October  28, 1793,  proved  November  19th  of  the  same 
year,  in  which  he  speaks  of  his  sons  Jesse  and  Joseph,  and  his 
daughters  Mary,  Pattie,  Pegge,  Catharine  and  Jane  ;  his  wife?s 


k-^-^^^^^^^^^^-^-^^-^^"'^^^'^' 


HISTORY  OF  EIOHMOND  COUNTY.  499 

name  was  Catharine  ;    his  son  Joseph  was  born  October  24, 
1763 ;  Jesse  was  born  in  1773,  and  died  August  28,  1852. 

Stephen  and  Catharine  Latourette  were  married  in  May,  1766, 
and  had  a  son  David  born  July  19,  1771. 

Silas  (the  doctor)  and  Mary  his  wife,  had  the  following  child- 
ren :  Phebe,  born  November  19,  1770  ;  James,  born  April  9, 
1773  ;  John,  born  March  28,  1775.  James  married  Hetty  Parker 
January  12,  1806. 

There  was  another  John,  wife  Catharine,  who  had  a  daughter 
Hillite,  born  April  7,  1771. 

Stephen  and  MaryDonelly  were  married  March  9,  1808;  Israel 
died  at  Elizabethtown,  N.  J.,  August  30,  1830  ;  he  was  the 
father  of  the  Rev.  Gregory  Townsend  Bedell,  D.D.,  an  eminent 
divine  of  the  Episcopal  church,  who  was  born  at  Fresh  kill, 
October  28,  1793,  and  died  August  30,  1834,  just  four  years 
after  his  father  to  a  day.  Rev.  Dr.  Bedell  was  the  father  of 
the  Rev.  G.  Thurston  Bedell. 

Gregory  Townsend  Bedell  was  born  on  Staten  Island,  in  the 
harbor  of  New  York,  on  the  28th  of  October,  1793.  His  father, 
Israel  Bedell,  was  a  man  of  true  excellence  of  character,  of  a 
peaceful  temper  and  spirit,  and  much  beloved  by  those  who 
were  connected  with  him.  He  lived  to  see  fourscore  years,  to 
witness  the  full  eminence  and  usefulness  of  his  only  son,  and  to 
receive  many  happy  proofs  of  his  filial  gratitude  and  love.  He 
died  at  Elizabethtown,  in  New  Jersey,  on  the  30th  of  August, 
in  the  year  1830,  in  the  comfort  and  confidence  of  a  Gospel  hope, 
and  leaving  behind  him  a  character  unblemished  and  unre- 
proached.  His  mother  was  a  sister  of  the  Right  Rev.  Bishop 
Moore,  of  Yirginia.  She  was  remarkable  both  for  her  mental 
accomplishments  and  for  her  external  beauty,  adorned  with  a 
most  amiable  disposition,  and  kind  and  benevolent  to  the  poor. 
She  was  early  admitted  as  a  communicant  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  church,  and  honored  the  doctrine  of  her  Saviour  by 
a  consistent  walk  of  faith  and  piety.  She  was  married  late  in 
life,  and  lived  only  until  her  son  was  nine  years  old. 

He  was  the  only  son  of  his  parents.  His  father  had  three 
daughters,  the  children  of  a  former  marriage,  who  were  in  a 
most  eminent  degree  affectionate  and  useful  sisters  to  him,  and 
made,  in  the  hands  of  God,  the  main  instruments  in  educating 
him  for  the  work  in  which  his  life  was  so  usefully  employed. 
They  were  permitted  to  receive  from  him  in  return  the  hiost 


500  HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

unequivocal  pi"ool"s   of  his  affectionate  gratitude,  and  two  of 
them  survived  him  to  lament  his  departure  from  the  earth. 

Barnes. — George  Barnes  and  Roger  Barnes,  brothers,  came 
from  England  many  years  before  the  revolution,  but  it  is  not 
certain  that  they  came  together.  Roger  bought  land  in  South- 
field  in  February,  1762;  George,  about  1770,  bought  land  in 
Castleton,  and  settled  upon  it.  This  was  a  large  tract  lying  at 
the  southwest  corner  of  the  turnpike  and  Manor  road.  Con- 
stanz  brewery  and  the  Child's  Nursery  occupy  a  part  of  it. 
Roger's  wife's  name  was  Ann,  and  they  had  a  son  Robert, 
born  May,  1760,  and  a  daughter  Margaret,  born  April  8,  1766. 
George's  wife's  name  was  Dorothy,  and  they  had  the  following 
children:  Elizabeth,  born  July  18,  1767;  John,  born  October  11, 
1768;  Roger,  born  January  7,  1771.  They  had  also  a  son 
George. 

Roger  married  Sally  Lake,  a  sister  of  Bornt  Lake,  who  was 
killed  (see  Lake  family),  and  after  the  death  of  Roger  she  mar- 
ried Richard  Wood. 

John  married  Margaret  Ferine,  May  2,  1793,  and  they  were 
the  parents  of  Captain  John  W.  Barnes,  of  Port  Richmond, 
and  grandparents  of  Barnes  Brothers,  of  the  same  place. 

Samuel  Ward  Benedict  was  born  at  Danbury,  Conn.,  in 
1798.  He  was  a  direct  descendant  of  Thomas  Benedict,  who  was 
born  at  Nottinghamshire,Eng]and,  1617,  andcame  to  this  country 
seventeen  years  after  the  landing  in  Massachusetts  bay.  He 
soon  sought  the  more  thinly  populated  region  of  Long  Island, 
then  comparatively  inaccessible  from  the  main  land  in  the 
winter.  The  late  Hon.  Erastus  C.  Benedict,  in  the  complete 
genealogy  of  this  family,  thus  writes  of  him: 

"He  was  charged  with  the  power  of  magistrate  and  substan- 
tially with  the  power  of  the  government;  he  was  a  pillar  in  the 
church;  he  was  the  arbitrator  of  differences,  civilized  and 
savage;  the  pacifier  of  the  offended  Indian  chief;  he  was  a 
leading  member  of  the  legislative  body  to  create  and  to  codify 
the  system  of  the  law  on  the  island,  after  the  conquest  from 
the  Dutch,  and  afterward  of  the  colonial  legislature." 

Samuel  W.  Benedict  established  himself  in  the  watch  and 
jewelry  business  in  New  York  in  1818;  first  in  Broadway  at 
the  corner  of  Maiden  lane,  and  some  time  previous  to  the  great 
fire  in  1835  he  moved  his  establishment  to  Wall  street  at  the 
corner  of  William  street,  where  the  custom  house  now  stands. 


RAVENHURST. 

HOUSE    OF    READ    BENEDICT. 
West  New  Brighton,  N.  Y. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  501 

At  that  time  the  first  stage  or  omnibus  line  had  started  from  in 
front  of  his  store  and  the  drivers  were  accustomed  to  ask  Mr. 
Benedict  if  it  were  time  for  them  to  start. 

At  this  early  date  and  here  it  was  that  "Benedict's  Time" 
first  became  a  synonym  for  the  correct  time. 

In  1836  he  purchased  from  Daniel  Winant  and  Benjamin 
Brewster  their  adjoining  farms,  near  Rossville,  Staten  Island, 
and  removed  with  his  family  to  that  place. 

The  old  family  mansion  stood  on  the  Winant  place,  and  at 
that  time  was  one  of  the  most  substantial  as  well  as  one  of  the 
oldest  houses  on  the  island.  It  was  erected  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  was  claimed  by  Daniel  Winant 
to  have  been  built  and  occupied  by  David  Pietersen  De  Vries. 
The  walls  were  built  of  rough  stone  and  Dutch  cement,  thick 
and  strong  enough  to  withstand  a  siege,  and  no  doubt  in  that 
day  it  was  intended  as  a  place  of  security  as  well  as  a  residence. 

The  old  house  was  burned  in  1858.  After  the  inside  and  all 
the  wood  work  were  consumed  the  walls  remained  standing, 
apparently  as  firmly  and  securely  as  when  they  were  erected 
nearly  two  hundred  years  before. 

•Mr.  Benedict  built  a  new  house  on  this  same  site,  and  con- 
tinued to  live  there  in  a  quiet  and  unostentatious  way,  beloved 
and  respected  by  all  his  neighbors  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred in  the  spring  of  1882.  The  farms  still  remain  in  the 
possesesion  of  three  of  his  sons,  Edwin  P.,  Frederick  and 
Samuel. 

Read  Benedict,  son  of  Samuel  W.  Benedict,  although  born 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  has  been  a  life  resident  of  Staten 
Island.  In  1856  he  married  Mary  E.,  daughter  of  Mark  Winant, 
Esq.,  of  Rossville,  whose  family  were  among  the  oldest  settlers 
of  the  island.  His  father,  Peter  Winant,  during  the  revolu- 
tion, although  a  lad  at  the  time,  owing  to  the  strong  Tory  feel- 
ing prevailing,  was  obliged  to  flee  to  New  Jersey,  and  returned 
only  after  peace  was  declared. 

Peter  Winant  was  one  of  the  first  members  from  Richmond 
county  to  the  state  legislature,  serving  in  1788,  and  again  in 
1790  and  1791. 

He  was  supervisor  for  the  town  of  Westfield  from  1785  to 
1787 ;  serving  many  years  as  justice  of  the  peace  he  became 
known  only  as  "  old  Judge  Winant." 

The  beautiful  residence  and  ample  grounds  of  Mr.  Benedict 


502  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

are  situated  between  the  Manor  and  Jewett  avenues,  in  tlie  vil- 
lage of  New  Brighton.  It  is  said  that  the  house  stands  on  the 
identical  foundation  of  the  old  family  residence  of  the  Vander- 
bilts,  and  here  it  was  the  late  commodore  was  born.  The  place 
is  accessible  from  the  avenues  through  a  picturesque  carriage- 
drive,  bordered  on  either  side  by  evergreens  and  cedars.  A 
sloping  lawn,  with  a  beautiful  bronze  fountain,  lies  before  the 
house,  which  stands  on  a  terraced  eminence.  Mr.  Benedict  is 
the  senior  member  of  the  well  known  firm  of  Benedict  Brothers. 

He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  Grace  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  a  growing  and  prosperous  organization.  As  an  influ- 
ential member  of  the  community,  he  is  looked  upon  as  one  of 
our  leading  citizens  and  prosperous  business  men. 

Of  his  private  life,  as  husband  and  father,  we  are  not  per- 
mitted to  speak  ;  but,  judging  from  the  outward  appearance  of 
his  beautiful  home  and  flourishing  family,  we  may  form  very 
pleasing  conclusions. 

BoDiNE. — This  family  is  of  French  origin.  The  name  is  not 
mentioned  by  Smiles  among  the  Huguenots.  The  first  historical 
allusion  to  the  name  that  we  have  met  is  a  brief  biographical 
account  of  John  Bodin,  who  was  a  native  of  Angers,  studied 
law  and  lectured  at  Toulouse;  he  wrote  several  works,  and  died 
of  the  plague  at  Laon,  in  1596.  The  date  of  the  immigration  of 
the  family  to  this  country  is  not  known,  but  it  must  have  been 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  or  very  earlj'^  in  the 
eighteenth  century,  for  we  find  the  name  of  John  Bodine  men- 
tioned in  the  county  records  as  having  purchased  land  in  1701, 
and  he  was  still  living  in  1744,  as  we  find  his  name  and  that  of  his 
wife  Hester  mentioned  as  having  sold  land  at  that  date.  Men- 
tion is  also  made  in  records  at  Albany  of  John  Bodein,  in  1707. 
It  is  probable  that  he  was  an  emigrant,  as  we  find  him  preserv- 
ing the  French  orthography  of  his  name,  Jean,  and  of  his  son 
who  came  with  him,  Francois,  a  witness  to  a  baptism  in  the 
Reformed  Dutch  church,  in  April,  1720;  he  was  therefore  a 
Protestant,  or  Huguenot. 

Francois  married  Maria  Dey,  and  they  had  a  son  named 
Jean,  baptized  in  the  same  church  November  29, 1719.  Of  this 
second  Jean,  or  John,  we  find  no  account  except  that  his  wife's 
name  was  Dorcas,  and  that  they  had  several  children  baptized. 
They  were  undoubtedly  the  parents  of  John  Bodine,  who  was 
born  in  February,  1753,  and  of  James  Bodine,  born  in  Janu- 


^V  -  !y AH-Patcti-e 


l^ 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  503 

ary,  1759.  John  died  in  March,  1835,  nearly  82  years  of  age, 
and  James  in  May,  1838,  nearly  80  years  of  age.  John  mar- 
ried Catharine  Britton,  sister  of  the  late  Mr.  Nathaniel  Britton; 
their  sons  were  John,  usually  recognized  in  the  local  history  of 
the  north  shore  as  "  Squire  John,"  Jacob  (the  father  of  W.  H. 
J.  and  Edmund  Bodine,  constituting  the  present  firm  of  Bodine 
Brothers,  the  late  Captain  John,  James,  Jacob  and  Albert,  and 
three  daughters),  and  Yincent,  who  removed  from  the  island. 
James  was  the  father  of  the  late  Mr.  Abraham  Bodine,  of 
Mariners'  Harbor,  and  of  several  sons  and  daughters  now  dead. 

"Squire  John"  owned  considerable  property  on  the  north 
shore,  among  which  was  the  mill  and  the  pond  and  the  land 
east  of  it,  including  the  old  Dongan  manor  house,  which  he 
subsequently  sold  to  his  father,  who  died  in  that  house  in  1835. 

William  H.  J.  Bodine. — The  Bodine  family  is  of  Huguenot 
descent.  Its  first  representatives  in  this  country  were  three 
brothers,  who  came  to  America  shortly  after  the  massacre  of  St. 
Bartholemew.  A  branch  of  the  family  found  their  way  to 
Staten  Island,  and  of  this  branch  William  H.  Bodine  is  a  de- 
scendant. He  was  the  third  of  nine  children  of  Jacob  Bo- 
dine and  Johannah  Houseman,  of  Northfield.  His  father  was 
formerly  a  prominent  business  man  in  Richmond  county,  and 
from  him  he  inherited  many  of  the  substantial  qualities  which 
have  been  instrumental  in  makng  him  one  of  Staten  Island's 
most  successful  business  men. 

Mr.  Bodine  was  born  at  Castleton,  February  4,  1821.  He  was 
educated  by  private  tutors  and  in  the  district  school,  after 
which,  in  his  thirteenth  year,  he  became  engaged  in  the  business 
with  his  father,  and  in  which  he  remained  till  the  age  of  twenty. 
At  that  time  he  entered  into  mercantile  life  on  his  own  account, 
in  which  he  still  remains.  He  carries  on  a  general  business  in 
building  materials  and  fuel.  By  care  in  the  management  of  his 
affairs  and  the  practice  of  thorough  integrity  in  all  his  dealings 
he  has  won  for  himself  not  only  a  competency,  but  also  the  re- 
spect and  esteem  of  the  entire  community. 

Mr.  Bodine  is  the  possessor  of  valuable  real  estate  in  West 
Brighton.  He  is  also  a  stockholder  and  director  in  the  Rich- 
mond County  Gas  Company.  Since  his  youth  he  has  taken  a 
prominent  part  in  politics,  and  his  services  in  the  republican 
party  entitle  him  to  recognition  as  one  of  its  foremost  men  on 
Staten  Island.     For  six  years  he  was  president  of  the  village  of 


504  HISTOKY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

West  Brighton,  of  which,  together  with  Francis  G.  Shaw,  Au- 
gustus Prentice  andJames  Sim  onton,  under  the  name  of  trus- 
tees, he  was  one  of  the  incorporators.  His  long  connection  with 
the  life  and  prosperity  of  Richmond  county,  together  with  the 
prominent  part  which  he  has  always  taken  in  its  every  aggres- 
sive movement,  have  won  for  him  a  lasting  place  in  its  history. 

Blake. — This  family  is  of  English  origin;  the  date  of  their 
arrival  or  settlement  on  the  island  is  hot  known,  though  it  was 
probably  about  or  Just  anterior  to  the  middle  of  the  last  cen- 
tury; like  most  of  the  other  families  of  the  same  nationality, 
they  were  decided  royalists  during  the  revolution.  The  first 
name  of  the  family  we  find  on  the  records  is  that  of  William, 
who  married  Mary  Woglom,  and  had  the  following  children: 
John,  born  September  28,  1763,  died  September  30,  1852;  Wil- 
liam, born  April  21,  1766,  died  January  16, 1852;  and  Edward, 
born  1773,  died  December  14,  1845. 

John  married  Tabitha  Merrill,  and  died  childless;  William 
married  Ann  Coi'sen,  and  had  the  following  children:  Daniel, 
(deceased),  William  (drowned),  Richard  C.  (still  living  in 
Illinois),  Edward  and  George.  Edward  was  the  father  of  Mrs. 
Margaret  Minott,  of  West  New  Brighton. 

John,  usually  known  as  Captain  John  W-  Blake,  owned  and 
occupied  the  now  valuable  property  corner  of  Mill  and  Manor 
roads.  West  New  Brighton,  extending  westward  on  both  sides 
of  Cherry  lane,  and  embracing  the  site  of  the  dye  works  of 
Barrett,  Nephews  &  Co. 

William  owned  and  occupied  the  property  on  the  Little  Clove 
road,  subsequently  owned  by  D.  Porter  Lord.  Daniel,  son  of 
William,  deceased,  was  the  father  of  Daniel,  captain  of  the 
police  force  of  the  countJ^ 

BoGART.— This  family  is  of  Dutch  extraction.  The  name 
was  originally  written  Bogaert.  The  earliest  mention  of  the 
name  in  the  province  occurs  in  an  assessment  roll  of  Breucklen 
(Brooklyn),  dated  1673,  where  Theunes  Gisbertse  Bogaert  is 
named,  having  the  largest  assessment  on  the  roll.  We  find 
him  again  assessed  in  1683.  In  1715  we  find  the  name  of  Simon 
enrolled  among  the  militia  of  Kings  county.  Our  theory  is 
that  this  Simon  had  a  brother  Tunis,  and  that  they  were  sons 
of  Gysbert,  for,  in  the  assessment  mentioned  above,  he  is  rated 
for  three  polls  (himself  and  two  sons);  that  these  sons  married 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  505 

Simon  Bogaert  and  Margarietje  Ten  Eyck  had  the  following 
children:  Elisabet,  baptized  October  18,  1719;  Margareta,  bap- 
tized December  3,  1722;  Simon,  baptized  May  19, 1726;  Gysbert, 
baptized  January  19,  1729;  Sarah,  baptized  February  13,  1732, 
and  perhaps  others. 

Tunis  and  Catharine  Hageman  had  the  following  children: 
Isaak,  baptized  November  21,  1718;  Adrian,  baptized  Decem- 
ber 18, 1720;  Abraham,  baptized  April  21,  1723;  Maria,  baptized 
March  28,  1725;  Cornelius,  baptized  March  2,  1729,  and  per- 
haps others. 

Simon  (probably  son  of  Simon)  and  Martha,  his  wife,  had  the 
following  children:  Mary,  born  December  4,  1746;  Simon,  born 
June  19,  1754;  Richard,  born  February  22,  1757. 

Isaac  and  Rachel  had  a  son  John,  born  October  14,  1770;  also 
a  son  Simon,  who  was  the  father  of  Timothy  C.  Bogart,  near 
the  Four  Corners. 

Beaisted. — Though  this  name  has  been  identified  with  the 
county  for  a  century  and  a  half,  the  earliest  notice  of  it  in 
the  old  church  records,  is  that  of  William  and  Christina  Bouw- 
man  his  wife,  who  had  a  son  Johannes,  baptized  in  1715,  and  a 
son  Andries,  August  18,  1719.  In  the  county  records  we  meet 
with  him  as  having  purchased  land  in  1730.  Johannes,  or  John, 
sou  of  William,  married  Trintje  Haughwout,  and  had  a  son 
Jan,  or  John,  baptized  August  18,  1741,  and  a  son  Peter,  bap- 
tized August  15, 1743.  We  then  lose  trace  of  the  family  for  thirtjr 
years  ;  then  it  appears  again  in  the  name  of  Egbert  and  Rachel 
his  wife,  who  had  a  son  Egbert,  born  May  6,  1773.  The  next 
and  only  remaining  notice  we  have  of  the  family  in  the  last 
century  is  the  marriage  of  John  and  Nautchie  (Anna)  Mart- 
ling,  daughter  of  John  Martling,  February  14,  1790.  The 
family  is  now  represented  by  Capt.  J.  Braisted,  of  Edgewater, 
and  a  family  or  two  at  Watchogue. 

Britton. — This  family  is  of  French  descent,  and  their  name 
was  originally  written  Breton,  another  example  of  the  change 
of  French  names  into  English.  The  earliest  mention  of  the 
name  in  connection  with  the  island,  is  that  of  Captain,  some- 
times called  Colonel  Nicklos,  who  was  born  in  1679,  and  died 
January  12,  1740. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  inscription  upon  the  tomb- 
stones of  Colonel  Nicklos  Britten  and  his  wife . 


506  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

on  Long  Island,  the  one  a  Ten  Eyck,  the  other  a  Hageman,  and 
then  purchased  land  and  removed  here. 

"Here  lies  ye  Body  of  Col.  Nicklos  Britten,  aged  61  years. 
Deceased  Jan.  12,  1740. 

Here  lies  a  man  of  tender  hart 
Unto  the  poor  m  every  part 
He  never  sent  the  poor  away 
Which  well  is  nown  unto  this  Day." 

"  Here  Lyes  ye  Body  of  Frances,  wife  of  Col.  Nicholas  Brit- 
ton,  aged  66  years,  Deceased  May  ye  7,  1748. 

This  Woman  who  is  buried  here 
This  county  has  nown  for  many  a  year 
A  loving  mistress,  a  faithful  wife 
A  Tender  mother  all  her  Life." 

These  stones  are  still  standing  in  the  Moravian  cemetery. 

William  was  defendant  in  a  suit  at  law  October  3,  1680. 
Nathaniel  was  plaintiff  in  a  suit  in  July,  1681,  and  again  in  a 
suit  with  Lewes  Lakerman  in  the  same  year.  These  two  last 
named  were  adults  when  "Col.  Nicklos  "  was  an  infant,  but  the 
consanguinity  between  them  cannot  now  be  ascertained.  There 
was  another  William,  a  son  of  Nicholas,  probably  Col.  Nick- 
los, born  October  11,  1708.  There  was  a  Joseph,  perhaps 
a  brother  of  William,  who  had  a  son  James,  baptized  April  23, 
1707,  and  a  daughter,  in  1708.  There  was  also  a  B,ichard,  who 
purchased  land  in  1694. 

Nathaniel  made  his  will  in  1683,  but  he  was  still  living  in 
1695;  he  was  probably  the  same  individual  who  was  a  party  to 
the  law- suit  alluded  to  above.  Nathaniel  and  Esther  Belleville 
had  a  daughter,  baptized  April  9,  1732.  Nathaniel  and  Mary 
his  wife,  had  the  following  children  :  Joseph,  born  November 
15,  1760  ;  Richard,  born  March  22,  1766  ;  William,  born  Sep- 
tember 19,  1768.  Samuel  and  Mary  had  the  following  daugh- 
ters :  Addra,  born  July  7,  1771;  and  Mary,  born  July  31,  1773. 
Nathaniel  and  Catharine  had  a  daughter  Mary,  born  April  4, 
1775  ;  at  her  baptism,  the  father  was  also  baptized.  Samuel 
and  Polly  Latourette  married  May  24,  1797. 

The  present  representative  of  one  branch  of  the  family  is  J. 
A.  H.  Britton,  Esq.,  of  New  Dorp;  his  father  was  Nathaniel, 
whose  place  of  interment  is  marked  by  the  marble  monument 
at  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Church  of  the  Ascension.  Na- 
thaniel was  born  in  1764  or  1765;  he  was  twice  married;  his  first 
wife  was  a  Van  Buskirk,  of  Bergen,  and  they  were  the  parents 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  507 

of  Debora,  wife  of  Joshua  Mersereau,  born  August  4,  1782,  died 
March  26,  1840;  Cornelius,  born  July  1,  1785,  died  April  3,  1867; 
he  resided  at  Fresh  kill  for  many  years  before  his  death. 

Abraham,  born  August  20, 1787,  died  August  26,  1866,  resided 
on  the  Clove  road  in  Castleton,  and  was  the  father  of  Henry 
and  Abraham,  both  deceased,  who  resided  on  the  paternal  pro- 
perty. Nathaniel,  Jr.,  born  in  1792,  died  February  13,  1841, 
owned  and  resided  on  the  property  on  the  east  side  of  Broad- 
way, West  New  Brighton,  extending  the  whole  length  of  that 
highway.  He  had  also  another  son,  John.  Nathaniel's  second 
wife  was  Margaret  Bedell,  who  was  born  January  5,  1768,  and 
died  September  21,  1849;  she  was  the  mother  of  J.  A.  fl.  Britton, 
Esq.,  as  before  mentioned. 

BuKBANCK. — Abraham,  John  and  Peter  Burbanck,  and  two 
sisters,  names  unknown,  came  from  the  Netherlands,  Holland, 
in  the  ship  "Caledonia;"  the  vessel  was  partly  wrecked  on  the 
passage  and  the  sisters  were  lost.  The  brothers  landed  in  New- 
York  in  the  seventeenth  century,  and  Abraham  settled  on  Staten 
Island.  John  went  to  New  England,  and  was  made  freeman  in 
Rowley,  Mass.,  May  13,  1640.  In  his  will  of  April  5,  1681,  he 
mentioned  his  wife  Jimima,  and  his  children  John,  Caleb  and 
Lydia.  Peter  went  to  Old  England  and  was  never  heard  from. 
They  were  of  French  and  German  stock;  Abraham  married  a 
French  lady,  name  and  date  of  marriage  unknown. 

Abraham,  son  of  Abraham  the  first,  was  born  November  20, 
1745,  died  May  12,  1823,  married  and  had  children  as  follows: 
Jacob,  born  April  9,  1771,  died  September  14,  1854;  Abraham, 
born  1780,  died  1838.  The  dates  of  births  and  deaths  of  Isaac, 
John,  Peter,  Rebecca  and  Mary  Ann  are  unknown. 

Descendants  of  Jacob  Burbanck,  son  of  Abraham  the  second: 
Jacob  Burbanck  was  twice  married;  he  married  Ann  Wandel 
who  was  born  July  7,  1772,  and  was  married  by  Mr.  Eaton  at 
New  Windsor  July  14,  1793.  He  married  Lucy  Hennell  in  1830. 
She  died  November  16,  1865.  No  children  by  the  second  mar- 
riage. Had  children  by  the  first  wife  as  follows:  Ann,  born 
May  3,  1794,  died  November  29,  1854;  Abraham,  born  August 
13,  1797,  died  August  26,  1797;  Jacob  Lockman,  born  June  22, 
1799,  died  April  6,  1885;  John  William,  born  April  4,  1806; 
Aletta  Eliza,  born  December  6,  1809. 

Ann,  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Ann  Burbanck,  married  Abra- 
ham Egbert,  born  April  26, 1791,  and  was  married  by  Rev.  John 


508  I        HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

C.  Beekler,  December  23,  1815;  had  children  as  follows:  Jacob 
Burbanck  Miles,  born  December  8,  1816,  died  August  14,  1879; 
Ann  Eliza,  born  April  12,  1818;  Margaret  Jane,  born  January 
25,  1820,  died  March  21,  1873;  Abraham  Edward,  born  October 
12,  1821;  Stephen  Henry,  born  December  8,  1823,  died  February 
11,  1865;  Rebecca  Maria,  born  March  30,  1826;  Catherine  Han- 
nah, born  January  29,  1828;  James,  born  September  4,  1830. 

Jacob  Burbanck  Miles  Egbert,  first  son  of  Abraham  and  Ann 
Egbert,  was  twice  married;  his  first  wife  was  Maria  Simonson, 
his  second  wife  Catherine  Simonson,  sisters,  both  of  Clifton, 
Staten  Island.  The  first  wife  had  children  as  follows:  Mary 
Elizabeth,  born  November  4,  1845;  James  and  Lavina,  dates  of 
birth  not  known;  they  reside  at  Clifton.  By  the  second  wife, 
he  had  sons  Cornelius  and  Chester. 

Mary  Elizabeth  Egbert  married  James  J.  Garretson  October 
1,  1868,  and  has  children  as  follows:  Mary  Elizabeth,  born  Au- 
gust 8,  1869,  George  Jacob,  born  March  8,  1871;  Margaret  Cor- 
sen,  born  January  28,  1873;  Alice  May,  born  November  10, 
1874;  Irene,  born  February  4,  1877;  Ella,  born  September  12, 
1878;  Sarah  Louise,  born  October  10,  1880;  Arthur,  born  Sep- 
tember 13,  1882;  Susie  Bird,  born  March  27,  1884;  Jessie,  born 
March  27,  1884;  Henry,  born  June  14,  1885. 

James  Egbert,  son  of  Jacob  Burbanck  Miles  Egbert,  married 
Sarah ,  has  children  and  resides  at  Clifton,  Staten  Island. 

Lavina  Egbert,  second  daughter  of  Jacob  Burbanck  Miles 
Egbert,  married  William  Rase  and  has  children. 

Ann  Eliza  Egbert,  first  daughter  of  Abraham  and  Ann  Egbert, 
married  Nathan  Britton,  have  children:  Anna  and  John. 

Margaret  Jane,  second  daughter  of  Abraham  and  Ann  Eg- 
bert, married  Nathaniel  Swaim,  had  children:  a  son  George  and 
a  daughter  who  died  in  infancy. 

Abraham  Edward,  second  son  of  Abraham  and  Ann  Egbert, 
married  Mary  Jane  Burgher.     They  have  one  daughter  Mari- 

anna,  who  married Franklin,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and 

they  have  one  daughter  named  Mabel.     Abraham  Edward  re- 
sides at  Stapleton,  Staten  Island. 

Rebecca  Maria,  third  daughter  of  Abraham  and  Ann  Eg 
bert,  married  John  Barnes.     No  children. 

James,  fourth  son  of  Abraham  and  Ann  Egbert,  married 
Amelia   Laforge.     Has    children    as  follows:    Pauline,    Alice, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  509 

Herbert,  (Elizabeth  and  Percy  died).  James  Egbert  resides  at 
Tompkinsville. 

Abraham  Burbanck,  the  third  son  of  Abraham  Burbanck, 
second,  married  Catherine  Houghwout,  and  had  children  as  fol- 
lows: Margaret,  born  1806;  married  Nicholas  Youngman; 
Catherine,    born   1808;  Charlotte,  born   1820  (by  second  wife), 

married Mink  of  Albany,  N.  Y. ;  Richard  C,  born  1822, 

married  Catherine  M.  Douglas,  and  had  children  as  follows: 
Margaret,  Louisa,  Emma,  Sarah  and  Catherine;  George,  married 
Catherine  Relyea,  and  resides  in  Albany,  N.  Y. ;  Joseph;  Ann, 
married  George  Holt,  of  Chicago,  Illinois. 

Isaac  Burbanck,  son  of  Abraham  second,  married  Sarah  Eg- 
bert, and  had  children  as  follows:  Mary  Ann,  married  Vincent 
Bodine,  and  had  two  sons,  Jacob  and  Vincent.  Her  husband 
died.  She  then  married  Stephen  Martling,  and  had  two 
daughters.  She  died  and  lier  second  husband  married  her 
sister  Sarah  Jane,  and  she  had  children,  Elizabeth  and  Mary 
Ann.  Isaac  Burbanck  had  three  children:  Mary  Ann,  Sarah 
Jane  and  Edward. 

Edward,  sou  of  Isaac  and  Sarah  Burbanck,  married  and  has 
a  son  Edward  married  and  living  at  New  Dorp. 

Elizabeth  Martling,  first  daughter  of  Stephen  and  Sarah  Jane 
Martling,  married  James  Vreeland  of  New  Dorp;  has  children 
and  resides  at  New  Dorp. 

Mary  Ann  Martling,  second  daughter  of  Stephen  and  Sarah 
Jane  Martling,  married Bogart. 

John  Burbanck,  son  of  Abraham  the  second,  married,  and 
had  children  as  follows:  Ann,  Mary,  Daniel,  Henry,  John  and 
Catherine. 

John  and  Peter  Burbanck,  sons  of  Abraham  second,  reside 
at  New  Brighton. 

Rebecca  Burbanck,  first  daughter  of  Abraham  second,  mar- 
ried Austin  Barton,  had  children  :  Sarah,  and  one,  name  not 

known.     Sarah  married Conklin,    living    at  Patchogue, 

Long  Island,  and  has  one  daughter. 

Mary  Ann  Burbanck,  second  daughter  of  Abraham  second, 
married  John  Deeker. 

Jacob  Lockman  Burbanck,  second  son  of  Jacob  and  Ann, 
married  Martha  Washington  Graham,  August  4,  1830.  Born 
June  1,  1799;  died  December  5,  1879.  Was  married  by  Rev, 
John  Ernest  Miller,    and  had  children  as  follows:  Elizabeth 


510  HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Anderson,  born  July  29,  1831;  George  Edgar,  born  June  27, 
1833,  died  December  30,  1834;  Margaret  Ann,  born  January 
31,  1836;  Frances  Louise,  born  July  19,  1838,  died  July  4, 1880; 
William  Dudley,  born  September  14,  1841,  was  married  May 
17,  1870,  to  Susan  Jane  Wood,  of  Pleasant  Plains,  who  was 
born  October  18,  1840,  and  has  children  as  follows:  Jacobson 
Lockman,  born  May  10, 1871;  William  Dudley,  born  May  1,  1874; 
George  Graham,  born  August  1,  1877;  Mary  Eleanor  Wood, 
born  June  18,  1880;  David  Morris  Ware,  born  April  19,  1883, 
died  January  24,  1884. 

John  William  Burbanck,  third  son  of  Jacob  and  Ann,  was 
twice  married;  his  first  wife  was  Gertrude  Egbert,  and  his  sec- 
ond wife  Ann  Egbert,  sisters.  Ann  died  December  19,  1878;  had 
children  as  follows:  By  first  wife,  Hiram  A.,  Ferdinand  and 
and  Mary  Adelaide;  by  second  wife,  Evelina,  Anna  and  John 
Alfred.  John  William  resides  at  Castleton  Corners,  and  is  the 
oldest  living  descendant  of  Jacob  Burbanck  the  first. 

Hiram  A.  Burbanck,  son  of  John  William  and   Gertrude, 

married  Mary ,  and  had  one  son,  John  William,  and  a 

daughter,  who  died.  Hiram  resides  with  his  father  at  Castle- 
ton Corners. 

Evelina  Burbanck,  daughter  of  John  William  and  Ann,  mar- 
ried William  Alston,  and  has  one  son,  Theodore. 

Anna  Burbanck,  daughter  of  John  William  and  Ann,  mar- 
ried Sylvester  Cobb,  and  has  children  Mabel  and  Edward. 

John  Alfred  Burbanck,  son  of  John  William  and  Ann,  died 
March  28,  1873. 

Aletta  Eliza  Burbanck,  second  daughter  of  Jacob  first  and 
Ann,  married  Samuel  Wood,  and  has  children  as  follows:  Cath- 
arine Ann,  Ellen,  Jane  Louisa,  Benjamin,  Jacob,  Augustus  B., 
and  Beekman. 

Samuel  Wood  died,  and  his  widow  resides  at  City  Island, 
Westchester  county.  New  York. 

Catharine  Ann  Wood,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Aletta  E. 
Wood,  married  Joseph  Brown,  and  has  children  and  grand- 
children, resides  at  Astoria,  N.  Y. 

Ellen  Wood,  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Aletta  Eliza  Wood, 
married  Benjamin  Van  Clief,  had  one  son  Charles,  now  living 
at  West  New  Brighton,  married  and  has  children.  His  parents 
are  dead. 

Benjamin  Wood,  son  of  Samuel  and  Aletta  Eliza  Wood,  mar- 


HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  511 

ried  and  has  children  and  grandchildren  residing  at  Astoria, 
N.  Y. 

Augustus  B.  Wood,  son  of  Samuel  and  Aletta  Eliza  Wood, 
married  and  has  children  and  grandchildren,  residing  at  City 
Island,  Westchester  county,  N.  Y. 

Samuel  Burbanck,  Jacob  Lockman  Burbanck's  cousin,  resides 
at  South  Beach,  and  his  son,  Samuel  Burbanck,  resides  at  New 
Dorji. 

Burgher,  Bcjrger.— These,  at  the  present  day,  are  two  dis- 
tinct families,  who  write  their  names  as  above. 

Johannes  Burger,  from  Griesman,  came  over  in  the  ship 
"  Stettin,"  September,  1662;  but  where  he  settled  is  not  known. 
There  was  an  Elias  Burger  and  Susanna  Whitman,  his  wife, 
who  had  a  son  Nathan,  baptized  February  23,  1724,  and  this  is 
the  first  record  of  the  name  in  the  county. 

Colonel  Nicholas  Burgher  was  born  January  23,  1768,  and 
died  May  23,  1839;  he  was  the  father  of  Matthias,  John,  James 
G.,  David  and  several  other  children.  John  was  the  father  of 
David  Burgher,  of  Edgewater,  the  present  representative  of  the 
family  spelling  their  name  with  an  h. 

The  other  family,  who  eschew  the  li,  and  adhere  to  the  origi- 
nal orthography,  are  of  comparatively  recent  connection  with 
the  island. 

David  D.  Burger  was  born  in  South  Carolina  in  1777,  and 
settled  on  Staten  Island  in  1814,  where  he  died  in  February, 
1831.  He  left  several  sons,  of  whom  Nicholas,  of  Four  Corners, 
and  Samuel,  of  Bull's  Head,  survive. 

Bush. — This  name,  written  Bosch  in  the  Dutch  records,  is 
found  here  early  in  the  last  century.  This  family  was  never 
very  numerous  nor  prominent,  consequently  the  notices  of  its 
members  are  very  few. 

Joshua,  or  Josiah,  had  a  son  Samuel,  baptized  1706;  Nicholas 
and  Elizabeth  Drinkwater  had  the  following  children:  Edward, 
baptized  November  24, 1728;  Barent,  baptized  September,  1734; 
Nicholas,  baptized  July  13,  1740.  Garret  had  a  daughter  Mary, 
baptized  September  30, 1787,  and  a  daughter  Elizabeth,  baptized 
August  30,  1789.  Joseph  and  Mary  Johnson  were  married  De- 
cember 10,  1792.  Lambert  and  Mary  Stillwell  were  married 
January  27,  1795.  The  family  name,  though  not  as  old  as  some 
others  on  the  island,  was  in  the  province  at  an  early  date. 
Among  the  emigrants  who  came  over  in  the  ship  "Fox"  in 


512  HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

August,  1662,  we  find  the  name  of  Jan  Bossch  from  West- 
phalen. 

There  was  another  family  of  this  name  descended  from  John 
Bush,  an  Englishman,  who  fought  at  Bunker  Hill  on  the  side 
of  the  Americans,  and  subsequently  took  up  his  residence  on 
Staten  Island,  where  he  married,  and  had  at  least  one  son, 
whose  name  was  William,  who  was  the  father  of  the  late  Mr. 
John  Bush,  of  Watchogue,  Northfield,  and  of  Mrs.  S.  D.  Ken- 
nison,  of  West  ISTew  Brighton. 

Butler. — This  was  another  of  the  royalist  families  which 
was  here  before  and  during  the  revolution.  The  earliest  men- 
tion of  the  name  in  the  church  records  is  in  1732,  when  James 
and  Sarah  Carem  had  a  son  John,  baptized  March  26.  In  St. 
Andrew's  records  we  find  the  following:  Henry  and  Balaesha 
(Baletta)  had  a  son  James,  born  May  8,  1759  ;  and  a  son  Na- 
thaniel, born  March  23,  1768.  Thomas  and  Mary  had  a  son 
James,  born  October  19,  1758,  and  a  son  Antony,  born  Novem- 
ber 17,  1769.  John  and  Rachel  had  a  son  Daniel,  born  October 
29, 1758.  John  and  Mary  had  a  son  Henry,  baptized  March  11, 
1776.  Thomas  and  Susan  had  a  daughter  Maria,  baptized  May 
13,  1790.  Thomas  and  Mary  Herod  married  December  20,  1789. 
Daniel  and  Elizabeth  Pray  married  December  29,  1807. 

The  family  is  at  present  in  part  represented  by  Mr.  Talbot 
Butler,  of  Port  Riclimond,  whose  father  was  Thomas,  and 
mother  Eleanor  Crocberon,  daughter  of  Abraham.  Thomas  had 
several  brothers — James,  John,  Elias  and  Henry,  and  they  were 

the  sons  of  John  and Kingston  his  wife.     Thomas  was 

twice  married,  his  second  wife  being  a  widow  Blake,  maiden  name 
Wood. 

Cannon.— On  Staten  Island  the  name  is  usually  accented  on 
the  last  syllable.  The  family  was  here  as  early  as  1680,  but  it 
was  never  very  numerous  or  prominent ;  its  members  appear  to 
have  been  of  a  retiring  nature,  and  are  never  found  mentioned 
in  any  ofiicial  character,  except  in  one  instance  where  one  of 
them  held  a  minor  military  office.  Andreas  (Andrew)  was 
plaintiff  in  a  suit  in  1680,  and  was  probably  the  progenitor. 
We  find  no  further  mention  of  them  until  John  and  Maria  Egbert 
had  a  son  Abraham,  baptized  May  7,  1741 ;  a  daughter,  April 
22,  1746,  and  a  son  Jacobus,  July  19,  1748. 

David  and  Aeltje  (Alida)  Prall  had  the  following  children  ; 
A  daughter,  baptized  May  2,  1753  ;  a  son,  Arent,  baptized  No- 


HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  513 

vember  2,  1754  ;  a  son,  David,  January  29,  1758,  and  a  son,  An- 
dries,  August  26,  1759. 

David  is  also  mentioned  in  1755  as  owner  of  a  slave. 

Andrew  and  Mary  Wriglit  were  married  in  December,  1795. 

Christopher. — The  original  of  tiiis  name  is  Christoffel,  which 
is  the  Dutch  for  Christopher.  The  earliest  mention  of  the  family 
occurs  in  a  church  record,  as  follows  :  Barent  and  Anna  Cath- 
arina  Stilwell  had  the  following  children  baptized  :  Nicklaas, 
August  4,   1703  ;  Catharyna,    April  23,  1706,   died   young ;  Re- 

becka,  April  20,  17 — ;  Maria,    ,  1710;  Susanna,    January 

11, 1719;  they  had  twin  children,  Catharinaand  Barent,  baptized 
August  13,  1716. 

This  Barent  is  mentioned  in  the  county  records  as  having  sold 
land  in  1704.  Stoffel  also  sold  land  the  same  year.  Catharine 
Christopher,  widow  of  Albert  Rykman,  had  a  posthumous 
child,  Albert,  baptized  October  26,  1729. 

Hans  (John)  and  Jane  Arrowsmith  had  the  following  child- 
ren baptized  :  Johannes,  April  16,  1732 ;  Barnt,  April  14,  1734; 
Joseph,  August  8,  1736  ;  Richard,  September  30,  1739.  Nicolas 
and  Christina  Bowman  had  a  son,  Barnt,  baptized  November  27, 
1726,  and  a  daughter,  September  26,  1731. 

Richard  (above)  and  Esther  his  wife,  had  the  following  child- 
ren :  John  Garrison,  born  September  18,  1770  ;  James  Grover,, 
born  August  30,  1772  ;  Joseph,  born  May  9,  1775.  Joseph,  son 
of  John,  had  a  son,  Joseph,  who  was  father  of  Capt.  Richard 
Christopher,  of  West  New  Brighton. 

Cole. — We  have  nowhere  found  the  slightest  allusion  to  the 
origin  of  this  family,  but  an  individual  of  the  same  name  was 
on  the  island  before  the  beginning  of  the  last  century  ;  in  the 
county  records  we  find  the  name  of  Abraham  Cole  as  having 
sold  land  in  1695,  which,  of  course,  he  must  have  purchased  at 
an  earlier  date.  In  the  church  records  we  find  no  further  men- 
tion of  the  name  for  more  than  half  a  century,  though  the  name 
of  Abraham  appears  to  have  been  perpetuated. 

Abraham  and  Hannah  had  a  daughter  Ann,  born  May  11, 
1762  ;  a  son  Abraham,  born  March  6,  1766,  and  a  son  John  Be- 
dell, born  July  31,  1770.  Peter  and  Susannah  Latourette  had 
a  son  Henry,  born  February  6,  1765.  Richard  lived  in  the 
county  in  1766,  and  Cornelius  in  1772.  Cornelius  and  Ann 
Dyelland  were  married  in  May,  1766.  Stephen  and  Ann  had  a 
daughter  Ann,  born  July  22, 1768;  a  son  Stephen,  born  Septem- 

33 


5,14  HISTORY  OF  EIOHMOND  COUNTY. 

ber  11,  1771;  a  son  John,  February  5, 1775,  and  a  daughter  Mar- 
garet, who  married  Samuel  Holmes.  Stephen,  the  son,  married 
Jane  Mersereau,  October  16,  1796,  and  John,  the  son,  married 
Mary  Winant,  April  1,  1797.  Isaac  and  Esther,  his  wife,  had  a 
son  Edward,  born  April  8,  1770.  Richard  and  Mary  Spragg 
were  married  in  October,  1774,  and  had  a  son  Abraham,  born 
March  6,  1775.  John  and  Catharine,  his  wife,  had  a  son  Abra- 
ham, born  April  6,  1775.  Cornelius  and  Frances  Cole  were  mar- 
ried November  11,  1797.  John  and  Eliza  Drake  were  married 
December  24,  1801.  William,  the  pioneer  of  Methodism  on 
Staten  Island,  was  born   in  1769,  and  died  in   1843.     Abraham, 

born ,  1751,  died  February  19,  1798. 

Abraham  Cole. — Isaac  Cole,  the  great-grandfather  of  the 
subject  of  this  biography,  and  one  of  the  earliest  residents  of 
Staten  Island,  was  an  extensive  farmer  and  land  owner  at 
Prince's  bay.  Among  his  children  was  a  son,  Abraham,  who 
inherited  a  portion  of  the  ancestral  estate,  and  followed  farm- 
ing pursuits.  He  married  Abagail  Johnson,  and  had  children  : 
William,  Ann,  Isaac,  Lydia,  Abraham,  Esther  and  Phoebe. 
Abraham,  of  this  number,  was  born  in  1778,  and  died  in  1833. 
By  occupation  a  sea-captain,  his  voyages  were  chiefly  to  south- 
ern ports,  where  for  many  years  he  engaged  in  trade.  He  mar- 
ried Ann,  daughter  of  David  Johnson,  of  Staten  Island.  Their 
children  were :  Johnson,  Isaac,  Abraham,  Susan  Ann,  Harriet, 
Mary,  Jacob  W.  and  Abagail.  Of  these  Abraham  was  born 
September  23,  1810,  on  the  homestead  adjacent  to  the  old 
church  at  Woodrow,  Staten  Island.  After  enjoying  such  ad- 
vantages as  the  schools  of  the  neighborhood  afforded  he  became 
interested  in  his  father's  pursuit,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one 
took  command  of  a  packet-schooner  sailing  for  southern  ports. 
He  gradually  acquired  by  thrift  a  considerable  interest  in  the 
vessels  he  commanded,  and  continued  thus  employed  until 
1856,  when,  retiring  from  the  perilous  life  of  a  mariner,  he  es- 
tablished near  Tottenville,  Staten  Island,  the  coal  and  lumber 
business,  now  successfully  conducted  by  his  sons.  Here  he  was 
actively  engaged  during  the  remainder  of  his  life,  his  sons 
being  admitted  to  a  partnership,  and  later  assuming  entire 
charge  of  the  increasing  trade.  Mr.  Cole  was,  on  the  30th  of 
September,  1840,  married  to  Ann  M.,  daughter  of  Cornelius 
Disosway,  of  Staten  Island.  Their  children  are :  Cornelius, 
married  to  Harriet  K.,  daughter  of  James  0.  Robinson;  Jacob 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  515 

W.,  married  to  Mary  C.  (deceased),  daughter  of  G-eorge  H. 
Pendexter  ;  Susan  A.,  wife  of  Paul  M.  Van  Name  ;  James  T., 
married  to  Elmira  De  Hart,  and  Abram,  married  to  Blanche, 
daughter  of  Captain  Abel  Martin.  Mr.  Cole,  in  his  political 
sentiments,  was  an  old  line  whig,  and  later  joined  the  ranks  of 
the  republican  party.  Politics  were  little  to  his  taste,  and  as  a 
consequence  he  rarely  gave  an  active  support  to  his  party,  and 
never  aspired  to  the  offices  within  its  gift.  His  energies  found 
a  more  congenial  field  of  labor  in  the  Bethel  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  of  which  he  was  treasurer,  trustee  and  steward. 
The  following  tribute  to  his  memory,  from  a  leading  periodical, 
may  with  propriety  be  quoted. 

"His  religious  life  was  uniform,  and  was  not,  as  is  too  often 
the  case,  marred  with  frequent  relapses.  He  professed  no  extra- 
ordinary attainments  in  piety,  but  all  who  knew  him  took 
knowledge  of  him  that  he  had  been  with  Jesus.  He  was  faith- 
ful and  systematic  in  his  home  duties,  and  regular  in  his  attend- 
ance at  the  church  and  the  means  of  grace  when  able  to  go. 
He  was  ready  with  his  means  to  contribute  his  share  toward 
the  support  of  the  church.  As  a  husband  and  father  he  was 
considerate  and  kind.  He  was  even  in  temper,  a  lover  of  peace, 
and  a  promoter  of  harmony.  His  confidence  in  the  promises  of 
God  never  failed. ' ' 

The  death  of  Mr.  Cole  occurred  September  14,  1876. 

William  A.  Cole. — The  direct  ancestor  of  William  A.  Cole 
was  Col.  William  Cole,  colonial  secretary  of  Virginia,  who  em- 
igrated from  London  about  the  year  1650,  and  whose  descend- 
ants settled  early  in  1700  in  Maryland,  from  whence  they  later 
removed  to  Stateu  Island.  In  the  direct  line  from  this  progen- 
itor of  the  family  was  Abraham  Cole,  born  in  1736,  grandfather 
of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Among  his  children  was  John 
B.  CoIp,  born  in  1770,  who  was  twice  married.  His  two  sons 
by  the  first  marriage,  Henry  and  George  Cole,  each  represented 
their  district  for  two  terms  in  the  state  legislature  and  were  act- 
ive in  promoting  the  interests  of  Eichmond  county. 

His  second  wife  was  Mary  A.  Cole,  a  descendant  of  the  Cool 
family,  who  emigrated  from  England  to  Holland,  and  about 
the  year  1680  came  to  America.  Her  father.  Rev.  William  Cole, 
was  well  known  as  the  pioneer  of  Methodism  on  Staten  Island. 
His  memory  is  still  fresh,  his  influence  still  apparent,  and  his 
name  cherished  by  the  church  to  which  his  life-work  was  ded- 


516  HISTORY  or  EIOHMOKD  COUNTY. 

icated.  William  A.,  the  only  son  of  John  B.  and  Mary  A.  Cole, 
was  born  October  15,  1836,  at  New  Dorp,  Staten  Island,  and  re- 
ceived an  academic  education  at  Pennington  Seminary,  New 
Jersey.  Deciding  upon  a  business  career,  lie  came  to  New 
York  in  1855  and  accepted  a  position  as  cashier  with  a  mercan- 
tile house.  This  thorough  experience  was  of  inestimable  value 
in  the  busy  commercial  life  which  subsequently  opened  to  him. 

In  1862  he  organized,  and  has  since  been  the  active  member 
of,  the  house  of  W.  J.  Wilcox  &  Company,  extensively  engaged 
in  foreign  exports.  The  firm  have  been  since  their  organization 
large  exporters  of  manufactured  products,  and  early  gave  their 
attention  to  the  production  of  a  superior  quality  of  lard,  uni- 
form in  color  and  sweetness  and  capable  of  withstanding  cli- 
matic influences.  To  the  well  directed  and  untiring  energy  of 
Mr.  Cole  must  be  attributed  the  gratifying  success  which  has 
attended  their  efl'orts.  For  his  zeal  in  furthering  the  interests 
of  Franco-American  commerce  the  French  government,  in  1879, 
conferred  upon  him  the  decoration  of  the  Legion  of  Honor.  In 
1875  the  firm  of  W.  J.  Wilcox  &  Company  became  a  corpora- 
tion, with  Mr.  Cole  as  president,  which  office  he  still  fills.  He 
has  for  some  years  been  a  leading  factor  in  commercial  circles, 
having  during  the  years  1877-78  filled  the  office  of  president  of 
the  New  York  Produce  Exchange.  He  is  at  present  one  of  the 
trustees  of  the  Bowery  Savings  Bank  and  the  Corn  Exchange 
Bank  of  New  York.  His  interest  in  the  cause  of  education 
prompted  his  acceptance  of  the  position  of  commissioner  of  the 
board  of  education  of  New  York.  He  is  chairman  of  its  build- 
ing committee,  as  also  of  that  of  the  New  York  College.  Mr. 
Cole  was  married  June  12,  1860,  to  Mary  E.  Hiscox,  and  has 
three  children  living:  Mary  A.,  Frederick  A.  and  Helen. 

Colon.— James  Colon,  George  Colon  and  John  (elsewhere 
written  Jonas)  Colon,  were  naturalized  in  May,  1770.  These  were 
probably  the  progenitors  of  the  family  of  that  name,  which 
once  were  numerous,  but  now  nearly  extinct.  There  was  also 
a  Peter  Colon  in  the  county  in  1774. 

Conner.— Richard  Conner  came  to  Staten  Island  from  Ire- 
land about  1760,  as  he  purchased  his  landed  estate  at  that 
time.  He  was  a  man  of  respectable  acquirements,  and  superior 
business  qualifications.  His  worth  appears  to  have  been  soon 
discovered,  for  he  was  almost  immediately  placed  in  responsible 
offices,  and  continued  to  serve  the  public  in  various  capacities 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  517 

until  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  born  in  1723,  and  died  Feb- 
ruary 1,  1792.  His  wife  Catherine  died  Jane  24,  1787,  at  the 
age  of  62.  He  made  his  will  February  4,  1790,  proved  February 
6,  1792,  in  which  he  speaks  of  his  daughter  Ann,  deceased,  and 
of  Catharine  and  Elizabeth,  and  his  son  Eichard.  One  of  his 
daughters  married  into  the  Garrison  family,  and  was  the 
mother  of  Mr.  John  C.  Garrison,  of  Garrison's  Station,  S.  I.  E,.  R. 
His  only  son  Richard,  universally  known  as  Colonel  Conner, 
was  for  many  years  a  prominent  surveyor  in  the  county,  and 
held  various  offices  of  trust.  He  was  born  in  1763,  and  died 
April  5,  1853,  leaving  several  sons,  of  whom  Mr.  A.  V.  Conner, 
once  clerk  of  the  county,  is  one.  The  family  were  always 
attached  to  the  Moravian  church.  There  was  another  family 
of  the  same  name  in  the  county  in  1761,  as  appears  by  a  record 
of  a  baptism  of  Adam,  son  of  Jeremiah  and  Ann,  in  October 
of  that  year,  but  they  were  of  a  distinct  family. 

CoRSEN. — This  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  at  one  time  among  the 
most  iniluential  families  on  the  island.  In  this  instance,  as  in 
most  of  the  other  old  families,  we  have  been  able  to  obtain 
only  shreds  of  its  history,  none  of  those  now  bearing  the  name 
being  in  possession  of  a  genealogical  descent.  From  1650  to 
1690  we  find  the  names  of  Hendrick,  Peter,  Jan,  Philip,  etc. ,  as 
residents  of  New  York,  or  some  parts  of  Long  Island.  The 
first  mention  of  the  name  in  connection  with  Staten  Island 
occurs  December  30,  1680,  in  a  patent  bearing  that  date,  con- 
veying to  Cornelius  Corsen,  Andries  Juria'nsen,  Derrick  Cor- 
nel ison  and  John  Peterson  180  acres  of  land,  60  acres  of  which 
belonged  to  Corsen,  and  40  acres  to  each  of  the  others.  This 
land  is  referred  to  in  the  patent  of  Governor  Dongan  to  Palmer, 
and  mentioned  as  land  belonging  to  Cornelius  Corsen  and  com- 
pany. Another  patent  to  the  same  parties,  of  the  same  date, 
conveyed  320  acres  of  land  lying  westward  of  and  bounded  by 
the  Mill  creek,  besides  32  acres  of  salt  meadow  "where  most 
convenient."  This  Cornelius  is  designated  as  captain  in  a 
record  in  Albany,  dated  December  21,  1680.  We  find  him  men- 
tioned again  in  the  county  records  as  being  plaintiff  in  a  suit  in 
January,  1681.  He  died  December  7, 1693,  as  his  will  was  proved 
on  that  day.  He  had  at  least  three  sons;  Christian,  second 
judge  and  lieutenant-colonel  in  1738,  Cornelius,  a  justice,  and 
Jacob,  who  made  his  will  October  8,  1742,  by  which  he  makes 
the  following  bequests :  his  homestead  to  his  son  Jacob,  £70 


581  HISTOEr  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

($175)  to  his  daughter  Suster,  wife  of  Johannes  Simonson;  £70 
to  his  daughter  Mary,  wife  of  Joshua  Mersereau;  £70  to  his  son 
Douwe:  £70  to  his  son  Benjamin;  £70  to  his  daughter  Rebecca, 
wife  of  John  Blom ;  to  his  sons  Douwe  and  Benjamin  all  his 
lands  in  Hunterdon  county,  N".  J. ;  to  his  daughter  Suster  all 
his  lands  on  the  west  side  of  Staten  Island;  to  his  son  Jacob 
his  silver-hilted  sword  and  silk  sash,  and  all  his  other  goods  to 
his  children  equally.  Daniel  Corsen,  who  was  county  clerk  in 
1739,  was  probably  another  son  of  Captain  Cornelius. 

In  the  church  yard  of  the  Reformed  church  at  Port  Richmond 
there  are  still  to  be  seen  two  headstones  with  the  following  in- 
scriptions in  the  Dutch  (Holland)  language  : 

Hier  onder  rust  het  lyk.  van 
Cornelius  Cohsen,  Esq., 
overleden  den  26  Maart — 
A.  D.  MDCCLV  on— 
— ynde  LIII. 

Here  under  rests  the  body  of 

Cornelius  Corsen,  Esq., 

who  died  the  26  March,  1755, 

in  his  53d 


Hier  legt  het  Lighaam  van 

Jannetia  Van  Boskerk, 

Huys  vrouw  van  Cornelius 

Corsen 

Overleeden  den 

MDCCXLIX 

Zyude  L  Jaar 

Here  lies  the  body  of 
Jane  Van  Buskirk, 

wife  of  Cornelius  Corsen 

died  the ,  1749,  in  her  60th  year. 

This  good  old  lady  was  probably  a  nati\re  of  Bergen,  N.  J., 
where  there  were  several  families  of  the  Van  Buskirks,  there 
being  none  of  that  name  on  the  island  at  that  date. 

Cornelius  and  Jannetje  Van  Buskirk  had  the  following  child- 
ren ;  a  daughter,  baptized  November  24,  1723  ;  Peter,  baptized 
August  13,  1725 ;  Christian,  baptized  February  26,  1727  ;  Cor- 
nells, baptized  February  23,  1729,  died  an  infant;  Cornells, 
baptized  February  21,  1731  ;  Jacobus  (Jacob),  baptized  Oc- 
tober 22,  1732  ;  Daniel,  baptized  March  9,  1735,  died  May  22, 
1801;  a  daughter,  baptized  September  19,  1736;  and  a  daughter, 
baptized  September  23,  1738. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  519 

We  append  the  following,  collected  chiefly  from  church 
records  :  Cornelius,  son  of  Benjamin,  baptized  May  4,  1714  ; 
Daniel,  born  1714,  died  January  26,  1761;  Captain  Jacob,  born 
1707,  died  1772;  Benjamin  and  Blaudina  Vile  (Viele)  had  a  son 
Benjamin,  baptized  August  3,  1718;  Jacob  and  Cornelia  Cruser 
had  the  following  children :  Jacob,  baptized  October  13,  1747, 
and  three  daughters,  between  1739  and  1754;  Douwe  (son  of 
Jacob)  and  Jannetje  Cosin,  had  a  child  baptized  October  5, 
1755;  Daniel  and  Maria  Stilwell  had  sons  Richard  and  Daniel, 
both  baptized  November  7,  1753  ;  Cornelius,  Jr.,  had  son  Cor- 
nelius, baptized  September  2,  1787,  and  a  daughter  Jannetje 
(Jane),  baptized  October  17,  1790;  Richard  had  a  daughter 
Catharine,  baptized  August  30,  1789;  Daniel  and  Elizabeth  Bo- 
gart  had  a  son  Cornelius,  baptized  September  17,  1758,  and  a 
son  William  Howe,  born  November  24,  1776. 

Daniel  and  Elizabeth  Bogart  his  wife,  had  also  three  other 
sons,  John,  Daniel  and  Richard  ;  Richard  married  Elizabeth 
Egbert,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  Mr.  Abraham  E.  Corsen, 
of  Mariners'  Harbor.  Daniel  built  the  stone  house  still  stand- 
ing near  the  Richmond  turnpike,  and  since  the  property  of  A. 
C.  Bradley,  Esq. ;  subsequently  he  owned  a  farm  on  tlie  Clove 
road,  now  or  recently  the  property  of  Haynes  Lord,  Esq.,  where 
he  died,  and  the  place  came  into  the  possession  of  his  son 
Richard.  William  Howe  Corsen  lived  to  have  a  family  of  his 
own  ;  a  short  time  previous  to  the  war  of  1812,  he  was  mur- 
dered, and  his  body  concealed  under  a  bridge  on  the  public  road. 
Evidently  he  had  been  robbed.  The  perpetrators  of  the  crime 
virere  never  detected. 

Jacob  had  a  daughter,  baptized  March  25,  1701,  a  son  Jacob, 
baptized  October  21,  1707  (see  Captain  Jacob,  above)  and  a  son 

Benjamin,  baptized  April  1,  1710.     ^Corsen  and  Elsey  Ayro 

were  married  November,  1801;  Hiram  J.,  of  New  Spring ville,  is 
the  son  of  Cornelius  V.  B.  ;  he  was  the  son  of  Richard  ;  and 
he  was  the  son  of  Cornelius. 

CoKTELYOU. — This  name,  in  some  of  the  old  records,  is  writ- 
ten Corteleau  ;  it  is  of  French  origin,  but  was  changed  through 
a  long  residence  in  Holland,  previous  to  emigration  to  America. 
The  family  was  in  this  country  at  an  early  date  ;  Jacques  Cor- 
telliau  (so  written  by  himself)  was  the  surveyor,  who,  in  1657, 
laid  out  the  town  of  New  Utrecht,  on  Long  Island,  into  twenty 
lots,  of  fifty  acres  each,  one  of  which  was  assigned  to  him  for 


Ago  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

his  residence.  He  came  to  America  in  1652,  for  in  1687,  when 
the  inhabitants  of  Kings  county  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  to 
James  II.,  the  name  of  Jaques  Corteljou  is  found  among  them, 
with  a  note  attached,  that  he  had  then  been  in  the  country 
thirty-five  years.  He  had  four  sons,  all  of  whom  had  been  born 
on  Long  Island;  their  names  were  Jacques,  Jr.,  Cornells,  Pieter, 
Willem;  still,  in  the  assessment  roll  of  New  Utrecht  for  the 
year  1676,  neither  of  their  names  appear.  The  family  on  Staten 
Island  is  undoubtedly  descended  from  that  of  Long  Island, 
though  when  the  removal  took  place  is  uncertain  ;  a  part  of 
them  remained  on  Long  Island,  as  in  1738  we  find  the  names  of 
"  pijeter  kartelijou,''  and  "  ailte  kartelijou,"  still  at  New 
Utrecht.  The  first  mention  of  the  name  in  the  church  records 
on  Staten  Island  is  that  of  Jaques,  and  his  wife  Jacomyntie, 
(Jemima)  Van  Pelt,  who  had  a  daughter  Debora,  baptized  De- 
cember 26,  1720.  Aaron,  who  was  born  1726,  and  died  August 
22,  1789,  was  undoubtedly  the  son  of  Jaques  and  Jacomyntie, 
as  they  appear  to  have  been  the  only  family  of  the  name  on 
Staten  Island.  Aaron  had  a  son  Peter,  born  December  27,  1768, 
and  died  February  3,  1857,  and  he  was  the  father  of  Judge 
Lawrence  H.  Cortelyou.  Aaron  was  one  of  the  original  mem- 
bers of  the  Moravian  church.  There  was  a  Jacob,  probably  a 
brother  of  Peter,  born  August  26,  1760,  and  died  February  7, 
1817.  There  is  a  record  of  a  Peter,  who  married  Sarah  Van 
Pelt,  December  31,  1801. 

Crips. — This  family  can  scarcely  be  numbered  among  the  old 
families  of  the  county,  though  at  oae  time  they  were  tolerably 
numerous;  they  are  now  almost  extinct.  The  earliest  notice  we 
have  found  is  the  marriage  of  John  Crips  and  Margaret  Bety 
(Beatty)  January  5,  1761.  They  had  a  son  William,  born 
April  28,  1764.  William  and  Sarah  had  a  daughter  Elizabeth, 
baptized  June  23,  1771;  Thomas  and  Mary  Perine  were  married 
in  November,  1791;  James  and  Elizabeth  Blake  were  married 
October  1,  1801;  there  was  a  Richard,  mentioned  in  the  county 
records  in  1766. 

Crocheron. — The  first  representative  of  this  family  of  whom 
we  have  any  definite  knowledge  was  John,  a  planter,  whose  will 
was  dated  December  18,  1695;  and  he  appears  to  have  died 
within  a  year  from  that  time,  for  the  will  is  recorded  September 
3,  1696.     His  wife's  name  was  Mary,  and  they  had  two  sons, 


HISTORY  or  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  521 

Nicholas  and  Anthony,  the  former  being  the  elder.  Further 
data  respecting  them  is  wanting. 

Henry  Crocheron  and  Nannie  his  wife  had  the  following  sons: 
John,  born  April  13,  1770;  Henry,  born  December  26,  1772; 
Jacob,  born  August  23,  1774  (he  married  Mary  Oakley,  Febru- 
ary 22,  1797;  he  was  sheriff  of  the  county,  etc.),  and  Reuben, 
baptized  September  24,  1789.  Abraham  Crocheron  and  Eliza- 
beth his  wife  had  a  son  Nicholas,  born  August  9, 1761,  and  died 
December  80,  1817  (he  was  familiarly  known  as  "Squire 
Nick"),  and  Henry,  born  March  22,  1766. 

There  was  another  Abraham,  and  Margaret  his  wife,  who  had 
a  son  Daniel,  born  January  15,  1770.  Daniel  and  Sarah  his 
wife  had  a  daughter  Mary,  born  April  8,  1775.  John  Crocheron 
and  Jenny  his  wife,  had  a  daughter  Mary,  born  March  4,  1778. 
Abraham  and  Mary  Prall  his  wife  had  a  son  Abraham,  born 
September  4,  1787,  and  a  son  Benjamin,  baptized  June  28,  1789. 
(Benjamin  died  a  few  years  ago  on  the  Old  Place  road ;  his 
wife  was  Susannah  Prall,  his  cousin.  Abraham,  the  father, 
formerly  owned  the  farm  now  a  part  of  New  Brighton).  Another 
Daniel  had  a  son  Daniel  born  June  9,  1788.  John  and 
Hannah  Housman  were  married  February  10,  1792.  Daniel 
and  Jane  Jones  were  married  November  29,  1798.  Nicholas  and 
Winant  were  married  May  28,  1801. 

The  Crocheron  family  have  been  prominent  in  the  county; 
Henry  was  member  of  congress  1815-17.  Jacob  was  member  of 
congress  1829-81;  presidential  elector  in  1836;  sheriff  1802,  1811 
and  1821.  Nicholas  was  member  of  assembly  1854.  Richard 
was  county  treasurer  and  surrogate  in  1836,  and  for  several 
years  thereafter.     The  family  is  of  French  descent. 

Ckusee,  Ckuise,  Croes,  Kroesen,  etc. — The  family  is  of 
Dutch  descent.  It  is  impossible  now  to  ascertain  when  Garret, 
who  was  probably  the  first  of  the  name  in  America,  emigrated. 
In  1676  we  find  him  rated  in  Breucklyn,  but  after  that  date  his 
name  does  not  appear  among  the  freeholders  of  that  place.  It 
is  probable  that  he  removed  to  Staten  Island  the  following  year, 
for  then  Sir  Edmund  Andros  granted  him  a  patent  for  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  land  on  Staten  Island.  He  had,  prob- 
ably, the  following  sons:  Hendrick,  Cornelius,  Dirk  or  Derick, 
Garret  and  Jan.  Hendrick,  who  was  perhaps  the  eldest,  had 
several  children  baptized  on  Staten  Island  between  1698  and 
1716.    Cornelius  married  Helena  Van  Tuyl,  probably  a  daughter 


522  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

of  Otto  Van  Tuyl,  and  had  the  following  'children  baptized 
here:  Hendrick,  October  10,  1731;  Abraham,  July  29,  1733,  died 
March  11, 1770;  and  Cornelius,  August  8,  1736.  Derick  had  the 
following  children  baptized  here:  Mcklas,  May6, 1696;  Derick, 
October  22,  1701;  Hendrick,  July  3,  1707.  Garret  had  the  fol- 
lowing children  baptized  here :  Cornelius,  October  23,  1711 ; 
Derick,  October  18,  1713;  Garret,  April  1,  1717.  Jan  had  a 
daughter  Elizabeth  baptized  July  H,  1718.  Cornelius,  son  of 
Cornelius  and  grandson  of  Garret,  married  Beeltje  de  Groot, 
and  had  a  son  Cornelius,  baptized  August  26,  1759. 

Abraham,  son  of  Cornelius  and  grandson  of  Garret,  married 
Antye  Simonson,  and  had  a  son  Johannes,  or  John,  baptized 
June  4, 1760.  (This  John  had  a  daughter  Elizabeth  baptized  May 
10,  1789.) 

Garret,  son  of  Garret  and  grandson  of  the  original  Garret, 
married  Claartje  (Clara,  Clare,  Clarissa)  Blencroft,  and  had  a 
daughter  Cornelia  baptized  August  27,  1740;  a  daughter  Clarissa 
baptized  October  11,  1748;  and  a  son  Hendrick  June  24,  1752, 
and  others. 

Garret,  son  of  Hendrick  and  grandson  of  the  original  Garret, 
married  Gertrude  Van  Tuyl,  and  had  the  following  children: 
Hendrick,  baptized  December  8,  1723;  Pemitje  (Euphemia  ?) 
September  13,  1728;  Abraham,  Augilst  6, 1732.  The  late  Morris 
H.  Cruser  and  brothers  are  the  direct  descendants  of  John, 
mentioned  above.  The  family  was  once  numerous  and  promi- 
nent, but  like  many  other  of  the  old  families,  is  disappearing. 

CcBBERLY.— This  family  is  of  English  descent,  but  came  to 
Staten  Island  from  New  Jersey.  The  name  originally  was  writ- 
ten Coverle.  The  first  of  the  name  on  Staten  Island  was  Isaac, 
who  resided  here  in  1769.  Probably  he  came  here  a  young 
man,  for  he  married  here,  in  the  Jonrneay  family.  His  sons 
were  Stephen,  Joseph,  James,  Thomas  and  Isaac.  Isaac  mar- 
ried an  English  woman  named  Bronghton,  and  had  two  sons — 
William,  now  living  in  New  Jersey,  and  James,  once  clerk  of 
the  county;  Mrs.  Charles  E.  Racy,  of  West  New  Brighton,  is 
also  his  daughter.  Isaac  resided  at  the  noted  locality  known  as 
"The  Elm  Tree,"  where,  though  a  large  part  of  his  property  is 
now  submerged  by  the  waters  of  the  ocean,  his  dwelling  house 
still  stands. 

There  is  another  branch  of  the  family  which  we  are  unable 
to  trace,  viz. :  Joseph  and  Auder  (sic)  his  wife  had  a  son  James, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  523 

born  October  18,  1776;  this  James  married  Eleanor  Ralph,  Jan- 
uary 20,  1799.  The  late  William  Cubberly,  of  Port  Richmond, 
is  descended  from  this  branch. 

GrEORGE  WiLLiAM  Daley,  for  many  years  prominent  in 
the  politics  of  Richmond  county,  was  born  in  Whitehall,  New- 
York,  October  7,  1814.  He  was  the  eldest  son  of  Erastus  and 
Hannah  (Stone)  Daley. 

His  father's  family  came  to  America  in  the  seventeenth  century. 
During  the  war  of  independence,  his  great-grandfather,  Solo- 
mon Daley,  was  a  soldier  in  the  continental  army,  and  one  of 
the  body  of  men  known  as  the  "Commander-in-Chief's  Life 
Guard."  His  mother  was  the  daughter  of  Elijah  Stone,  also  a 
revolutionary  soldier,  and  was  a  descendant  on  her  mother's 
side  of  Andrew  Ward,  of  Water  town,  Mass.,  and  George  Hub- 
bard of  Guilford,  Conn.,  both  of  whom  came  to  America  about 
1630.  -Mr.  Daley  early  manifested  the  courage  that  character- 
ized him  in  later  life,  when,  at  only  twelve  years  of  age,  he  car- 
ried the  mail  on  horseback  between  Whitehall  and  Vergennes, 
Vermont,  a  work  of  responsibility  and  often  of  danger. 

He  received  his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  his  native 
place,  where  he  remained  till  a  short  time  after  his  marriage,  in 
1840,  to  Miss  Helen  S.  Blanchard,  of  Rutland,  Vermont,  when 
he  went  to  reside  in  Albany  and  was  employed  there  as  agent 
for  the  Merchants'  Transportation  Company. 

In  1851  he  removed  to  New  York,  and  in  May,  1853,  to  Staten 
Island.  After  this  he  was  for  several  years  general  passenger 
agent  for  the  New  York  Central  Railroad  Company. 

In  1862  he  enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty- third  regi- 
ment of  New  York  volunteers  and  took  an  active  part  in  the 
civil  war.  He  rose  from  the  rank  of  private  to  be  a  lieutenant 
of  his  company  and  served  for  two  years  in  Virginia  and 
Louisiana  until  prostrated  by  sickness  from  exposure. 

On  his  return  from  the  army  he  was  employed  first  by  the 
commissioners  of  emigration  and  afterward  in  the  custom  house 
department,  which  position  he  occupied  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
He  died  Sunday  morning,  November  2,  1873,  at  his  home  in 
Edgewater,  Staten  Island. 

He  had  five  children:  Helen  A.  Daley,  Amelia  E.,  widow  of 
Rev.  Joseph  Alden,  D.  D.;  Charlotte  F.  Daley,  George  Henry 
and  William  Seymour  Daley,  all  of  whom,  with  his  widow, 
survive. 


524  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Mrs.  Daley  resides  in  New  York  city  with  her  daughters,  two 
of  whom  are  professional  artists,  and  a  third,  Mrs.  Alden,  is 
an  author.  One  son,  William  S.,  married  Miss  Margaret  Nixon, 
of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  resides  in  his  native  city,  while  George 
Henry,  of  the  firm  of  Devlin  &  Co.,  New  York,  is  a  prominent 
man  of  the  present  day  in  the  history  of  Staten  Island. 

From  early  life  Mr.  Daley  was  warmly  interested  in  politics, 
exerting,  first  as  a  whig  and  then  as  a  republican,  a  wide  in- 
fluence in  the  politics  of  his  county,  and  even  of  his  state. 

He  was  a  manly,  straightforward  and  generous  man,  a  warm 
hearted  and  faithful  friend,  whose  promises  were  always  to  be 
relied  upon. 

GrEOEGE  Henky  Daley,  oldest  son  of  the  preceding,  was 
born  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  November  1,  1844.  After  his  father's 
removal  to  Staten  Island  he  attended  first  the  public  school 
and  afterward  the  private  school  conducted  by  the  Rev;  J.  H. 
Sinclair  at  Tompkinsville.  In  June,  1862,  he  entered,  as  a 
clerk,  the  ofiice  of  Devlin  &  Co.,  clothing  merchants.  New  York 
city,  and  has  maintained  ever  since  an  iinbroken  connection 
with  this  large  house,  rising  by  untiring  energy,  devotion  and 
industry  to  be  a  partner  in  the  firm. 

In  1867  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth  A.  Wood,  a  daughter  of 
Mr.  William  Wood,  of  London,  England.  One  of  their  chil- 
dren, Helen  S.,  died  in  infancy.  Their  surviving  children  are 
Elizabeth,  George  Herbert,  Edwin  Wood,  Charles  Stanley, 
Alice  Wood,  Mary  Wood  and  Marjorie  Carew. 

Mr.  Daley's  rare  executive  genius  and  sound  business  quali- 
ties have  become  widely  known  and  brought  him  into  many 
positions  of  trust,  where  confidence  and  sterling  integrity  were 
needed.  In  1883  he  succeeded  Messrs.  John  A.  Stewart  and 
David  H.  Decker  as  trustee  of  the  large  estate  of  the  late  Hon. 
Albert  AVard,  a  trust  of  great  responsibilities  and  judgment,  to 
which  he  devotes  much  of  his  time.  He  is  also  a  director  of 
the  Staten  Island  Savings  Bank,  a  stockholder  in  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank  of  Staten  Island,  and  in  the  Staten  Island  academy 
and  Latin  school,  while  he  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
Brighton  Heights  seminary.  For  several  years  he  was  a  promi- 
nent stockholder  in  the  Staten  Island  Publishing  Company  and 
president  of  ,  the  corporation  issuing  the  "  Gazette  and 
Sentinel^ 

He  was  active  in  procuring  the  "  Five  Ward  Amendment  " 


>'^^^, 


Ji^ 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  525 

to  the  charter  of  the  village  of  Edgewater,  and  at  the  ensuing 
election  in  the  spring  of  1884  he  was  chosen  to  represent  the 
First  ward  as  trustee  of  the  village.  He  held  the  office  for  two 
years,  and  for  a  short  time  in  the  latter  part  of  his  term  he  was 
the  president  of  the  village. 

Mr.  Daley  resides  in  the  old  "Vanderbilt  Mansion,"  which  he 
bought  in  1881,  the  spacious  and  imposing  old  structure  form- 
ing a  striking  example  of  a  later  type  of  colonial  architecture. 

As  an  energetic  and  careful  business  man,  from  the  beginning 
of  his  mercantile  career  he  has  believed  in  the  principle  of 
hard,  persistent  work  and  honesty  of  purpose  as  the  only  sure 
ground  of  success.  His  stern  application  of  this  principle,  and 
his  unswerving  devotion  to  duty  all  through  his  business  life 
have  brought  to  him  and  to  the  firm  with  which  he  is  connected 
a  lasting  success. 

A  republican  in  politics,  he  took  an  active  part,  from  the  fall 
of  1881  to  the  spring  of  1886,  in  all  the  local  affairs  of  govern- 
ment, and  for  his  prudence,  integrity  and  manly  course  won 
the  respect  of  even  those  who  had  opposed  him. 

Decker. — This  family  is  by  far  the  most  numerous,  as  well 
as  one  of  the  oldest,  on  the  island.  Its  progenitor  was  Johannes 
De  Decker,  who  arrived  here  in  April,  1655.  He  was  a  promi- 
nent man  in  the  colony,  filling  various  offices  of  responsibility, 
and  after  a  public  service  of  many  years  finally  settled  down 
for  the  remainder  of  his  life  on  his  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  on  Staten  Island.  His  numerous  descendants  have 
•so  frequently  intermarried  that  at  this  day  it  would  be  difficult 
to  trace  their  genealogy.  Some  of  the  elder  members  retained 
the  prefix  De,  but  it  has  long  ago  fallen  into  disuse.  Mattheus 
De  Decker,  probably  a  son  of  Johannes,  had  John,  baptized 
September  7,   169—;    Abraham,    October   21,    1707;  Elizabeth, 

April  17,  1711;  and  Mattheus, ,  1715;  to  this  baptism  Pieter 

De  Decker  was  sponsor,  who  was  also  probably  a  son  of  Jo- 
hannes. This  Pieter,  and  Susanna  Hetfeel  (Hatfield),  Ms  wife, 
had  the  following  children  baptized  :  Maria,  September  21,  1718; 
Johannes,  July  24,  1720;  Susanna,  May  24,  1724;  Sara,  October 
23,  1726;  Mattheus,  June  10,  1728;  Eva,  March  26,  1732;  and 
Abraham,  April  7,  1735. 

John  (probably  a  son  of  Mattheus)  and  Maria  Swaim  had  a 
daughter  baptized  July  3,  1726.  John  (son  of  Pieter)  and 
Nancy,  or  Anna  Merrell,  had  a  son  Johannes,  baptized  April 


526  HISTORT  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

19,  1743,  and  a  son  Eichard,  April  26,  1748.  Charles  (above 
mentioned)  and  Lena  Swaim  had  a  son  Matthys,  baptized  April 
5,  1730,  died  in  infancy;  a  son  Mattheus,  baptized  March  16, 
1733;  and  a  daughter,  January  8,  1738. 

Richard,  known  as  "colonel,"  born  May  15,  1747,  died  May 
26,  1817;  his  mother  was  a  Merrill  (see  above),  and  his  wife  was 
Wynchie  Merrill.  They  had  a  son  Richard,  baptized  October 
26,  1788.  Matthew  (son  of  Charles),  and  Merrian,  his  wife,  had 
a  son  Israel,  baptized  August  28,  1763,  and  Israel  had  a  daugh- 
ter baptized  February,  1788.  John  (son  of  John,  above)  and 
Elizabeth,  his  wife,  had  a  son  Reuben,  born  August  6, 1766,  and 
Reuben  and  Mary  Swaim  were  married  July  25,  1790.  Abra- 
ham and  Phebe,  his  wife,  had  a  son  Noah,  born  March  26, 
1773,  and  a  son  Charles,  born  April  10,  1775.  Moses  and 
Elizabeth  Wood  were  married  in  April,  1769.  Matthias  and 
Lidde  (Lydia)  Milburn  were  married  in  November,  1775.  Isaac 
and  Margaret  Jones  were  married  August  7,  1791.  Jacob  and 
Leah  Depue  were  married  June  5,  1796.  Sylvanus  and  Sarah 
Parker  were  married  October  24,  1800.  Isaac  and  Elizabeth 
Christopher  were  married  October  13,  1804. 

Matthew  made  his  will  Ajjril  26,  1787,  proved  Sefjtember  15, 
1787,  in  which  he  mentions  his  wife  Catharine,  son  Mat- 
thew, a  minor,  and  daughters  Margaret,  Elsie,  Elizabeth,  Ann 
and  Catharine,  who  was  lame. 

Hon.  John  Decker,  of  Port  Richmond,  represents  one  branch 
of  this  family;  his  brothers  were  Matthias,  Benjamin  and 
David,  the  two  first  deceased.  Their  father  was  David, 
and  their  mother  Catharine  Decker;  David's  brothers  were 
John,  Benjamin  and  Abraham;  they  were  the  sons  of  Benja- 
min and  Mary  Egbert. 

De  Groot.— This  family,  though  originally  French,  and 
known  as  Le  Grand,  for  centuries  past  has  been  regarded  as 
Dutch,  the  name  by  which  it  is  now  known  being  simply  a 
translation  of  the  French  name.  The  eminent  scholar  and  ad- 
vocate, Hugo  de  Groot,  otherwise  known  as  Grotius,  was  a 
member  of  this  family.  Motley,  in  his  life  of  John  of  Barne- 
veld,  says  of  him:  "He  was  then  (June  5th,  1619)  just  36 
years  old.  Although  comparatively  so  young,  he  had  been 
long  regarded  as  one  of  the  great  luminaries  of  Europe  for 
learning  and  genius.  Of  an  ancient  and  knightly  race,  his 
immediate   ancestors  had  been  as  famous   for   literature,  sci- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  527 

ence  and  municipal  abilities,  as  their  more  distant  progen- 
itors had  been  for  deeds  of  arms  in  the  feudal  struggles  of 
Holland  in  the  middle  ages.  His  father  and  grandfather  had 
alike  been  eminent  for  Hebrew,  Greek  and  Latin  scholarship, 
and  both  had  occupied  high  position  in  the  University  of 
Leyden  from  the  beginning.  Hugo,  born  and  nurtured  under 
such  quickening  influences,  had  been  a  scholar  and  poet 
almost  from  his  cradle.  He  wrote  respectable  Latin  verses  at 
the  age  of  seven;  he  was  matriculated  at  Leyden  at  the  age 
of  eleven.  When  fourteen,  he  took  his  bachelor's  degree.  On 
leaving  the  University,  he  was  attached  to  the  embassy  of  Bar- 
neveld,  and  Justinus  van  Nassau  to  the  court  of  Henry  IV.  In 
France,  before  he  was  fifteen,  he  received  from  the  University 
of  Orleans  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws.  At  seventeen  he 
was  an  Advocate  in  full  practice  before  the  Supreme  tribunals 
of  the  Hague,  and  when  twenty-three  years  old  he  was  selected 
by  Prince  Maurice  from  a  list  of  three  candidates  for^the  im- 
portant post  of  fiscal  or  attorney-general  of  Holland.  At 
twenty-six  he  published  Mare  Liberum — a  little  later,  his  work 
on  the  antiquity  of  the  Batavian  Republic.  At  twenty-nine  he 
had  completed  his  Latin  History  of  the  Netherlands.  His 
great  work  on  the  Rights  of  War  and  Peace  was  afterward 
written." 

There  were  two  emigrants  of  this  name  to  America,  viz., 
Willem  Pietersen  de  Groot,  wife  and  five  children,  came  over 
in  April,  1662,  in  the  ship  called  the  "Hope;"  and  Staes  de 
Groot,  who  came  over  in  the  "Spotted  Cow,"  the  succeeding 
April. 

The  name  is  not  found  in  any  of  the  old  state  documents,  ex- 
cept on  Staten  Island  and  in  Albany  county.  The  emigrants 
settled  in  these  places,  the  latter  on  Staten  Island.  The  earli- 
est notice  in  local  records  is  as  follows :  Johannes  (a  son  of 
Staes)  and  Elizabeth  Seckkels,  his  wife,  had  the  following 
children:  Peter,  baptized  April  2,  1729;  Robert,  baptized  Oc- 
tober 10,  1731;  Johannes,  baptized  February  1,  1735.  Peter 
married  Claartje  (Clare)  Post,  and  had  the  following  children  : 
Garret,  baptized  August  25,  1751;  John,  baptized  May  2,  1753; 
Katrina,  baptized  July  27,  1755;  Gertrude,  baptized  July  17, 
1758. 

John,  son  of  Peter,  married  Mary  Wood,  and  they  were  the 
parents  of  Jacob  de  Groot,  who   died  March  11,  1875,  aged  86 


528  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTS. 

years,  and  grandparents  of  Alfred  de  Groot,  the  present  rep- 
resentative of  the  family  in  this  county. 

De  Hart. — -Of  the  ancestors  of  this  family  on  the  island, 
there  is  but  little  to  be  learned  from  the  local  records.  What 
we  have  been  able  to  glean  is  as  follows  :  Daniel  had  a  son 
Daniel,  baptized  October  22,  1707 ;  a  daughter,  April  17,  1711  ; 
a  son  Matthias,  baptized  in  1715 ;  a  son  Samuel,  baptized 
in  1717,  died  May  17,  1798.  Baltus  and  Mary  Phillipse  had 
daughter  Catalyn,  baptized  1746-7.  Matthias,  born  August 
21,  1749,  died  October  20,  1840.  Edward  had  a  son  Jacob, 
baptized  October  24,  1790.  Stephen  married  Margaret  Ryers  in 
September,  1792. 

Deput. — At  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes,  there  was 
a  Protestant  family  of  this  name  in  Languedoc.  Two  brothers 
of  this  family,  Philip  and  David,  then  fled  to  Holland,  and  be- 
came ofiicers  in  the  army  of  William  of  Orange  ;  they  accom- 
panied him  to  England,  and  were  both  killed  at  the  battle  of 
the  Boyne.  Another  brother,  Samuel,  was  an  officer  in  the 
British  army,  and  served  in  the  Low  Countries.  But  some  of 
the  name  were  in  America  before  the  revocation.  In  1662, 
Mcolas  du  Pui,  with  his  wife  and  three  children,  came  to  this 
country  in  the  ship  called  the  "  Parmerland  Church;"  he  prob- 
ably settled  on  Staten  Island,  and  was  the  progenitor  of  the 
family  here,  as  we  find  his  baptismal  name  perpetuated  among 
them.  If  this  assumption  is  correct,  then  the  names  of  two  of 
the  three  children  were  John  and  Francis,  for  we  find  them 
mentioned  in  the  public  records  as  early  as  1680  ;  John  as  de- 
fendant in  a  suit  in  March  of  that  year,  and  Francis  as  owning 
a  tract  of  woodland  near  Fresh  kill,  in  December  of  that  year. 
We  do  not  meet  with  the  name  of  Francis  after  that  date,  but 
find  the  name  of  John  again,  in  the  church  record,  as  having 
a  daughter  Elizabeth  baptized  October  22,  1707,  and  a  son 
Moses,  July  22,  1714. 

Nicolas,  perhaps  a  grandson  of  the  original,  and  Neeltje 
(Cornelia)  Dekker  had  the  following  children:  A  daughter 
baptized  April  6,  1724  ;  and  sons  John,  baptized- June  27,  1725  ; 
Matthew,  baptized  October  8,  1726  ;  Nicholas,  baptized  June  4, 
1730;  Moses,  baptized  October  27,  1732;  Aaron,  baptized  Au- 
gust 26,  1739.  Nicholas,  last  mentioned,  was  supervisor  of 
Westfield  in  1766.  John,  last  mentioned,  and  his  wife  Sarah, 
had  a  son  Nicholas,  baptized  in  1757.     Moses,  last  mentioned, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  529 

and  his  wife  Leah,  had  the  following  children:  John,  born 
January  10,  1759  ;  Nicholas,  born  June  3,  1766 ;  Moses,  born 
January  17,  1769.  Barent,  who  probably  was  another  son  of 
Nicolas  and  Neeltje,  and  his  wife  Elsie  Poillon,  had  the  follow- 
ing children :  Martha,  baptized  May  20.  1750,  and  Elsie,  bap- 
tized December  9,  1739. 

There  was  a  Barent,  who  made  his  will  June  4,  1792,  which 
was  probated  August  17,  1792,  in  which  he  speaks  of  his  wife 
Mary,  and  the  following  children  :  Nicholas,  Barent,  Daniel, 
Abraham,  Mary,  Elsie,  Sallie  and  Elizabeth.  These  two  named 
Barent  may  be  identical,  but  if  so,  he  was  twice  married,  and 
his  daughter  Martha  was  dead  when  he  made  his  will. 

DisoswAY. — Marc  du  Sauchay,  the  progenitor  of  the  Disos- 
way  family,  was  a  native  of  Picardy,  from  the  valley  of  the 
Somme.  The  lords  du  Sauchay  came  from  the  House  of  Cler- 
mont, in  the  Beauvaisis  ;  one  of  them  is  known  to  have  been 
with  the  Duke  of  Normandy  at  the  conquest  of  Britain.  Many 
Huguenots  of  Picardy  were  sentenced  to  banishment  or  im- 
prisonment. Among  this  number  was  Marc  du  Sauchay.  The 
nearness  of  the  low  countries  offered  facilities  of  escape,  and 
thirty  families  made  their  home  in  Harlem,  and  from  Holland, 
subsequently  crossing  the  ocean,  founded  the  new  Harlem,  on 
Manhattan  island,  then  a  wilderness. 

In  1655  Marc  made  his  first  voyage  to  New  Netherland;  suf- 
ficiently pleased  with  the  country,  he  decided  to  make  it  his 
future  home.  He  returned  to  Leyden,  and  married,  March  11, 
1657,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Guilliame  Rossignil,  and  on  April 
2,  again  sailed  from  Amsterdam  for  Manhattan  in  the  ship 
"Draetaat,"  Captain  Bestevaer,  taking  with  him  his  bride,  two 
laboring  men,  and  two  boys  over  twelve  years  of  age.  The 
names  of  the  men  were  Johannes  Swedes,  of  Q-elderland,  and 
Jean  Guenon,  of  Leyden.  In  1657  he  bought  a  farm  in  Brook- 
lyn, and  April  10,  1661,  transferred  his  church  connection  from 
New  Amsterdam  to  this  place.  July  2,  1675,  we  find  his  name 
as  purchaser  of  a  "book  of  martyrs  and  others,"  from  the 
estate  of  Jean  le  Comte  for  eighty  gilders.  In  November,  1679, 
he  bought  lots  on  Haarn's  hook,  but  sold  them  "  presently." 
June  7,  1683,  he  and  his  wife  took  letters  from  the  Dutch  to 
the  French  church  newly  formed  under  Rev.  Pierre  Daille.  He 
moved  to  Staten  Island  April  5,  1684,  and  was  still  living  Oc- 
tober 1,  1706.     His  children,  so  far  as  known,  were:  Madeline, 

34 


530  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

who  married  Martin  Hardewyn;  Marcus,  Jeanne,  who  married 
Conrad  Hendricks,  of  Harlem  ;  Jean  and  Marie.  His  son  Mar- 
cus inherited  his  father's  lands  and  died  in  1714,  leaving  each 
child  a  farm  ranging  from  eighty-eight  to  ninety-five  acres. 
Three  sons  were  then  living — Job,  Israel  and  Gabriel.  His 
daughters  were  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Peter  Barbarie  ;  Susanne, 
wife  of  Daniel  Hendricks  ;  Mary,  wife  of  Thomas  Eyres;  Diane, 
wife  of  Hendrick  Brees  ;  and  Sarah,  unmarried.  Part  of  the 
old  stone  house,  built  by  their  ancestor,  is  still  owned  by  a  de- 
scendant. In  the  county  records,  often  copied  by  careless  or 
illiterate  clerks,  the  name  has  received  many  curious  changes 
from  the  original.  In  the  Dutch  baptismal  records  it  was  al- 
ways written  Du  Secoy  or  Du  Secay.  The  late  Grabriel  P.  Dis- 
osway  was  a  descendant  of  Israel  du  Sauchay,  the  son  of  Mar- 
cus, who  died  in  1714.  He  was  well  known  as  a  philanthropist 
and  writer,  and  was  especially  interested  in  anything  relating 
to  the  history  of  Staten  Island  and  the  Huguenots,  from  whom 
he  had  descended.  He  died  July  9,  1868,  leaving  five  sons  and 
seven  daughters.  He  married  Diana  F.  Riddick,  daughter  of 
Col.  Mills  Riddick,  of  Suffolk,  Va.  His  eldest  son,  Wilbur 
Fisk,  is  living,  from  whom  the  genealogy  is  traced.  Wilbur 
Fisk,  son  of  Gabriel  Poillon  and  Diana  Riddick,  son  of  Israel 
and  Anne  Doty,  son  of  Israel  and  Judith  Poillon,  son  of  Israel 
and  Gertrude  Van  Deventer,  son  of  Marcus  du  Sauchay,  son  of 
Marcus. du  Sauchay,  of  Amiers,  Picardy,  France. 

Sons  of  Gabriel  Poillon  and  Diana  T.  Riddick,  born  1798  : 
Wilbur  Fisk,  Clement,  Israel,  Cornelius  Doty,  Mills  Riddick, 
Richard  Henly.  Sons  of  Israel  and  Anne  Doty,  born  in  1773  : 
Israel  Doty,  Mark,  Gabriel  Poillon,  Cornelius  Ryers,  William 
Phoebus. 

Sons  of  Israel  and  Judith  Poillon  were  Israel  and  Mark.  Sons 
of  Israel  and  Gertrude  Van  de  7 enter  were  Israel  (died  1738), 
Mark,  Cornelius,  Gabriel  (died  1758) ;  a  daughter  Annoitie. 
Sons  of  Marcus  du  Sauchay  were  Job,  Israel,  Gabriel;  the 
daughters  were  Elizabeth,  Susanne,  Marie  and  Diana.  Sons  of 
Cornelius,  the  son  of  Israel  and  Gertrude  Van  de  Venter,  left 
six  daughters  and  two  sons,  a  mansion  on  Staten  Island,  slaves, 
plate,  gold  watch,  sleeve  buttons,  a  riding  chair,  with  particular 
instructions  regarding  the  education  of  his  children,  believing 
it  to  be  of  the  highest  importance  in  life.  He  died  in  1786. 
Israel,  his  brother,  left  four  sons— Israel,  Mark,  Cornelius  and 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  531 

Gabriel,  and  one  daughter.     He  left  property  in  slaves,  plate, 
furniture,  and  land  in  Middlesex,  N.  J. 

The  late  Gabriel  Poillon  Disosway  was  his  direct  descendant. 
The  name  remained  little  changed  until  after  the  revolution,  at 
that  time  it  was  spelled  Dusocay  in  the  county  records.  The 
grave  of  Judith  Poillon  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  Moravian 
cemetery,  the  date  being  1776.  She  was  twice  married,  her  first 
husband  was  Israel  Dusocay,  her  second  Judge  Kyers,  who  built 
and  lived  in  the  hotel  now  known  as  the  "  St.  James  "  hotel  at 
Port  Eichmond.  Tradition  says  that  she  was  frightened  to 
death  by  the  arrival  of  the  British  troops  on  Staten  Island. 

The  descendants  of  Cornelius  Dusocay  remained  in  the  stone 
mansion  built  by  the  ancestor,  Marcus  du  Sauchay,  for  many 
years.  It  still  stands,  a  substantial,  comfortable  home,  the 
oak  timbers  bidding  fair  to  out-last  many  modern  structures. 
The  independent  spirit  of  the  Picard  and  Huguenot  blood  of 
their  ancestors  clung  to  them  during  the  American  war  for  free- 
dom, and  the  Disosway' s  names  were  found  among  the  list  of 
patriots  in  times  that  tried  men's  souls. 

Du  Bois. — This  was  a  large  family,  some  of  them  residing  in 
Brittany,  and  some  in  French  Flanders.  Antoine  Dubois,  and 
some  of  his  relatives,  fled  to  England  as  early  as  1583,  to  escape 
persecution  for  their  religious  opinions.  It  is  not  known  when 
the  family  first  came  on  the  island,  nor  who  was  the  first  of  the 
name;  the  earliest  name  mentioned  in  the  church  record  is  that 
of  Louis  du  Bois,  Jr.,  whose  wife's  name  was  Catharine  Van 
Brunt;  they  had  a  son  Samuel  who  was  baptized  December  11, 
1737.  They  had  also  a  son  Benjamin,  and  a  son  John.  Ben- 
jamin became  a  minister  of  the  Keformed  Dutch  church  in 
1764,  and  was  immediately  settled  over  the  churches  of  Free- 
hold and  Middletown,  N.  J.,  where  he  remained  sixty-three 
years. 

John  and  Hester  his  wife  had  a  daughter  Mary,  born  June  27, 
1766;  he  made  his  will  January  17, 1793,  which  was  proved  Feb- 
ruary 1,  1794,  in  which  he  speaks  of  his  wife  Hester;  his 
daughters,  Hester,  wife  of  Lewis  Prall;  Martha,  wife  of  Daniel 
Winants;  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Charles  Laforge;  and  Mary,  wife 
of  James  Laforge,  and  his  son  Richard. 

There  was  another  John  who  had  a  son,  Nathaniel  R.,  and 
died  at  the  age  of  87;  his  son,  Nathaniel,  died  in  May,  1874, 
aged  85  years;  his  wife  was  Prances  Butler. 


532  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Lewis  and  Jane  Mersereau  were  married  January  12,  1804. 

The  family,  once  tolerably  numerous  and  highly  respectable, 
are  almost  extinct  in  the  county.  A  family  by  the  name,  to 
which  Mr.  Eugene  Dn  Bois  belongs,  purchased  the  old  Walter 
Dongan  farm  at  Castleton  Corners  in  1859,  and  still  occupy  it. 
No  connection  between  this  family  and  the  first  is  known.  The 
ancestors  of  the  latter  came  from  Artois,  France,  in  1675,  and 
settled  in  Ulster  and  Dutchess  counties. 

DiJSTAN. — This  family  has  for  many  years  been  identified  with 
the  island.  William  and  Peter  were  natives  of  Scotland,  and 
emigrated  to  America  at  an  early  age.  The  former,  locally 
known  as  Major  Dustan,  was  born  September  11,  1759,  and  died 
on  Staten  Island,  May  23,  1841,  nearly  82  years  of  age.  He  left 
one  son,  Isaac  Kip,  whose  melancholy  death  is  recorded  on  his 
monument  in  the  Moravian  cemetery,  as  follows: 

"  This  monument  is  erected  a  tribute  of  esteem  to  the  mem- 
ory of  Isaac  Kip  Dustan,  aged  38  years  and  7  months,  who  lost 
his  life  while  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  as  Captain  of  the 
ill-fated  Steamer  Atlantic,  off  Fisher's  Island,  during  the  mem- 
orable gale  of  the  28th  of  November,  1846." 

Eddy. — Among  present  representatives  of  this  family  are 
Cornelius  C,  of  Stapleton,  and  his  cousin  James,  of  Huguenot, 
in  Westfield.  The  former  is  the  son  of  William,  who  was  killed 
by  his  horse  running  away,  in  January,  1828;  the  latter  is  the 
son  of  John,  also  deceased.  William,  John  and  Andrew,  who 
is  still  living  near  Woodrow  church,  Westfield,  were  brothers, 
and  sons  of  William,  the  first  of  the  name,  who  came  here  from 
New  Jersey  during  the  war  of  the  revolution,  with  the  inten- 
tion of  remaining  but  a  short  time;  but  either  the  refusal  of  a 
pass,  or  protracted  delay  in  furnishing  it,  detained  him  on  the 
island,  until  finally,  having  probably  formed  some  attachment, 
he  relinquished  the  idea  of  returning,  and  settled  permanently. 

Andrew  Eddy.— William  Eddy,  the  father  of  the  subject  of 
this  biography,  a  native  of  the  state  of  New  Jersey,  was  pressed 
into  the  service  during  the  war  of  the  revolution.  On  his  dis- 
charge he  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits  and  married  Cathe- 
rine Du  Bois,  a  lady  of  Huguenot  lineage.  Their  children  were: 
James,  John,  Elizabeth,  wife  of  Abraham  Cole;  Catherine, 
married  to  Andrew  Prier ;  William,  Andrew,  and  Mary,  mar- 
ried to  Patrick  Leddy.  The  death  of  Mr.  Eddy  occurred  in 
1831,  at  the  age  of  78  years,  and  that  of  his  wife  in  1832,  in  her 


cjf^  aOx^f^y     ^  (y^ 


^ 


HISTORY  OF  BICHMOND  COUNTY.  533 

70th  year.  Andrew  Eddy  was  born  April  3, 1801,  in  Woodrow, 
where  the  early  years  of  his  life  were  devoted  to  the  work  of 
the  farm,  with  a  brief  period  at  school  during  the  winter 
months.  Being  ambitious  to  render  himself  independent  by  the 
mastery  of  a  trade,  he  chose  that  of  a  carpenter  and  was  for  a 
period  of  six  years  thus  employed.  Embarking  then  in  public 
life  he  was  elected  constable  and  collector  for  Westfield  town- 
shij),  served  several  years  in  that  capacity,  and  was  subsequent- 
ly made  assessor.  Mr.  Eddy  was  then  elected  supervisor  and 
afterward  filled  a  second  term  as  assessor  of  the  township. 
Unsatisfied  to  remain  idle  while  not  occupied  with  official  duties, 
he  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  at  Woodrow,  and  later,  re- 
sumed the  labor  of  the  farm.  He  was,  in  1822,  married  to 
Catherine  Poillon,  daughter  of  John  P.  Poillon,  of  Staten 
Island.  Their  children  are :  Edwin  V. ,  Carnes,  William  H. 
and  George  W.  Mr.  Eddy,  though  deprived  by  death  of  the 
companionship  of  his  wife  on  the  20th  of  August,  1878,  con- 
tinued upon  the  farm  until  1884,  when,  on  his  removal  to  Tot- 
tenville,  he  built  the  dwelling  which  is  his  present  residence. 
A  lifelong  democrat  in  politics  he  has  relinquished  the  exciting 
scenes  of  public  life  for  the  quiet  and  retirement  of  his  home. 
He  espouses  the  faith  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and 
was  formerly  treasurer  and  trustee  of  the  church  at  Woodrow. 

Egbert. — The  first  emigrant  of  this  name  was  probably 
Govert  Egbert,  who  came  to  America  in  the  ship  called  the 
"  Spotted  Cow,"  in  1660,  but  it  is  not  certain  that  he  ever  lived 
on  Staten  Island. 

The  first  mention  of  the  name  in  connection  with  the  island 
is  that  of  Tunis,  who  bought  land  in  1698,  and  sold  land  to 
John  Androvat  in  January,  1699.  His  will,  dated  July  6,  1721, 
mentions  seven  sons,  Egbert,  John,  Abraham,  Jacque,  Isaac, 
Lawrence  and  Tunis.  Besides  these  he  had  four  daughters, 
whose  names  are  not  mentioned. 

Tunis  married  Petronella  Dupuy,  and  his  son  John  was  bap- 
tized December,  1745.  John  had  sons,  in  the  order  of  their 
birth— Joseph,  John,  Tunis,  Samuel,  Edward,  Thomas,  Holmes, 
Cornelius,  Henry  and  William.  Of  these  there  were  still  liv- 
ing in  1876:  Edward,  on  the  Manor  road,  Castleton  ;  Cornelius, 
on  the  Amboy  road,  Southfield,  and  William,  at  Graniteville. 

This  Cornelius  Egbert  married  the  daughter  of  Bornt  Lake, 
who  was  murdered  by  Christian  Smith,  and  occupies  the  same 


534  HISTORY  or  eichmond  county. 

house  Lake  occupied  at  the  time  of  his  death.  His  brother 
William  married  another  daughter  of  Lake. 

Probably  the  same  Tunis  had  another  son  named  Abraham 
(born  September  21,  1747,  died  October  2,  1816),  who  was  the 
father  of  the  following  sons :  Abraham,  Joseph,  Tunis,  Corne- 
lius, John,  Stephen,  James  and  Edward;  two  sons  and  seven- 
teen grandsons,  besides  grand-daughters  and  daughters,  whose 
names  are  not  given.  We  subjoin  the  following,  indiscrimi- 
nately, as  we  have  collected  them  from  several  records. 

James  is  mentioned  in  the  county  records  in  1724,  and  in 
1766.  Peter  is  also  mentioned  in  1767.  Tunis,  probably  a  son  of 
the  original  Tunis,  born  1720,  died  May  19,  1805.  Tunis, 
born  January  11,  1759,  died  November  5,  1825.  Moses  and  his 
wife  Caty  had  a  son  Abrahafli,  born  November  8,  1768,  "about 
three  o'clock."  Moses,  the  above,  was  born  October  21, 1742,  and 
died  November  13,  1831.  Jacus  (James  ?)  and  Trientje  Backer 
(Baker  ?)  had  a  daughter,  baptized  October  11,  1743.  Abraham 
and  Elizabeth  Gerreseu  had  a  daughter,  baptized  April  17, 
1744,  and  a  son  Benjamin,  born  August  25,  1768.  Abraham  and 
Francyntje  Parain  (Prancina  Perine)  had  a  son  Abraham,  born 
May  22,  1715  ;  a  son  John,  baptized  April  10,  1720  ;  a  daughter 
Elizabeth,  baptized  June  17,  1722.  Jacobus  (James)  and  Cath- 
arine Deny  had  a  son  Johannes,  baptized  July  14,  1723  ;  a  son 
Laurens,  baptized  March  24, 1724.  Jaques  and  Catharine  Bak- 
ker  (Baker  ?)  had  a  daughter  Susannah,  baptized  November  4, 
1733,  identical  with  the  above  Jacus.  Anthony  and  his  wife 
Mary  had  a  son,  Keuben,  born  September  13,  1770,  on  "Thurs- 
day, about  ten  of  the  clock  in  y^  morning,"  a  daughter  Martha, 
"born  April  25,  about  ten  of  y^  clock  in  y^  morning,  1772,  on 
Saterday,"  a  daughter  Eleanor,  "born  August  7,  about  one 
of  ye  clock  in  y^  morning,  1774."  John  and  Catharine  his  wife 
had  twins,  Tunis  and  Eleanor,  born  November  11, 1771.  Barney 
and  Ann  Taylor  were  married  October  4,  1801. 

Ellis.— There  seem  to  have  been  three  branches  of  the  Ellis 
family,  who  emigrated  to  this  country  at  an  early  date.  Gar- 
ret Ellis,  of  English  ancestry,  one  of  Staten  Island's  pioneers, 
was  born  in  1720,  and  died  in  1797  ;  his  son  Capt.  Garret  Ellis, 
a  wealthy  farmer,  was  born  in  the  town  of  Westtield,  Staten 
Island,  in  1756,  died  aged  71  years.  He  was  one  of  the  heroes 
of  the  war  of  1776,  and  always  remained  loyal  to  the  cause  of 
liberty;  during  that  struggle  he  was  arrested  at  midnight  on 


HISTOUT  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  635 

Staten  Island,  and  compelled  to  walk  shoeless  over  frozen 
ground,  almost  the  entire  length  of  the  island,  and  was  incar- 
cerated in  old  Fort  Richmond,  where  he  was  detained  a  prisoner 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  Capt.  Garret  Ellis  married  Miss 
Mary  Tappen  of  New  Jersey,  who  was  born  in  1767,  died  at  the 
age  of  77  years  ;  she  was  of  Dutch  descent,  and  both  were 
members  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  church.  They  had  ten 
children,  five  sons  and  five  daughters ;  the  three  eldest  died 
while  young;  their  oldest  son  Capt.  Cornelius,  married  Miss 
Bealy  Butler;  they  had  five  children,  two  of  whom,  Jacob  Ellis, 
a  prominent  shipbuilder,  and  Cornelius,  ship  captain,  both  re- 
side in  Tottenville,  Staten  Island.  Their  second  son,  Capt.  Gar- 
ret, married  Miss  Susan  Butler;  they  had  thirteen  children. 
Their  third  son,  Abraham,  once  sheriff  of  Richmond  county, 
married  Miss  Allice  Murry;  they  had  ten  children.  George  W., 
the  eldest,  now  chief  clerk  of  the  police  department,  and  for- 
merly supervisor  of  Richmond  county,  lives  in  Kreischer- 
ville.  Capt.  Garret  Ellis'  eldest  daughter,  Fannie  (born  1785, 
died  in  her  82d  year)  married  Capt.  Peter  Winant,  who  died 
at  sea  in  1823.  Miss  Leah  married  Jacob  Simonson,  Miss  Lany 
married  Henry  Butler,  and  Miss  Polly  married  James  Johnson, 
all  deceased. 

Entaed. — In  the  county  records  is  found  the  name  of  JoUis 
Inyard,  who  purchased  land  on  the  island  as  early  as  1687,  and 
sold  land  in  1692.  In  1708  the  same  individual,  under  the  name 
of  Yellis  Ingart,  sold  land.  The  names  JoUis.  Yellis,  and  Gillis 
are  the  same,  being  Dutch  corruptions  of  Giles.  He  had  a  son 
Matthys  (Matthias)  whose  wife  was  Elizabeth  Gerritson,  and 
they  had  the  following  children  :  Matthys,  baptized  January 
7,  1730;  Gillis,  baptized  December  17,  1732;  Susanna,  baptized 
May  4,  1735;  Catharine,  baptized  April  23,  1789;  Elisabet,  bap- 
tized April  18,  1743;  Nicklaes,  baptized  April  22,  1746. 

Nicholas  married  Jemima  Wood,  in  July,  1768.  They  had  a 
son  Elias,  who  was  the  father  of  Mr.  John  Enyard,  of  Port 
Richmond,  and  grandfather  of  Rev.  William  T.  Enyard,  formerly 
pastor  of  the  Reformed  church,  Brighton  Heights,  S.  I. 

Fountain.— This  family  is  of  French  origin.  James  Fon- 
taine, or  de  la  Fountaine,  as  it  was  formerly  written,  the  story 
of  whose  escape  from  France  after  the  Revocation,  is  given  by 
Smiles;  Fontaine,  the  French  fabulist.  Sir  Andrew  Fontaine, 
the  antiquarian,  and  many  others,  eminent  in  science  and  the 


536  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

arts,  are  of  this  family.  The  progenitor  of  those  of  the  name 
in  America  was  not  driven  from  his  native  land  by  the  revoca- 
tion of  the  Edict  of  Nantes  in  1685,  for  there  is  the  notice  of  a 
"  Charel  Fonteyn,  a  Frenchman,  and  wife,"  who  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  the  ship  called  the  "  Golden  Beaver,"  in  1658  ;  there  is 
also  a  record  of  Antone  Fountain,  aged  30,  who  was  a  witness 
in  a  suit  on  Staten  Island,  in  1680.  The  family  is  not  as  numer- 
ous in  the  county  as  formerly,  some  branches  having  become 
extinct,  others  having  removed  from  the  county.  Mr.  Vincent 
Fountain,  of  West  New  Brighton,  is  the  son  of  the  late  Capt. 
Henry  Fountain,  who  was  born  in  1787,  and  died  May  28th, 
1867.  He  lived  for  many  years  in  the  large  house  between  the 
Church  of  the  Ascension  and  the  building  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association,  on  the  north  shore.  Capt.  Henry  and 
his  late  brother  John,  of  Tompkinsville,  were  sons  of  Vincent 
Fountain,  who  was  born  in  1748,  and  died  December  11,  1819. 
Vincent  was  probably  the  son  of  Anthony  Fountain,  who  was 
supervisor  in  1767. 

Besides  the  above,  there  is  mention  in  the  county  or  church 
records,  of  the  following:  Antone  Fontayne,  who  purchased 
land  in  1686;  probably  he  was  the  same  who  was  witness  in  a 
suit  six  years  before.  Vincent,  who  both  bought  and  sold  land 
in  1697.  Richard  also  bought  in  1702.  Anthony  and  Belitze 
(Isabella)  Byvank,  his  wife,  had  a  daughter  baptized  May  11, 
1729.  Anthony  and  Annatje  Geretson,  his  wife,  had  a  son  An- 
tone, baptized  November  3,  1754,  a  son  John,  November  20, 
1757,  and  a  son  Cornelius,  December  23,  1759.  Anthony  and 
Susannah,  his  wife,  had  a  son  Charles,  baptized  September  25, 
1756.  John  Fountain  and  Catharine  Fountain  were  married 
December  24,  1804.  Cornelus  Fountain  died  January  27,  1813, 
and  his  wife  Elizabeth  lived  but  four  days  after,  having  died 
January  31,  1813.  They  are  buried  by  the  side  of  each  other 
in  a  field  in  the  town  of  Southfield,  a  few  rods  south  of  the  Old 
Town  road,  and  east  of  the  Staten  Island  Railroad. 

Frost.— The  first  of  this  name  in  the  county,  as  far  as  can 
now  be  ascertained,  was  Dr.  Thomas  Frost;  he  resided  at  Rich- 
mond, and  from  the  fact  that  courts,  supervisors'  meetings  and 
other  public  bodies  met  at  his  house  sometimes,  we  infer  that 
he  also  kept  an  inn  or  tavern.  That  he  was  a  decided  loyalist 
or  tory,  is  evident  fi'om  the  indictment  found  against  him  by  the 
first  grand  jury  which  was  impanelled  after  the  evacuation  of 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  537 

the  island  by  the  British,  as  maybe  seen  in  another  place.  The 
first  court  house  built  in  the  county  after  the  formation  of  the 
new  government,  was  upon  land  purchased  from  him,  which 
building  is  still  standing,  though  in  a  modernized  form,  and  is 
now  owned  and  occupied  by  Isaac  M,  Marsh,  Esq.  That  Doctor 
Frost  was  here  Just  before  the  revolution  is  seen  by  an  entry 
in  the  baptismal  record  of  St.  Andrew's  church,  which  records 
the  fact  that  Thomas  and  Tamar  Frost  had  a  son  named  Wil- 
liam Errell,  born  February  17,  1774.  They  had  at  least  three 
more  sons,  viz.,  Samuel,  Henry  and  John;  what  became  of  the 
two  last  mentioned  we  do  not  positively  know,  but  Samuel 
continued  to  reside  on  the  island;  he  was  twice  married,  the 
first  time  to  a  lady  from  New  Jersey,  the  second  time  to  Catha- 
rine Bedell,  by  whom  he  had  one  son,  the  late  Samuel  H.,  who 
married  Louisa,  daughter  of  the  late  Mr.  Stephen  Ketteltas; 
their  children  were  Henry  and  Stephen  K. 

GrAREisoN. — There  were  several  of  the  name  who  emigrated 
from  Holland;  the  earliest  were  Gerret  Gerretson  Van  Grelthuys, 
a  tailor — came  over,  in  1658,  in  the  ship  "  The  Gilded  Beaver;" 
John  Gerretson,  baker,  with  his  wife  and  child,  came  at  the 
same  time  and  in  the  same  ship.  Wouter  and  Stoflfel  came  over 
in  February,  1659,  in  the  "Faith;"  Gerret  and  Jan  came  over 
in  December  of  the  same  year  in  the  same  ship.  There  were 
several  others  of  the  name  who  came  over  in  succeeding  years. 

Whether  the  family  on  the  island  have  all  descended  from 
one  immigrant,  or  from  more,  it  is  now  impossible  to  determine. 
The  earliest  mention  of  the  name  on  the  island  occurs  in  1691, 
when  Jacob  gave  his  brother  John  a  power  of  attorney  to  sell 
land  on  Smoking  Point,  from  which  we  infer  that  Jacob  was 
not  a  resident  of  the  island  and  John  was.  From  1698  to  1702 
we  find  the  names  of  Frederick,  Christopher  Lambert  and  Seger, 
all  as  land  owners. 

The  name  seems  to  have  been  interchanged  with  that  of  Van 
Wageaer.  For  example,  Hendrick  Van  Wagener  bought  of 
Thomas  Dongan  a  piece  of  ground  on  the  main  road  from  the 
Narrows  to  Amboy,  May  .  23,  1755.  This  was  sold  by  Van 
Wagener  (as  Garretson)  to  Parkinson;  by  him  to  Britton;  by 
him  to  others,  and  is  now  known  as  "Concord."  We  have  the 
statement  of  the  late  Judge  Metcalfe  that  all  of  Van  Wagener's 
brothers  went  by  the  name  of  Garretson,  and  that  he  himself 
finally  took  the  name.     The  change  of  Garritson  to  Van  Wage- 


538  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

ner  is  partially  accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  they  had  come 
from  Wageningen,  in  Holland,  while  others  of  the  same  name 
had  come  from  other  places,  as  certain  lists  of  immigrants  pre- 
served in  the  documentary  history  show,  and  by  careless  cus- 
tom the  name  of  his  birthplace  became  the  name  of  the  man. 

Hendrick  is  mentioned  in  the  county  records  in  1768;  he  lived 
on  the  Clinch  property,  Richmond  road,  near  Fingerboard  road. 
His  son  Harmanus  was  born  in  April,  1732,  and  died  July  3, 
1813.  Harmanus'  son  John  (always  named  as  John,  Esq.),  was 
born  in  1761,  and  died  December  19,  1837;  he  was  county  judge 
from  1803  to  1823,  presidential  elector  in  1808,  and  surrogate  in 
1820.  John's  son  Harmanus  was  member  of  assembly  in  1825;  it 
was  humorously  said  of  him  that  he  carried  more  weight  in 
the  assembly  than  any  other  member,  for  he  weighed  over  three 
hundred  pounds.  This  Harmanus  had  three  brothers,  John, 
Jr.,  George  and  Garret.  John,  Jr.,  was  member  of  assembly 
in  1836;  his  sons  are  Jacob  C.  and  John  of  Fresh  kill. 

John  C.  was  born  March  15,  1788;  he  is  the  son  of  John,  and 
his  mother  was  Elizabeth  Conner,  sister  of  the  late  Col.  Rich- 
ard Conner;  his  grandfather  was  usually  called  Hannis,  which 
is  an  abbreviation  of  the  word  Johannes. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  we  find  in  the  several  church  rec- 
ords mention  made  of  the  following:  Jacob,  born  September, 
1766,  died  July  3,  1847;  he  married  Catharine  Simonson,  Janu- 
ary 18,  1789;  John,  known  as  "  Col.,"  born  1761,  died  August 
15,  1839;  he  had  a  daughter  baptized  September  7, 1787;  Nicho- 
las and  Christina  Van  Woglom,  son  Abraham  baptized  Sep- 
tember 21,  1744.  Daniel  and  Mary  had  the  following  children: 
Charles,  born  February  11,  1755;  Jacob,  born  June  13,  1757; 
and  Daniel,  baptized  August  22,  1762.  Daniel  made  his  will 
December  21,  1792,  proved  December  5,  1793,  in  which  bespeaks 
of  his  wife  Mary,  and  his  children  Daniel,  Jacob,  Charles, 
Catharine  Buskirk  and  Mary.  Isaac  and  Maria  Christopher, 
son  Christopher  baptized  March  21,  1731.  John  and  Susan 
Lake  married  December  23,  1806.  Charles,  sheriff  in  1730,  and 
Adrianche,  mentioned  in  the  county  records  in  1763,  we  find  no 
further  traces  of. 

The  following  particulars  in  regard  to  the  Garretson  family 
have  been  furnished  by  Mr.  John  H.  Garretson  of  Green  Ridge. 

"  Gerrit  Gerritsen  and  Annetje  Heermanse  his  wife,  and  one 
child,  Gerret,  then  two  years  old,  came  from   Wageningen  in 


HISTOKY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  539 

Gelderland.  They  arrived  in  the  ship  "  Faith  "  Dec.  23,  1660. 
He  was  the  founder  of  the  family  now  spread  over  Hudson, 
Bergen,  Passaic  and  Essex  counties  in  New  Jersey,  and  Staten 
Island.  He  brought  a  certificate  of  good  character  and  Christ- 
ian deportment  from  the  Burgomasters  of  his-  native  city.  He 
settled  at  Communipaw  and  died  Oct.  4,  1696,  his  wife  having 
died  Sept.  7th  of  the  same  year.  They  had  seven  children: 
Gerrit,  Jannetje,  Fitze,  Harm  anus,  Aeltze,  Hendriok  and  Johan- 
nes. Six  of  these  were  married.  Some  of  them  took  the  name 
of  the  place  their  father  came  from  for  their  family  name,  others 
did  not.  Gerrit,  the  eldest  married  Neesje  Pieters,  May  11, 
1681,  and  had  children:  Elizabeth,  Peter,  Gerrit,  Annetze,  Jo- 
hannis,  Abraham  and  Jacob.  The  Staten  Island  Garretsons 
are  descendants  of  Johannis  of  this  family,  who  married  Mar- 
garet Sip,  May  22,  1713. 

"  Johannis  had  children, — Gerrit,  Johannis,  Cornelius, 
Jacobus,  Hendrick,  Abraham,  Harmanus  and  Hannah.  The 
last  was  born  on  Staten  Island,  as  is  supposed,  the  family  mov- 
ing hither  in  1732.  He  had  property  sufficient  to  give  these 
children  a  good  start  in  life.  His  home  place  was  on  the  old 
Town  road,  now  occupied  by  H.  Meyer.  This  he  gave  to  his 
second  son,  Johannis,  who,  following  the  custom  already  alluded 
to,  adopted  the  name  of  Van  Wagenen.  Cornelius,  the  third 
son,  married  Claasje  Pieters,  and  settled  in  Metuchen,  N.  J. 
Jacobus  married  a  Simonson,  and  settled  at  Clifton,  on  his  wife's 
farm. 

"  Hendrick  married  Catherine  Paulerson,  December  3,  1747, 
and  lived  on  the  John  Britton  place  on  the  Richmond  road. 
Garrison's  Station  is  on  property  of  his  descendants.  Abra- 
ham married  and  lived  in  Bergen. 

"  Harmanus  married  Autty  Simonson,  Apr.  26,  1759,  and 
lived  on  the  old  Town  road  till  1790,  after  which  he  moved  to 
the  farm  now  owned  by  Mr.  Erastus  Wiman.  They  had  three 
children.  These  were  Margaret,  John  and  Dinah.  The  first 
married  Harry  Guyon,  and  inherited  the  Guyon  place,  the 
second  married  Martha  Cadmus  and  had  the  old  town  farm, 
and  the  third  married  Joshua  Mersereau  and  moved  to  Steuben 
county. 

"John  Garretson  and  his  wife  Martha  had  children:  Jane,  Har- 
manus, Alida,  Dinah,  John,  George,  Richard,  James,  Garret 
and  Martha.     Jane  married  Henry  Seguine  and  had  children: 


540  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Joseph  and  John.  Harmanus  married  a  Miss  Cadmus,  had  a 
son.  Jasper,  who  lived  in  Bergen,  the  early  home  of  his  mother. 
Harmanus  had  three  other  wives  but  left  no  other  children.  Alida 
married  George  Van  Pelt;  Dinah  married  John  Tysen;  John 
married  Ann  Crocheron  and  left  two  children,  Jacob  C.  and 
John  H.,  now  of  Green  Ridge;  George  married  Susan  de  Groot 
and  had  a  son,  George  and  a  large  family  of  girls;  Richard  and 
James  died  unmarried;  Garret  married  Mary  Ann  Clauesson, 
and  left  children,  John  J.,  William  and  three  daughters;  and 
Martha  married  twice — John  Sawyer  and  James  Laforge. 

"  Jacob  C.  Garretson  married  Harriet  N.  Ketch  am  and  had 
children:  John,  Philip,  Henry,  Jacob  C,  Erskine  White,  Sarah 
(married  John  Eadie),  Ella  (married  Oraig  Ketcham)  and  Har- 
riet (married  Albert  Serrell).  The  last  named,  Jacob  C,  had 
sons,  Henry  and  Jacob,  who  are  married." 

GuYON. — This  is  an  ancient  and  honorable  French  Protestant 
family.'  Some  of  them  escaped  at  an  early  date  from  the  per- 
secutions in  their  native  country,  and  came  to  America;  others 
remained  until  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes,  when  most 
of  them  escaped  to  Holland,  but  a  few  remained  to  face  the 
peril.  William  de  Guyon  de  Geis  fled  to  Holland,  and  took 
service  under  William  of  Orange,  and  lost  an  arm  in  that  ser- 
vice in  Germany;  he  died  in  1740.  Several  of  his  descendants 
held  commissions  in  the  English  army.  Of  those  who  remained 
in  Prance,  an  aged  pastor  was  arrested,  and  upon  being 
searched  a  letter  from  Claude  Brousson,  who  was  a  proscribed 
preacher,  was  found  upon  him,  and  he  was  forthwith  exe- 
cuted, and  the  house  at  Nismes  in  which  he  was  captured  was 
razed  to  the  ground,  as  a  punishment  to  its  owner  for  giving  him 
shelter.  The  last  Count  Guyon  was  in  the  Austrian  service  as  late 
as  1848.  There  were,  probably,  two  of  the  family  who  came  to 
New  York  at  an  early  date— Gregory  and  Jaques.  The  former 
lived  at  New  Rochelle  in  1710,  and  was  then  44  years  of  age, 
and  his  wife,  Mary,  was  40.  The  latter  settled  on  Staten  Island, 
and  received  a  patent  from  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  dated  March 
27th,  1675,  for  about  178  acres  of  land  on  the  island  at  a  quit 
rent  of  eight  bushels  of  wheat.  This  patent  is  still  in  existence, 
and  the  land  is  still  owned  and  occupied  by  his  direct  descend- 
ants, the  family  of  Mrs.  Dr.  Ephraim  Clark.  We  find  in  the 
county  records  notices  of  two  law  suits:  one,  "  Jacob  Jeyoung 
against  Isaac  See,  in  1678;  the  other,  Jaques  Jeyoung  against 


HISTOEY  OP  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  541 

ffrancis  Martinoe,  March  6,1781."  As  he  was  the  only  individual 
of  the  name  of  Guyon— or  Jeyoung,  which  is  nearer  the  French 
pronunciation— he  was,  without  doubt,  the  plaintiff  in  both 
suits,  the  name  Jacob  being  either  a  clerical  error  or  an  instance 
of  clerical  ignorance.  He  had  a  son  James,  born  January  5, 
1714.  James  had  a  son  James,  born  March  16,  1746, whose  wife's 
name  was  Susannah,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  the  late 
Major  James  Gruyon,  father  of  Mrs.  Clark.  Major  James  is 
known  in  our  civil  list  as  James,  Jr.,  was  born  December  24, 
1778,  and  died  March  9,  1846.  He  was  member  of  assembly  in 
1812-13,  and  representative  in  congress  in  1819-20.  He  was  mar- 
ried three  times:  first,  to  Ann  Bedell,  mother  of  Mrs.  Clark; 
second,  to  Ann  Ferine;  and  third,  to  Martha  Seguine;  the  two 
last  were  childless. 

The  present  Major  James  Guyon  was  the  son  of  Harmanus 
and  his  wife,  Elizabeth  Holmes,  married  May  2,  1802.  Har- 
manus— usually  called  Harry — was  member  of  assembly  1819-20. 
He  was  the  son  of  James  by  his  second  wife,  Margaret  Garrison, 
and  half-brother  of  James,  Jr. 

In  the  old  church  records  of  St.  Andrew's  we  find  the  follow- 
ing, which  we  are  unable  to  place:  John  and  Elizabeth  Butler, 
married  January  12,  1800.  Cornelius  and  Getty  Mersereau, 
married  May  16,  1807. 

Hatfield. — The  tradition  of  the  family  is  that  James  Hatfield 
and  a  brother  came  from  England  long  before  the  revolution; 
the  brother  settled  in  New  Jersey,  but  James  on  Staten  Island. 
During  the  war  James  was  a  decided  whig,  a  rare  occurrence, 
particularly  on  Staten  Island,  and  was  incarcerated  by  the 
British,  or  tories,  somewhere  in  'New  Jersey,  but  was  soon 
released  by  the  Americans.  His  sons  were  James  and  John  D., 
the  latter  of  whom  was  born  April  5,  1777,  and  died  December 
3,  1856.  He  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Jacob  Van  Felt,  and 
they  were  the  parents  of  the  following  children  :  John,  Moses 
(both  of  whom  were  lost  at  sea  in  December,  1839);  Maria,  wife 
of  Captain  J.  W.  Barnes,  of  Fort  Richmond;  Jacob,  died  in 
infancy;  Jacob,  born  March  17,  1817. 

There  is  a  record  of  a  Benjamin  Hatfield,  who  married  ISTanne 
Merrill,  January  10,  1765,  and  of  Susanna  Hatfield,  who  was 
the  wife  of  Fieter  Decker,  and  had  a  child  baptized  as  early  as 
1718.  (See  the  Decker  family).  Whether  these  were  members 
of  the  same  family,  it  is  impossible  now  to  determine. 


542  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Haughwotjt. — The  date  of  the  arrival  and  the  name  of  the 
progenitor  of  this  family  are  lost.  It  was  never  very  numerous, 
and  the  notices  of  it  in  the  county  and  church  records  are  few. 
The  earliest  mention  of  it  is  where  Egbert  Haughwout  was 
sponsor  at  a  baptism  April  20,  1709,  and  where  Peter  Haugh- 
wout sold  land  in  1708.  Egbert  had  a  daughter  baptized  May 
4,  1714,  and  Peter  and  Neltje  (Cornelia)  Bakker,  his  wife,  had 
eight  children  baptized  between  1710  and  1736.  Jan  and  Eliza- 
beth Hooglant  had  a  daughter  baptized  October  16, 1720.  Peter 
and  Aaltje  (Alida)  Bennett,  of  Long  Island,  had  the  following 
children:  INeltje  (Cornelia),  baptized  July  28,  1751;  Peter,  June 
24,  1752;  ISTicholas,  March  12,1758;  and  Wynant,  April  20,  1760. 
He  owned  a  large  property  at  the  locality  now  known  as  Wil- 
low Brook,  or  the  Gun  Factory,  in  Northfield.  He  made  his 
will  December  15,  1787,  probated  September  6,  1792,  in  which 
he  speaks  of  his  wife  AUe  {or  Altje),  his  sons  Peter,  Nicholas 
and  Wynant,  and  his  daughters  AUe  Webb,  Nelly  Cozine,  and 
his  grandchildren,  the  children  of  his  daughter  Nelly,  and 
Alettee,  Garrett,  Peter  and  Jacobus. 

His  son  Peter  was  the  father  of  the  late  Peter  N.,  of  Port 
Richmond.  His  son  Wynant  was  the  father  of  Simon,  of  Gran- 
iteville,  and  his  son  Nicholas  was  father  of  Nicholas,  now  de- 
ceased, who  was  engaged  in  the  oyster  business,  and  was  said 
to  be  the  first  to  introduce  oysters  "on  the  Canal  street  plan," 
that  is,  stewed  or  otherwise  cooked,  before  which  they  could 
only  be  procured  raw.  Egbert  and  Elenor  Garebrantz  had  a 
son  Daniel,  baptized  March  8,  1782.  Nicholas  had  a  daughter 
baptized  August  6,  1786.  Wynant  had  a  son  Isaac,  baptized 
October  28,  1787.  Peter  had  a  son  Daniel,  baptized  June  7, 
1788. 

Charles  A.  Herpich  is  of  German  descent,  and  the  grand- 
son of  Carl  Augustus  Herpich,  a  cloth  manufacturer  who  re- 
sided in  Grossenhain,  Saxony.  His  children  were  two  daugh- 
ters and  three  sons,  of  whom  the  youngest,  Carl  Augustus,  re- 
moved .to  Berlin  and  engaged  in  the  fur  business.  By  his  mar- 
riage to  Emily  Opperman,  of  Berlin,  were  born  children : 
Charles  A.,  Julius  P.,  Rudolph  G.,  and  one  daughter,  Theresa 
Amelia. 

The  birth  of  Charles  A.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  occurred 
on  the  25th  of  February,  1831,  in  Berlin.  In  youth  he  entered 
a  grammar  school,  afterward  received  a  collegiate  education, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  643 

and  on  the  completion  of  his  course  of  study  began  his  business 
career  as  a  furrier  with  his  father,  during  his  apprenticeship  of 
four  years  becoming  familiar  with  all  its  branches.  He  par- 
ticipated actively  in  the  revolution  of  1848,  was  captured  and 
for  a  brief  period  confined  in  the  fortress  of  Spandan.  On  his 
release  Mr.  Herpich,  being  disinclined  to  military  service,  to 
which  he  was  liable,  determined  to  emigrate,  and  in  February, 
1849,  joined  a  party  en  route  for  South  Australia.  xVf ter  a  brief 
experience  in  the  colonies  he  returned  in  1850  to  Berlin,  later 
spent  some  time  in  travel  in  Germany  and  England,  and  in 
August,  1851,  sailed  for  America,  landing  in  New  York.  He 
at  once  accepted  a  situation,  continued  for  two  years  thus  em- 
ployed, and  in  1853  embarked  for  Europe  with  a  view  to  mak- 
ing his  first  purchases  as  a  dealer  in  furs  in  New  York  city. 
He  speedily  established  an  extensive  business  in  all  parts  of 
the  country,  as  a  successful  merchant  in  skins  and  the  manu- 
factured goods.  Mr.  Herpich  has  devoted  little  time  to  inter- 
ests apart  from  his  legitimate  pursuits.  He  is  president  of  the 
German  Club  of  Staten  Island,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the 
board  of  trustees  of  the  village  of  New  Brighton.  His  public 
spirit  induced  him  to  accept  the  office  of  supervisor  of  the  town 
of  Castleton,  but  aside  from  this  he  has  declined  such  honors. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  German  Lutheran  church  of  Stapleton 
and  president  of  its  board  of  trustees. 

Mr.  Herpich  was  married  on  the  22d  of  February,  1857,  to 
Miss  Matilda,  daughter  of  Ephraira  HofEman,  of  Weissenburg, 
Bavaria.  Their  only  son,  Carl  Augustus,  is  now  pursuing  his 
studies. 

HiLLYEK. — John  Hillyer,  sometimes  written  Hilliard,  lived 
on  Staten  Island  in  1693,  and  married  Elizabeth  Dey  in  1714. 
their  children  were  :  John,  Elizabeth,  Mary,  James,  William, 
Nathaniel,  Simon  and  Lawrence.  The  present  families  of  the 
name  are  descended  from  the  youngest  son  Lawrence.  His  son 
John  was  born  in  July,  1763,  and  died  in  July,  1848.  His  wife 
Elsie  Merrill  was  born  in  November,  1768,  and  died  in  August, 
1858.  Their  children  were  :  Lawrence,  and  John  B.,  the  father 
of  James  A.,  late  of  the  firm  of  Pine,  Hillyer  &  Co.,  of  West 
New  Brighton;  and  Abraham,  of  the  firm  of  Hillyer  &  Hartley, 
of  New  Brighton,  beside  several  other  children. 

Other  Hillyers  are  mentioned  in  the  records  of  St.  Andrew's 
church  as  follows  :  John  and  Esther  his  wife  had  a  daughter. 


544  HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

born  September  19,  1756;  a  son,  Nathaniel,  born  October  2, 
1765;  a  daughter,  born  November  14,  1768.  John,  Jr.,  had  a 
son  Abraham,  born  January  20,  1759.  William  and  Dinah  his 
wife  had  a  daughter,  born  December  24,  1748,  and  a  daughter, 
born  September  11,  1756.  John  and  Mary  his  wife  had  a 
daughter,  born  March  29,  1774;  a  son,  John,  born  April  18, 
1776.    Lawrence  and  Ann  Larzalere  married  December  4,  1808. 

Holmes.— The  progenitor  of  this  family  was  Obadiah,  or,  as 
he  sometimes  wrote  it,  "  o  Badiah."  He  came  from  England 
in  the  latter  half  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  obtained  a 
patent  for  a  valuable  tract  of  land  in  Southlield,  which  remained 
in  the  family  for  several  generations.  His  name  is  found  in  the 
county  records  as  early  as  1683.  There  is  a  link  missing  in  the 
family  chain,  which  it  now  appears  impossible  to  supply.  There 
is  no  record  of  the  names  of  his  children.  His  grandson  Samuel 
lived  and  died  on  the  paternal  estate,  and  had  six  daughters 
and  two  sons,  Baker  and  Samuel.  The  latter  married  Margaret, 
daughter  of  Stephen  Cole,  and  had  the  following  children  : 
Samuel,  James,  John,  Cornelius,  Van  B,ensselaer,  George  W., 
Eliza,  and  Ann,  wife  of  David  Mersereau,  of  Northfield. 

HousMAN. — We  have  no  means  of  ascertaining  when  the  first 
of  this  name  came  to  America  from  Holland.  The  earliest  men- 
tion of  the  name  is  found  in  the  assessment  roll  of  Boswyck 
(Bushwick),  L.  I.,  where  the  name  of  Charles  Housman  occurs 
in  the  years  1675  and  1676.  The  earliest  mention  of  the  name 
in  a  chur(jh  record  on  Staten  Island  is  as  follows  :  John  and 
Wynje  Symons  (Simonson)  had  a  daughter,  baptized  September 
4,  1726;  a  son  Aart  (Aaron  or  Arthur)  May  24,  1730;  a  daughter 

,  June  1,  1732;  a  son  Dirk,   February  29,  1736,  died  July 

29,  1807;  a  son  Abraham,  December  9,  1739:  a  daughter  Eliza- 
beth, October  11,  1733,  and  a  daughter  Jemima,  July  19,  1748. 
Isaac,  born  November  4,  1775,  died  December  2,  1857,  he  was 
married  to  Hannah  Ferine  April  9,  1807.  Feter  had  a  daughter 
baptized  August  6,  1785,  and  another  December  7,  1788.  The 
most  prominent  members  of  the  family  were  John,  who  was  for 
many  years  one  of  the  inferior  judges  of  the  common  pleas,  mem- 
ber of  assembly  1804,  surrogate  1809,  and  supervisor  repeatedly, 
and  Isaac  R.,  also  one  of  the  judges,  member  of  assembly  1823, 
and  supervisor  repeatedly.  The  Sailors' s  Snug  Harbor  property 
was  purchased  from  him.  Notices  of  the  family  are  extremely 
meager  in  the  county  records.     James  made  his  will  November 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  545 

1,  1801,  which  was  proved  September  22,  1803,  in  which  he 
speaks  only  of  his  brothers  Anthony  and  Jacob. 

Jacobson. — The  first  of  this  name  upon  the  island,  of  whom 
anything  is  known,  was  Christian  Jacobson.  He  was  a  sea- 
faring man,  and  captain  of  a  vessel  belonging  to  and  sailing  for 
the  Moravian  sect,  mention  of  which  is  made  in  connection  with 
that  church.  His  nationality  has  been  variously  credited  to 
Sweden,  Denmark  and  Holland,  with  the  weight  of  evidence 
pointing  toward  the  latter.  He  bought  and  enlarged  a  farm  in 
New  Dorp,  where  he  lived.  During  the  revolution  a  party  of 
British  soldiers  visited  his  house  at  night  and  shot  him,  the 
wound  proving  fatal  in  a  few  hours.  He  was  a  man  of  consid- 
erable wealth.  His  son,  John  Van  De  Venter,  was  born  in 
1768,  and  died  in  1826.  He  had  sons,  Peter,  Cornelius,  BedellHf 
Israel  and  Abraham  ;  and  a  daughter,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Israel  Bedell.  Cornelius  married  a  daughter  of  Isaac  R.  Hous- 
man,  and  settled  on  Long  Island. 

The  will  of  Christian  Jacobson  bears  date  January  10,  1782, 
and  is  signed  by  his  mark,  attested  by  sworn  witnesses,  from 
which  circumstance  it  is  thought  probable  that  it  was  made 
in  his  dying  hours,  after  he  had  received  the  fatal  shock, 
and  when  he  was  physically  unable  to  write  his  name. 
The  will  mentions  his  wife  Ann,  his  son,  John  V..  daughters 
Catharina  and  Elizabeth,  and  brother-in-law,  Cornelius  Van. 
deventer.  To  the  first  of  his  daughters  he  gave  £1,050, 
and  to  the  second  £1,000.  The  will  also  contains  the  following 
item:  "I  give  to  the  Brethren's  church  on  Staten  Island  the 
sum  of  Twenty  Pound,  and  to  the  Reverend  Mr.  Gambold  the 
sum  of  ten  pound,  and  to  the  said  nir.  Gambold  the  sum  of 
Twenty  Pound  for  the  use  of  the  Missionaries  among  the 
Indians." 

Johnson. — It  is  impossible  to  trace  the  Johnsons  back  to 
their  several  progenitors  in  this  county.  Evidently,  they  are 
not  of  the  same  origin.  The  name  is  English,  but  some  of  them 
are  of  Dutch  extraction,  having  Anglicized  the  Dutch  name  of 
Jansen.  We  give  extracts  from  the  various  records  indiscrimi, 
nately,  leaving  each  one  of  the  name  to  appropriate  his  own 
ancestors.  The  earliest  is  Peter,  who  was  plaintiff  in  a  law 
suit  in  1680.  Thomas  and  Ann  Bouwman,  son  Casper,  baptized 
June  30,  1728.  Johannes  and  Jannetje  (Jane)  Glascow,  son 
Thomas,  baptized  February  29,  1736.     Nathaniel  and   Sophia 

35 


546  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Van  Gelder,  son  Henricks,  baptized  November  19,  1738.  Niers 
and  Sara  Morgen  had  daughters,  baptized  in  1731,  1739  and 
1740.  Peter  and  Mary  Taylor  were  married  October  24,  1754. 
Isaac  and  Elender  Bowman  were  married  in  1764.  Peter  and 
Malli  (Molly)  Lister,  son  Jouneton  (Jonathan),  baptized  Oc- 
tober 2,  1755.  John  and  Cornelia  Ceilo,  son  Peter,  baptized 
November  7,  1763.  The  above  are  from  the  Dutch  church 
records,  except  the  marriages  of  Isaac  and  Peter,  which,  with 
the  following,  are  from  St.  Andrew's.  Dowe  and  Margaret, 
daughter  Ann,  born  May  7,  1771.  Dowe  made  his  will  Novem- 
ber 10, 1783,  proved  June  7,  1788,  in  which  he  mentions  his  sons 
Dowe  and  James.  Winant  and  Mary  had  a  daughter  Sophia, 
born  December  17,  1772,  and  a  son  David  born  April  13,  1774. 
Winant,  not  the  above,  made  his  will  June  18,  1803,  proved 
June  30,  1803,  in  which  he  mentions  his  wife  Mary  and  sons 
Winant  and  Jesse.  These  sons  married :  Winant,  Catharine 
Guyon,  November  27,  1797,  and  Jesse,  Rachel  Totten.  January 
11,  1804.  Mattice  (Matthias)  had  a  son  William,  born  July  17, 
1751,  who  was  baptized  in  May,  1772,  then  an  adult.  George 
had  a  son  Thomas,  born  August  17,  1771.  Isaac  and  Ploney 
(Appolonia)  Frome  were  married  in  March,  1772.  Nathaniel  and 
Catharine  Woglom  were  married  November  9,  1791.  Louis  and 
Phebe  Van  Pelt  were  married  December  24,  1793.  John  (born 
in  1770,  died  June  2,  1832),  and  Patty  (Martha)  Bedell  were 
married  March  23,  1794.  He  was  a  potter  and  carried  on  his 
business  on  the  Shore  road,  in  the  vicinity  of  Elm  Park,  Port 
Richmond.  They  had  the  following  sons  :  John,  merchant  at 
Richmond,  S.  I.,  born  January  3,  1795,  died  December  19,  1859; 
Joseph  B.,  merchant  at  Port  Richmond,  born  in  November, 
1786,  died  July  4,  1849;  Israel  D.,  merchant  at  Port  Richmond, 
born  April  15,  1803,  died  February  9,  1873  ;  and  James. 

Jacob,  brother  of  the  potter,  married  Eliza  Haughwout,  July 
28,  1795;  their  sons  were  Peter  H.,  James,  Isaac,  Benjamin  and 
Jacob.  William,  brother  of  the  potter,  married  Catharine 
Martling,  April  28,  1802;  their  sons  were  John,  James,  William, 
Edward  and  Channing;  they  had  also  a  daughter  Sarah,  who 
married  Hugh  Gibson,  and  died  August  25,  1826,  in  her  69fch 
year;  their  son  John,  born  February  13,  1803,  died  November 
3,  1865.  Edward,  brother  of  the  potter,  born  October  12,  1776, 
died  September  4,  1856.  Abraham  and  Jane  Jennings  were 
married  September  24,  1794.     David  and  Jane   Winant  were 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUlSrTY.  547 

married  June  23,  1796.  Ephraim  and  Catharine  Laforge  were 
married  October  10,  1797.  James  and  Letitia  Totten  were  mar- 
ried February  20,  1805.  Anthony  and  Fanny  Oakley  were 
married  January  28,  1807.  Esek,  of  Tottenville,  was  grandson 
of  James,  and  son  of  Abraham,  who  built  one  of  the  first 
houses  on  the  Billop  estate,  after  the  sale  by  confiscation. 

Jones. — There  were  several  families  of  this  name  in  the 
county  from  early  dates,  between  whom  there  appears  to  have 
been  no  relationship  whatever.  We  submit  a  brief  genealogy 
of  some  of  the  early  families  of  this  name. 

The  earliest  one  named  is  Edward,  whose  wife  was  Catharine 
Decker,  and  they  had  the  following  children:  Edward,  baptized 
July  20,  1718,  died  young;  Mattheus,  baptized  JN'ovember  2, 
1719;  Abigail,  baptized  April  22,  1722;  Edward,  baptized  Au- 
gust 14,  1726.  Mattheus,  above  named,  married  Margaritje 
(Margaret)  Gowan,  and  they  had  a  daughter  Catharine,  baptized 
June  7,  1743. 

There  was  a  John,  whose  wife  was  Rachael  Van  Engelen,  and 
they  had  the  following  children:  Elizabeth,  baptized  April  10, 
1732;  Johannes,  baptized  March  9,  1735;  a  daughter,  baptized 
in  1737;  Lucretia,  baptized  March  30,  1740;  Isaac,  baptized 
April  22,  1747.  Abraham  and  Janneije  Persnet  had  a  daughter 
Jane,  baptized  May  2,  1753.  Edward  and  Martha,  his  wife,  had 
a  son  Abraham,  born  March  31,  1772.  Abraham  died  on  a  pass- 
age from  Shelbourne,  N".  S.,  in  July,  1792. 

JouRNEAT. — Moillart  Journeay,  from  Pays  de  Vaud,  came  to 
America  in  April,  1663,  in  the  ship  called  "The  Spotted  Cow," 
but  where  he  settled  is  not  known.  The  earliest  mention  of  the 
family  in  connection  with  the  island  is  in  the  following  court 
record: 

"Administration  Granted  to  Mr.  Paulus  Richards  &  Obadiah 
Holmes  on  the  Estate  of  Malliard  lournei. 

"  Whereas  Malliard  lourie  late  of  Staten  Island,  did  in  his 
Last  will  &  Testament  give  &  bequeath  all  his  Estate  of  what 
nature  or  kind  soever  unto  his  wife  Elizabeth  du  Mon,  for  the 
Maintenance  of  her  Selfe  &  Children  during  her  Widdowhood, 
but  in  Case  shee  should  happen  to  Remarry  then  the  Estate 
shee  should  Leave  to  be  divided  Equally,  the  one  half  or  Moiety 
to  his  wife;  the  other  halfe  or  Moiety  to  her  Children  nominat- 
ing &  appointing  David  De  Marez  &  loost  Van  Obinis  Exec- 
uto.'s  in  Trust  to  see  the  pformance  of  the  S.d  Will,  And  it  Soe 


548  HISTORY  OJT  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Happening  that  the  s.d  Elizabeth  hath  since  Joyned  her  selfein 
marriage  to  another  pson  upon  Staten  Island,  but  the  afore- 
named David  De  Marez  &  loost  Van  Oblinis  have  neglected 
their  duty  in  Causeing  a  division  to  bee  made  of  the  Estate  of 
the  deceased  as  directed  or  takeing  any  other  Care  thereof,  of 
which  Complaint  was  made  at  the  Court  of  Sessions  for  the 
West  Riding  of  Yorke  Shire  upon  Long  Island,  held  at  Q-raves- 
end  June  last,  who  nominated  &  appoynted  Mr  Paulus  Rich- 
ards of  this  City  Merch.t  &  Obadiah  Holmes  of  Staten  Island 
in  their  Stead  &  Places. 

"  Dated  in  New  Yorke  the  8  day  of  July  1678." 

John  Journeay  bought  and  sold  land  in  1700.  The  name  is 
not  again  met  with  in  any  church  record  now  in  existence,  until 
we  find  it  in  that  of  St.  Andrew's  church,  about  the  middle  of 
the  last  century,  as  follows:  John  and  Martha  his  wife  had  the 
following  children:  John,  born  January  4,  1752;  Albert,  born 
March  8,  1755;  Nicholas,  born  August  22,  1756;  William,  born 
August  6,  1759,  and  Richard,  born  August  7,  1771. 

The  above  named  Nicholas  is  mentioned  in  the  county  rec- 
ords in  1791  as  Nicholas,  Jr. ;  there  must  therefore  have  been 
another  Nicholas,  whose  name  we  have  nowhere  met.  Nicho- 
las, son  of  John,  had  a  son  Nicholas,  baptized  November  1, 
1789.  Joseph  and  Mary  Winant  were  married  December  29, 
1807.  John  and  Patience  Cole  were  married  in  July,  1802. 
John  (not  the  last  named,  unless  Patience  Cole  was  his  second 
wife)  made  his  will  March  7,  1803,  proved  April  21,  1803,  in 
which  he  speaks  of  his  wife  Patience,  his  sons  Albert,  Robert, 
Abraham,  John,  William,  James  and  Richard,  and  his  daugh- 
ters Martha  Randolph,  Catharine  Fountain  and  Maria,  wife  of 
Dr.  Henderson.  Maria  Journeay  was  married  to  Dr.  R.  Hender- 
son in  1792. 

Laforge.— The  name  of De  la  Forge  appears  in  the 

assessment  roll  of  Boswyck  (Bushwiok)  in  1676,  and  among 
those  who  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  in  Kings  county  in  1687 
is  the  name  of  Adrian  La  fforge,  who  had  then  been  in  the 
county  fifteen  years.  In  1738  there  was  an  Adrian  Laforge,  who 
bought  land  on  Staten  Island.  From  the  similarity  of  the  name, 
the  inference  is  natural  that  if  they  were  not  identical,  they 
Tvere  connected;  this  is,  however,  conjecture.  There  appear  to 
have  been  two  branches  of  the  family,  the  Castleton  and  the 
Westfield,  who  may  or  may  not  have  had  a  common  origin.     The 


iBer 


THE    BARNE    TYSEN     HOUSE. 
Kaple's    Neck.        Built    about     1680. 


THE    DANIEL    LAKE     HOUSE. 
New     Dopp.         Built     before     1  TOO. 


v»Tm\?s.,  t.  nt»siv,5n^ 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  549 

present  living  representative  of  the  Castleton  branch  is  Mr.  G. 
M.  Laforge,  of  Illinois.  The  late  Mr.  Peter  D.  Laforge,  also  of 
Illinois,  and  the  late  Capt.  John  Laforge,  of  West  New  Brigh- 
ton, were  his  brothers.  Their  father  was  David,  and  their  mother 
Gertrude,  daughter  of  John  Martling  (see  Martling  family). 
David's  father  was  Peter,  who  was  the  son  of  Benjamin;  David's 
brothers  were  Peter,  John,  Benjamin,  Jacob,  Richard  Channing 
Moore.  Peter,  David's  brother,  was  the  father  of  Mr.  Peter  C. 
and  David,  of  Port  Richmond. 

Of  the  Westfield  branch,  we  have  only  the  following  notices: 
David  and  Catharine  had  a  son  Henry  Seguine,  baptized  May 
15,  1790.  John  and  Phebe  Bedell  married  September  15,  1804. 
James  and  Catharine  Winant  married  February  8,  1806. 
David  and  Ann  Johnson  married  July  8,  1807. 

Lake. — This  family  is  of  English  origin  and  settled  on  Staten 
Island  about  1670.  Daniel  Lake  applied  for  a  grant  in  1679.  He 
had  two  sons,  Daniel  and  William.  Daniel  died  in  1723,  leaving  a 
son  Daniel,  who  was  born  January  26,  1719,  died  July  10,  1762, 
leaving  a  son  William,  born  January  7,  1750,  died  March  21, 
1783,  leaving  a  son  Daniel  W.,  born  September  9,  1780,  married 
Miss  Mary  GifEord,  daughter  of  William  Barnard  Gifford, 
Esq.,  March  31,  1803,  died  October  6,  1835.  He  left  sons, 
John  still  living  ait  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  and  Arthur  G.,  born  Octo- 
ber 14,  1811,  died  April  22,  1887.  Joseph,  born  July  8,  1753, 
and  his  wife  Catharine,  born  June  2,  1765,  both  died  March  14, 
1813,  within  one  hour  of  each  other.  They  had  a  daughter  Pa- 
tience, born  May  30,  1790.  There  was  another  Joseph,  also  born 
in  1753,  and  died  May  24,  1843,  in  his  90th  year.  There  was  still 
another  Joseph,  born  in  1773,  and  died  March  16,  1854.  He 
lived  on  the  Manor  road  near  the  Four  corners,  Castleton.  Wil- 
liam and  Mary  Tysen,  his  wife,  had  the  following  sons:  William, 
born  November  16,  1769;  Bornt,  born  March  25,  1771,  killed 
October  27,  1815;  Joseph,  born  May  12,  1777.  Bornt  had  the 
following  sons:  William,  Joseph,  Daniel  and  John,  of  whom 
John  was  living  in  1876  at  Graniteville.  Daniel  and  Margaret, 
his  wife,  had  a  son  Daniel,  born  May  12,  1777.  Cornelius  and 
Susan  Androvet  were  married  April  6,  1794.  Joseph  and  Eliza 
Van  Pelt  were  married  January  20,  1798.  Daniel  and  Margaret 
Jackson  were  married  June  5,  1802.  Daniel  Lake  made  his  will 
October  13,  1789,  proved  September  4,  1792,  in  which  he  men- 


550  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

tions  his  wife  Sarah,  his  sons  Daniel  and  Joseph,  and  his  grand- 
son Daniel,  son  of  his  son  William,  deceased. 

Larzelere. — The  earliest  mention  of  this  name  occurs  in  the 
county  records,  where  Jacob  bought  land  in  1686.  Nicholas 
bought  land  in  1693;  he  was  at  one  time  sheriff  of  the  county. 
There  was  another  Jacob,  probably  a  son  of  Nicholas,  whose 
wife's  name  was  Alice;  they  had  a  son  Daniel,  born  June  16, 
1757,  and  a  son  Benjamin,  born  October  22,  1761.  Nicholas, 
probably  a  brother  of  Jacob,  whose  wife's  name  was  Sarah, 
had  a  daughter  Johanna,  born  January  7,  1768.  Jacob  and 
Elsy  (or  Alice,  the  same  mentioned  above)  had  a  son  Rich- 
ard, born  June  18,  1771.  Benjamin  (not  the  one  mentioned 
above)  was  born  July  6,  1740,  and  died  October  6,  1802;  he 
made  his  will  June  17,  1802,  in  which  he  mentions  his  wife 
Sarah,  and  his  children  Benjamin,  Jacob  and  Catharine. 

The  family,  once  an  important  one  in  the  county,  is  now 
nearly,  if  not  quite,  extinct,  and  it  is  impossible  to  obtain  a  con- 
nected genealogy.  There  was  a  Reverend  Jacob,  a  minister  of 
the  Reformed  Dutch  church,  in  North  and  South  Hampton, 
Penn.,  from  1797  to  1819,  who  was  probably  connected  with  the 
Staten  Island  family. 

Latotjrette. — The  original  Latourette  was  a  French  Hugue- 
not, but  when  he  came  to  America  is  unknown.  The  family  is 
not  among  the  earliest  settlers  on  Staten  Island.  The  first  men- 
tion of  the  name  we  have  found  is  as  follows  :  Jean  and  Maria 
Mersereau  had  the  following  children :  David,  baptized  April 
24,  1726,  David  Latourette,  sponsor;  Anthony,  January  24,  1730; 
and  Henry,  January  24,  1731.  Pierre  La  Turrete  and  Mariamne 
Mersereaux  had  a  son  Daniel,  baptized  March  8,  1728,  and 
twin  sons  David  and  Jaques,  October  31,  1780.  David  and 
Catharine  Poillon,  son  Jaques,  baptized  March  19, 1732.  James, 
probably  one  of  the  Jaques  mentioned  above,  and  Elizabeth, 
his  wife,  liad  sons,  John,  born  December  11,  1764;  Jonathan, 
born  January  31,  1766;  and  Henry,  born  April  22,  1775.  David 
and  Elizabeth,  his  wife,  had  a  daughter  Catharine,  born  No- 
vember 9,  1766.  John  and  Susannah,  his  wife,  had  a  son  John, 
born  September  30,  1764.  James  and  Mary,  his  wife,  had  a  son 
David,  born  July  7,  1786.  David  and  Phebe  Cole  married  No- 
vember 12,  1808.  Henry,  of  Fresh  kills,  weaver,  made  his  will 
January  19,  1794,  proved  December  80,  1794,  in  which  he  speaks 
of  his  wife  Sarah,  his  brother  Henry,  deceased,  his  sons  Henry, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  651 

John  and  Peter,  and  his  daughters  Susan,  wife  of  Peter  Cole, 
and  Ann,  wife  of  William  de  Groot.  Peter's  wife  was  Elizabeth 
Androvette. 

Lawrence. — William  Lawrence  settled  at  Great  St.  Albans, 
in  Hertfordshire,  England.  He  had  three  sons  and  one  daugh- 
ter :  John,  William,  Thomas  and  Maria.  All  of  these,  except- 
ing Thomas,  embarked  for  America  April  2,  1635,  in  company 
with  Governor  Winthrop,  and  landed  at  Plymouth,  Mass.,  in 
the  same  year.  The  other  brother,  Thomas,  came  over  a  little 
later.  Not  many  years  later  they  were  all  four  living  at  New 
Amsterdam  or  on  Long  Island.  John,  the  oldest  son,  became 
mayor  of  the  city  of  New  York  in  1672,  and  held  the  same  of- 
fice again  in  1691,  and  in  1692  became  judge  of  the  supreme 
court,  which  office  he  held  until  his  death  in  1699.  The  third 
Son  was  Thomas  Lawrence,  born  about  1624,  emigrated  from 
England  after  his  two  brothers  and  sister,  and  settled  in  Mil- 
ford,  Conn.,  in  1639.  In  1655  he  was  living  at  Newtown,  on 
Long  Island,  and  was  town  clerk  of  Newtown  from  1659  to  1662, 
and  one  of  the  patentees  of  Newtown  of  March  16,  1666,  as  were 
three  of  his  sons,  Thomas,  William  and  John,  under  the  Dongan 
patent  of  November  25,  1686.  His  wife's  name  was  MaryTownly 
and  it  is  said  she  was  the  Mary  Townly,  the  heiress  of  the 
famous  Townly  estate  in  Lancashire,  England.  He  died  at  New- 
town in  July,  1703,  leaving  his  widow  Mary  and  several  children 
surviving  him.  Their  second  son  was  William  Lawrence,  who 
married,  in  1676,  Annetje,  daughter  of  Samuel  Edsall,  and  was 
a  cornet  of  dragoons,  one  of  the  committee  of  safety,  and  one 
of  the  council  of  Governor  Leisler.  In  1702  and  until  1706  he 
was  one  of  the  six  who  foAned  Lord  Cornbury's  council.  Their 
only  son  was  William  Lawrence,  who  resided  at  Newtown,  on 
Long  Island.  He  married.  May  26,  1727,  Elizabeth,  daughter 
of  Samuel  Hallet.  His  will  is  dated  December  3,  1731,  and  he 
died  December  11,  1731.  Their  youngest  son,  Dr.  James  Law- 
rence, was  born  March  1,  1732,  married,  November  29,  1753, 
Anne,  daughter  of  Charles  Jaudine,  a  French  Huguenot,  lived 
in  New  York  and  Staten  Island,  and  died  in  New  York  January 
9,  1804.  His  wife  died  November  15,  1807.  They  left  no  son, 
but  two  daughters  :  Sarah  Lawrence,  born  February  27,  1759, 
married  Joseph  Ridgway,  and  died  in  February,  1823,  leaving 
Ann,  Joseph,  Mary,  James  and  Elizabeth  ;  and  Catharine  Law- 
rence, born  January  18,  1763,  married  Jacob  Winants,  and  died 


552  HISTOET  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

January  12,  1820,  leaving  four  children,  Elizabeth,  Peter, 
Daniel  Winant  and  Jacob.  Jacob  Winant's  oldest  son,  Cap- 
tain Peter,  was  born  in  1784  and  died  at  sea  in  1823.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Fannie  Ellis,  who  was  born  in  1785,  and  died  in  her 
82d  year.  They  left  six  children,  four  daughters  and  two  sons: 
Mary,  Catharine,  Garret  E.,  Laney,  Sebastian  and  Sarah  Ann. 

LiSK. — This  family  was  never  very  numerous  on  the  island,  and 
we  find  little  mention  of  it  in  any  records.  James,  the  earliest 
mentioned,  had  a  son  John,  baptized  March  25,  1701.  He  is 
also  mentioned  as  having  bought  land  in  1706;  he  had  a  son 
Thomas,  who  married  Catalyntje  Van  Pelt,  and  had  daughters 
baptized  in  1729,  1731,  1739  and  1745;  John,  son  of  James,  mar- 
ried Rachel  Haughwout,  and  had  a  son  Jacob  baptized  Jan- 
uary 2,  1728.  Matthias  and  Anastasia  had  a  son  Moses  born 
December  7,  1766.  John  and  Mary  had  a  son  Thomas  born- 
September  19,  1756;  he  made  his  will  August  24,  1793,  in  which 
he  mentions  his  children  Thomas,  Franky  and  Catharine. 
There  is  an  Alexander  Lisk  mentioned  in  the  court  records  in 
1724. 

LocKMAN. — This  is  one  of  the  oldest  of  the  Dutch  families  in 
the  province.  The  first  mention  of  the  name  is  that  of  Govert 
Lockermans  (sometimes  spelled  Lookermans),  who  arrived  in 
America  in  1633,  in  the  carvel  "St.  Martyn."  He  was  a  minor 
when  he  arrived,  and  came  as  an  apprentice,  but  was  immedi- 
ately taken  into  the  service  of  the  company.  He  soon  contrived 
to  make  himself  conspicuous,  especially  in  leading  attacks  on 
the  Indians  on  Staten  Island  and  elsewhere. 

The  earliest  mention  of  the  name  in  the  records  occurs  in  1680, 
when  Abraham  Lakeman  is  said  to  have  owned  a  parcel  of 
woodland  on  the  south  of  the  Fresh  kill.  About  this  time  there 
were  several  of  the  name  on  the  island— Abraham,  mentioned 
above,  whose  name  is  found  again  on  the  records  in  1684  and 
1692;  Lewis,  who  was  defendant  in  a  suit  July  6,  1681;  and 
Peter,  who  sold  land  in  1684.  These  three  probably  were 
brothers.  There  was  an  Isaac,  perhai)s  a  son  of  one  of  the 
the  above,  of  whom  we  only  know  that  his  wife  was  Catharine 
Christopher,  and  that  they  had  a  son  Lewis,  baptized  May  23, 
1731. 

Abraham,  and  Elizabeth  his  wife,  had  two  daughters  born- 
Sarah  in  1762,  and  Margaret  in  1767,  and  a  son  Abraham,  born 
April  4, 1772.    Isaac  and  his  wife  Martha  had  the  following  sons: 


HISTORY  OF  EIOHMOND  COUNTY.  553 

David,  born  January  26,  1768;  Jacob,  born  July  21,  1771,  and 
Joseph,  born  October  7, 1775.  William  and  Mary,  his  wife,  had 
a  daughter  Sarah,  born  October  4,  1772.  Isaac  and  Margaret, 
his  wife,  had  a  son  William,  born  November  24,  1772.  There 
was  another  Isaac,  born  1758,  and  died  May  1,  1814.  Samuel 
and  Catharine  Crowal  were  married  March  16,  1790.  Nathaniel 
made  his  will  December  12,  1795,  proved  May  24, 1803,  in  which 
he  mentions  his  wife  Martha,  his  daughter  Susanna,  and  his 
sons  Isaac  and  John.  This  family  is  also  gradually  dying 
out. 

Manee. — Originally  written  Manez.  This  is  a  Westfield 
family  concerning  which  the  notices,  in  either  county  or  church 
records,  are  exceedingly  meager.  We  have  found  but  few 
shreds  of  its  history.  Peter  and  Mary  Brooks,  his  wife,  had  a 
daughter  baptized  August  8, 1725.  Abraham  and  Anna  Jansen, 
his  wife,  had  a  son  Abraham,  baptized  May  26,  1723.  Abra- 
ham and  Sarah  du  Chesne  had  a  daughter  Sarah,  baptized 
March  30,  1740.  Abraham  had  a  son  Isaac,  baptized  May  15, 
1790.     Peter  and  Mary  Pryor  were  married  January  4,  1804. 

William  and   Elizabeth  Prier  were  married  April ,  1808. 

Abraham  and  Mary  Woglom  were  married  October  8,  1808. 
Isaac  made  his  will  May  14,  1794,  proved  July  18,  1794,  in 
which  he  speaks  of  his  brothers  Abraham  and  Peter,  and 
sister  Hannah  Prior.  His  will  is  dated  on  the  day  of  his  death, 
at  which  time  he  was  46  years  old. 

James  M.  Manee. — The  progenitor  of  the  Manee  family  on 
Staten  Island  was  Peter  Manee,  who,  on  his  emigration,  ob- 
tained a  patent  for  the  land  on  which  he  settled  on  the  island. 
His  son,  Abram,  was  united  in  marriage  to  a  Miss  Johnson. 
Their  children  were:  Peter,  Abram,  William,  Isaac,  Jacob, 
Deborah  (who  became  Mrs.  Edward  Wier),  and  Ann,  who  never 
married.  William  Manee,  who  was  born  in  1788  and  died  in 
1828,  married  Elizabeth  Prier,  of  Westfield  township,  and  had 
children:  Lydia  (Mrs.  Louis  Androuvatt),  Susan  (Mrs.  Charles 
Androuvatt),  Elizabeth  (Mrs.  Abraham  Latourett),  Catherine 
(Mrs.  Israel  La  Forge),  Lany  (Mrs.  James  Totten),  Mary  (Mrs. 
Cornelius  Cole),  Elsie  (Mrs.  John  Latourett),  and  three  sons: 
William,  married  to  Elizabeth  Bedell,  James  M.  and  Abram, 
whose  wife  was  Emeline  Latourett.  James  M.  Manee  was 
born  February  14,  1819,  at  Woodrow,  Westfield  township,  and 
removed  with  his  parents  to  Pleasant  Plains  when  but  eight 


654  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

years  of  age.  His  attention  having  been  early  directed  to  farm- 
ing, this  employment  was  continued  until  1844,  when  he  em- 
barked in  oyster  planting  near  his  home  at  Prince's  bay.  Find- 
ing this  both  a  congenial  and  lucrative  pursuit,  his  capital  has 
never  been  directed  in  other  channels.  Mr.  Manee  was  on  the 
11th  of  December,  1839,  married  to  Catherine,  daughter  of 
Nicholas  La  Forge,  of  Staten  Island.  Their  children  are:  Ellen 
L.,  wife  of  David  M.  Ryder;  James,  deceased;  William  W., 
now  a  resident  of  Indiana;  Mary  Jane,  wife  of  Francis  A.  Legget, 
and  Nicholas,  deceased.  Mr.  Manee,  as  a  whig  and  later  as  a 
republican,  was  formerly  active  in  the  arena  of  politics.  Aside 
from  the  office  of  assessor  of  the  township  he  has  declined  all 
jiroffers  of  official  position.  He  is  identified  with  the  Bethel 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  in  which  he  filled  the  office  of 
steward,  and  is  still  a  zealous  worker. 

Martling. — This  name  is  not  met  with  at  a  very  early  date; 
when  its  connection  with  the  island  began  is  unknown;  the 
earliest  mention  of  the  family  in  our  local  records  is  in  1724, 
when  Isaac  Martling  and  Anna  Van  Name,  his  wife,  had  a 
daughter  batized  January  10;  a  son  John,  January  21,  1731,  a 
Barent  Martling  being  present  as  a  sponsor.  He  died  in  in- 
fancy. 

Martino.— Gaston  Martineau,  a  surgeon  of  Dieppe,  settled 
in  England  in  1685,  and  was  a  French  refugee.  He  had  several 
sons,  whose  descendants  still  reside  in  England,  and  many  of 
them  are  distinguished.  The  family  in  America  is  a  collateral 
branch,  and  were  in  this  country  and  on  the  island  before  Gas- 
ton left  France.  We  find  the  name  of  Francis  in  our  county 
records  as  defendant  in  a  suit  with  Jaques  Jeyoung  in  1681, 
and  as  selling  land  in  1691.  Francisco  Martino  received  a,  pat- 
ent from  Governor  Dongan  for  land  in  Richmond  county  in 
1686. 

Stephen  was  born  in  1727,  and  died  May  9, 1801;  he  owned  and 
resided  on  the  property  known  now  as  the  Poor  House  farm. 
He  was  one  of  the  corporators  of  the  Moravian  church.  Ben- 
jamin, brother  of  Stephen,  was  born  in  1742,  and  died  May  17, 
1724.  Benjamin,  son  of  above,  was  born  April  4,  1766,  and  died 
November  20,  1814.  He  was  father  of  Gabriel  Martino,  of 
Four  Corners. 

Stephen  was  father  of  Gabriel  Martino,  of  Bull's  Head. 


^;^^f<^Ze^ 


i^^^^^^^^i^^Zje-^C^ 


HISTORY  OF  KIOHMOND  COUNTY.  555 

Meerill. — This  family  have  descended  from  Eichard  Merrill 
and  Sarah  Wells,  his  wife,  natives  of  Warwickshire,  England, 
who  emigrated  to  America  about  the  year  1675  and  settled  on 
Staten  Island.  As  their  family  was  the  only  one  of  the  name 
on  the  island,  they  had  among  their  children  the  following  sons: 
William,  Richard,  Thomas,  Philip  and  perhaps  John,  for  we 
find  in  the  Albany  records  the  name  of  William  as  owning  land 
on  Staten  Island  in  1683 ;  Philip  bought  land  of  Richard 
(father  or  brother  ?)  in  1711. 

Richard  married  Elsie  Dorian  t,  and  had  the  following  chil- 
dren: Richard,  baptized  September  22,  1709,  who  died  young; 
Elsie,  baptized  April  1,  1708,  by  Dominie  Freeman;  Richard, 
baptized  1715;  Lambert,  baptized  January  1, 1721,  and  Susanna, 
baptized  September  13,  1724.  Philip  and  Elizabeth  Bakker 
(Baker),  his  wife,  had  the  following  children:  Catherine  and 
Susanna,  twins,  baptized  July  4,  1725;  Philip,  baptized  Febru- 
ary 24,  1727;  Nicholas,  baptized  November  24,  1728;  Elisabet, 
baptized  Aprils,  1733,  and  Neeltje  (Cornelia)  baptized  March  9, 
1735.  Thomas  and  Jenne  Gewan  had  a  son  Richard — no  date  of 
baptism.  John  and  Gertrude  Simonson  had  a  daughter,  bap- 
tized September  18,  1726.  Of  the  descendants  of  William  we 
have  no  account. 

The  above  are  the  children  and  grandchildren  of  the  original 
pair,  so  far  as  the  church  records  throw  anj' light  upon  the  mat- 
ter. Richard,  son  of  Thomas,  had  the  following  children: 
Margaretta,  baptized  January  1,  1738,  and  Annatje  (Anna\  bap- 
tized April  19,  1743;  no  others  mentioned.  Jan  and  Aeltje 
(Alida)  Bennet  had  a  son  Simon,  and  a  daughter  baptized  on 
the  same  day,  May  6,  1745.  Thomas  and  Eva  Jones  had  a 
daughter  baptized  October  31, 1756.  This  Thomas  made  Ms  will 
December  31,  1791,  proved  April  30,  1803,  in  which  he  mentions 
his  wife  Eva  and  his  sons  John,  Thomas  and  Matthew.  John, 
son  of  Thomas  and  Eva  (known  in  the  family  as  Honnis),  was 
born  in  1742,  and  died  December  19,  1826.  His  wife's  name  was 
Charity.  Thomas  (known  as  "  Sawmill  Thomas"),  son  of  John 
and  Eva,  had  a  son  John,  baptized  August  17,  1788. 

There  was  a  John,  Jr.,  who  had  a  daughter,  baptized  No- 
vember 7,  1790,  and  John  Y.,  who  was  born  in  1770,  and  died 
June  6,  1858,  but  they  are  probably  distinct  persons;  John, 
Jr.,  more  probably  was  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Martha,  and  was 
born  April  4,  1765.    Joseph  also  had  a  daughter  Mary,  born 


556  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

January  16,  1763.  John  and  Ann  his  wife  had  a  daughter  bap- 
tized November  7,  1753.  Lambert  (son  of  Richard  and  Elsie) 
and  Tabitha,  had  a  son  Richard,  born  July  9,  1765;  a  son  Jon- 
athan, born  May  24,  1774;  a  daughter  Tabitha,  born  February 
18,  1770,  who  married  Capt.  John  W.  Blake,  and  died  January 
12,  1861,  aged  nearly  91  years;  also  a  daughter  Elsie,  born  1768, 
married  John  Hillyer  1785,  and  was  the  mother  of  Hon.  Law- 
rence Hillyer  and  Hon.  John  B.  Hillyer. 

William  and  Ann  Merrill  were  married  in  August,  1776; 
Abraham  and  Ann  Merrill  were  married  October  3,  1790;  Mary, 

widow  of  Merrill,  made  her  will  January  10,  1789,  proved 

November  30,  1789;  reference  has  been  made  to  this  will  before, 
and  the  bequest  made  to  her  daughter  Mary,  the  wife  of  Na- 
thaniel Robins. 

The  family  was  once  numerous,  and  have  largely  intermarried 
with  other  families  of  the  island.  The  property  belonging  to 
them  in  Northfield  was  extensive,  and  a  part  of  it  is  still  in  the 
possession  of  some  of  them.  The  public  road  known  as  Lam- 
bert's lane,  leading  to  Watchogue,  was  named  from  Lambert 
Merrill,  mentioned  above. 

Mersereau. — John  Mersereau  was  a  native  of  France,  and  a 
Protestant.  In  his  youth  he  was  possessed  of  extraordinary 
physical  strength.  He  studied  law,  but  disliking  the  confine- 
ment of  study,  he  learned  the  trade  of  a  saddler,  which  he  sub- 
sequently carried  on  extensively.  He  died  young,  and  left 
three  sons — Joshua,  Paul  and  Daniel — and  two  daughters, 
Mary  and  Martha.  These  children,  with  their  mother,  fled 
from  France  to  England  in  1685,  immediately  after  the  Revoca- 
tion, and  subsequently  all  except  Paul  continued  their  flight 
to  America.  They  had  intended  to  settle  at  Philadelphia,  but 
they  were  driven  to  New  York  by  stress  of  weather.  They 
settled  on  Staten  Island,  where  their  mother  died,  and  was 
buried  in  the  French  church  yard  (on  the  Seaman  farm.  West- 
field). 

Daniel  was  a  tailor;  Joshua  married  a  Latourette,  and  died 
May  23,  1756,  aged  over  93  years.  They  had  a  son  Joshua, 
who  was  born  May  18,  1696,  and  died  July  9, 1769;  his  wife  was 
Maria  Corsen  (sometimes  written  Mary),  daughter  of  Jacob 
Corsen;  she  was  born  October  24,  1704,  and  died  July  3,  1763. 
Their  children  were :  Joshua,  born  September  26,  1728,  died 
June  10,  1804;  Jacob,  born  April  23,  1730,   died  September  7, 


HISTOEY  OP  BICHMOND  COUNTY.  557 

1804;  John,  born  March  2,  1732,  died  ;  Elizabeth,  born  Jan- 
uary 4,  1734,  died  in  infancy;  David,  born  November  10,  1735, 

died  July  19,  1763;  Mary,   born  January  14,  1738,   died ; 

Cornelius,  born  July  27,  1739,  died  July  27,  1814;  Paul,  born 
February  23,  1741,  died  January  26,  1823;  Elizabeth,  born  No- 
vember 26,   1742,  died ;  Eachel,  born  February  27,  1746, 

died  July,  1769. 

Jacob  made  his  will  July  16,  1804,  proved  September  18, 
1804,  in  vrhich  he  speaks  of  his  wife  Charity,  and  his  children 
John,  and  Mary,  wife  of  Thomas  Cabberly;  Elizabeth,  wife  of 
Daniel  De  Hart;  Sophia,  wife  of  John  Crocheron;  Jacob,  David, 
and  Peter.  He  was  the  Col.  Jacob  Merserean  whose  escape 
from  the  British  during  the  revolution  is  alluded  to  elsewhere. 
His  son  Jacob  was  the  father  of  John  T.  and  Alfred  Mersereau, 
of  Graniteville.  His  son  Peter,  born  in  1788,  was  member  of 
assembly  in  1845.  Col.  Jacob  had  also  a  son  John  by  his  first 
marriage,  who  married  a  Craser,  and  lived  in  an  old  stone  house, 
on  the  turn  of  the  road  west  of  the '  Snug  Harbor,  and  was 
father-in-law  to  the  late  Judge  Abraham  Crocheron. 

Paul,  son  of  Joshua  and  Maria  Corsen,  married  Elizabeth 
Barnes,  born  April  21,  1751,  died  May  26,  1833.  Their  children 
were :  Joshua,  born  February  7,  1773,  died  March  7,  1847; 
Nancy,  born  April  4,  1775,  died  November  30,  1851;  Mary, 
born  February  2,  1777,  died  June  6,  1858;  Elizabeth,  born  June 
20,  1779,  died  May  8,  1855;  Rachel,  born  June  30,  1781,  died 
February  23,  1863;  Paul,  born  March  14,  1784,  died  July  21, 
1856;  Margaret,  born  March  27,  1787;  Grertrude,  born  November 
30,  1789. 

Joshua,  son  of  Paul  and  Elizabeth,  married  Deborah  Britton, 
January  7,  1801.  She  was  born  August  4,  1782,  and  died 
March  26,  1840.  Their  children  were  :  Nathaniel,  born  October 
18,    1802,    died    in    infancy;    Paul,    born   September  20,  1804; 

Mary,  born  January  29,   1807;  twins,   born  January  19, 

1810;  Cornelius,  born  May  12,  1811;  Joshua,  born  January  28, 
1814;  Elsey,  born  August  30,  1817,  deceased;  Elizabeth,  born 
May  5,  1820,  deceased;  Debora,  born  April  7,  1823;  John,  born 
May  28,  1826,  died  in  infancy,  and  Margaret. 

Thus  far  we  have  traced  but  one  branch  of  the  family;  what 
notices  we  have  found  in  the  public  records,  of  other  branches, 
we  give  indiscriminately. 

There  was  a  John  mentioned  in  the  county  records  in  1730; 


558  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

lie  was  probably  the  same  with  Jean,  whose  wife's  name  was 
Craage;  they  had  a  son  Joshua  baptized  February,  1731,  and 
subsequently  a  son  Daniel.  This  Daniel  married  Cornelia  Van- 
derbilt,  and  had  a  son  John,  baptized  March  4,  1859.  Etienne 
(Stej)hen)  and  Ann  Mitchell  had  a  son  Daniel  baptized,  no  date; 
a  daughter  January  1, 1735,  and  a  son  named  Richard,  May,  1740. 
There  was  a  Joshua  who  had  a  son  Harmanus  baptized  June 
8,  1788.  There  was  a  Paul  here  as  early  as  1728,  sponsor  at  a 
baptism.  Peter  and  Rebecca  his  wife  had  the  following  children: 
Sarah,  born  March  23,  1769;  Daniel,  born  August  27,  1771,  died 
July  16,  1855,  and  John,  baptized  November,  1775.  Peter  died 
June  16,  1803,  born  1734.  There  was  a  John  born  December, 
1737,  died  July  30,  1811.  John  and  Charity  had  a  son  John 
born  April  13,  1757;  son  Lawrence  March  28,  1761.  Paul  and 
Frances  had  a  son  John  born  May  2,  1759.  Stephen  and  Lydia 
had  the  following  children:  Sarah,  born  September  8,  1766; 
Daniel,  born  December  6,  1768,  and  Stephen,  born  February 
14,  1774.  Joshua  and  Mary  had:  Stephen,  born  May  5,  1770; 
and  Joshua,  baptized  September  6, 1772.  Daniel  and  Susan  had 
a  daughter  Ann  baptized  July  6,  1789.  Daniel  and  Ann  had  a 
daughter  Cornelia  baptized  June  26,  1791.  Henry  and  Eliza  La- 
forge  were  married  September  6,  1790.  Jacob  and  Mary  Croch- 
eron  were  married  September  5,  1798.  Daniel  and  Alida  Lake 
were  married  October  6,  1798.  Daniel  and  Eliza  Winant  were 
married  February  8,  1800.  Stephen  and  Lanah  (Helen)  Winant 
were  married  November  21,  1802.  John  and  Ann  Parlee  were 
married  December  31,  1803.  Joshua  and  Susannah  Story  were 
married  December  10,  1805.  Peter  Mersereau  made  his  will 
May  6,  1800  (proved  July  25,  1803)  in  which  he  alludes  to  his 
wife  without  naming  her,  and  mentions  his  children  Elizabeth, 
Rebecca,  Catharine,  Ann,  Sarah,  Daniel  and  William. 

Among  the  prominent  citizens  of  Staten  Island  of  the  past, 
may  be  mentioned  the  late  David  Mersereau,  Esq.  He  was  born 
about  the  year  1769,  and  died  in  April,  1835,  aged  sixty-six 
years.  His  remains  lie  in  the  burial  ground  of  the  Reformed 
church  at  Port  Richmond.  Early  in  life  he  married  Cornelia, 
the  daughter  of  Abraham  Rolf,  who  owned  property  in  New 
Brighton,  through  the  middle  of  which  the  public  road  called 
Burger  avenue  now  runs.  Shortly  after  his  marriage  he  re- 
moved to  Currituck,  Virginia,  where  he  opened  a  store,  which, 
under  the  management  of  his  wife,  proved  a  success,  Mr.  Mer- 


HISTORT  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  559 

sereau  himself  being  occupied  with  other  pursuits.  He  re- 
mained at  the  South  several  years.  On  his  return  north,  he  and 
his  family  embarked  on  a  small  schooner,  encountered  a  violent 
storm,  v^hich  capsized  the  vessel,  and  all  except  Mr.  Mersereau 
were  drowned.  For  forty-eight  hours  he  clung  to  his  precarious 
support  on  the  keel  of  the  capsized  vessel,  until  a  passing 
Philadelphia  vessel  rescued  him. 

In  November,  1779,  he  purchased  of  his  father-in-law  Rolf 
the  property  above  mentioned,  containing  one  hundred  and 
forty  acres.  The  farm  house,  built  by  the  father  of  Mr.  Rolf, 
stood  near  the  site  of  the  present  mansion  house  of  Mrs.  Be- 
ment,  and  after  the  fashion  of  the  day  was  constructed  of  stone, 
long  and  low. 

On  this  farm  Mr.  Mersereau  built  a  tannery,  which  he  placed 
under  the  superintendency  of  Stephen  Wood.  The  tanner's 
house  stood  on,  or  very  near  the  site  of  the  residence  of  A.  W. 
Sexton,  and  the  remains  of  the  vats  were  visible  until  recently. 
Mr.  Mersereau' s  second  wife  was  Maria  Bennett  of  Long  Island, 
a  sister  of  the  wife  of  the  late  Rev.  P.  I.  Van  Pelt,  D.  D.  By 
her  he  had  but  one  child,  a  daughter,  who  married  Henry  F. 
Heberton,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  and  they  were  the  parents  of 
Mrs.  C.  J.  Good  and  her  sister,  Mrs.  Curry,  of  Port  Rich- 
mond. 

Besides  the  farm  already  mentioned,  Mr.  Mersereau  was  the 
owner  of  several  large  and  valuable  parcels  of  real  estate.  At 
one  time  he  owned  all  those  lots  lying  between  the  Mill  road 
and  the  pond,  and  extending  from  the  Shore  road  to  the  Post 
fann.  He  also  owned  the  mill  afterward  known  as  Bodine's 
mill,  and  the  property  adjacent;  he  built  another  mill  at  the 
termination  of  the  Old  Place  road;  the  two  brick  houses  on  the 
Shore  road.  Port  Richmond,  were  built  by  Tn'd  Ryers  for  his 
two  daughters  and  subsequently  bought  by  Mr.  Mersereau,  who 
lived  and  died  in  one  and  sold  the  other  to  Dr.  Van  Pelt.  They 
are  now  owned  by  Owen  and  Edward  McSorley,  who  occupy 
them.  In  connection  with  this  house  he  owned  thirty  acres 
of  land  which  his  executors  sold  to  Peter  N.  and  Eder  V. 
Haughwout,  and  which  now  constitutes  an  important  and  beau- 
tiful portion  of  the  village  of  Port  Richmond.  The  large  building 
usually  known  as  the  Port  Richmond  or  Continental  hotel,  at  one 
time  belonged  to  him;  it  is  still  in  the  family,  being  now  owned 
by  Mrs.  C.  J.  Good.     From  the  wharf  in  front  of  this  hotel, 


560  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

John  Ryers  ran  a  ferry  boat  to  New  York,  fare  25  cents.  John 
Hilleker,  who  built  the  house  next  east  of  the  brick  house  oc- 
cupied by  Mr.  Mersereau,  built  a  wharf  nearly  opposite  his 
residence,  the  remains  of  which  are  still  to  be  seen,  from 
which  he  ran  an  opposition  ferry,  fare  eighteen  cents.  Mr.  Mer- 
sereau bought  both  of  these  ferries,  and  ran  his  boats  from  the  old 
wharf.  At  the  time  Ryers  ran  his  ferry,  the  place  was  known 
as  "Ryers'  Ferry;"  after  the  change  of  owners  it  was  called 
"Mersereau's  Ferry,"  by  which  name  it  was  known  until  that 
of  Port  Richmond  supplanted  it. 

Mr.  Mersereau  was  member  of  assembly  from  this  county 
in  1807,  1808  and  1809,  supervisor  of  Northtield  in  1815,  and 
for  many  years  one  of  the  judges  of  the  court  of  common 
pleas. 

Metcalfe. — Though  not  among  the  oldest,  this  family  is 
among  the  most  prominent  ones  of  the  county.  Simon,  the 
progenitor  of  the  family  on  Staten  Island,  came  from  England 
in  1765,  and  settled  in  New  York  city,  and  was  subsequently 
appointed  deputy  surveyor  of  the  colony.  He  left  his  son 
George  in  England  to  be  educated,  until  he  was  17  years  of  age, 
when  he  joined  his  father  in  this  country.  After  studying  law, 
George  resided  at  Albany  for  a  time,  then  went  to  Johnstown, 
Fulton  county,  N.  Y.  He  married  the  daughter  of  Commodore 
Silas  Talbot.  In  1796  Gov.  John  Jay  appointed  him  assistant 
attorney-general,  which  olflce  he  held  until  1811.  He  then  re- 
moved to  New  York,  where  he  practiced  law  until  1816,  when 
he  removed  to  Staten  Island,  and  in  1818,  when  the  ofBce  of 
district  attorney  was  made  a  county  office,  he  was  appointed  to 
perform  its  duties.  He  died  in  1826.  His  children  were  Maria, 
who  married  William  S.  Root,  of  Tompkins ville;  Silas  Talbot; 
Simon;  Catharine,  who  was  the  first  wife  of  John  B.  Simonson; 
Henry  Bleecker;  Georgiana,  who  married  Daniel  Fenn,  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  Louisa,  twins,  and  George. 

Henry  Bleecker  was  born  January  20,  1805,  studied  law  with 
his  father,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1826.  The  same  year 
he  was  appointed  district  attorney  for  Richmond  county,  which 
office  he  held  until  1833.  In  1840  he  was  appointed  a  county 
judge,  and  the  same  year  United  States  boarding  officer  at  quar- 
antine, in  the  revenue  department,  which, place  he  occupied  un- 
til 1843.  In  1847  he  was  elected  county  judge  and  surrogate, 
the  two  offices  having  been  united,  and  re-elected  from  time  to 


HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  561 

time  until  near  the  close  of  1875,  at  the  end  of  which  year  he 
would  have  been  legally  disqualified  by  age,  but  he  resigned  to 
take  his  seat  as  member  of  congress,  to  which  he  had  been 
elected  as  representative  of  the  First  congressional  district.  He 
died  at  his  home  on  Staten  Island,  February  7,  1881. 

Nicholas  C.  Miller. — Prominent  among  the  aggressive  cit- 
izens of  the  village  of  Port  Richmond  is  Nicholas  C.  Miller,  who 
was  born  in  New  York  city  November  9,  1838.  His  ancestors 
were  among  the  original  Dutch  settlers  of  Manhattan  island  and 
the  places  in  its  vicinity.  After  receiving  a  good  education  Mr. 
Miller  began  business  in  the  dry  goods  trade,  entering  first  the 
employ  of  Burr,  G-riffith  &  White,  at  61  Cedar  street,  and  after- 
ward that  of  Bpaulding,  Vail  &  Fuller  and  their  successors.  In 
January,  1864,  he  began  his  career  as  an  insurance  man  by  ac- 
cepting the  cashiership  of  the  International  Insurance  Company. 
During  the  same  year  he  assisted  in  the  organization  of  the 
Star  Fire  Insurance  Company,  becoming  its  secretary,  and  after- 
ward, from  1868,  till  the  present  time,  its  president. 

Rapidly  familiarizing  himself  with  the  technical  management 
of  fire  underwriting,  Mr.  Miller  acquired  ere  long  a  broad  and 
practical  knowledge  of  its  principles.  He  was  made  secretary 
of  the  committee  on  rates  and  surveys  of  the  New  York  Board 
of  Fire  Underwriters,  and  in  that  capacity  rendered  important 
services  previous  to  and  during  the  trying  times  of  the  great 
Chicago  and  Boston  fires.  For  two  years  he  was  the  efiicient 
president  of  the  board.  On  retiring  from  that  position  in  1886, 
Mr.  Miller  was  tendered  by  his  associates  in  the  board  of 
underwriters  a  highly  complimentary  testimonial  to  his  value 
as  an  officer  and  the  esteem  with  which  he  was  regarded  as  a 
man. 

In  June,  1885,  Mr.  Miller  was  elected  a  trustee  of  the  Mutual 
Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  York  city,  and  has  since  that 
time  constantly  taken  an  active  part  in  promoting  its  interests. 
He  is  also  connected  as  a  director  with  several  corporate  enter- 
prises in  New  York,  Staten  Island  and  Chicago,  among  them 
the  North  River  Bank  of  New  York  city  and  the  First  National 
Bank  of  Staten  Island.  He  is  business-like  by  habit  and  cour- 
teous in  manner,  familiar  with  the  progress  of  the  country  both 
east  and  west,  and  cultured  by  travel  abroad.  He  possesses  an 
experience  in  affairs  and  a  knowledge  of  men  most  valuable  to 
an  enterprising  American. 

36 


562  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Since  1865  Mr.  Miller  has  been  a  resident  of  Richmond 
county,  in  the  affairs  of  which  he  has  been  deeply  interested. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Reformed  church  of  Port  Richmond  and 
is  well  known  in  the  social  life  of  Staten  Island.  He  married 
Miss  Emma  Cropsey,  daughter  of  Jacob  R.  Cropsey,  and  they 
have  four  children,  three  of  whom  reside  with  their  parents. 

Morgan. — This  family  was  on  Staten  Island  at  an  early  date, 
but  the  notices  of  them  in  the  records  are  very  few.  Thomas 
Morgan  was  a  member  of  the  colonial  assembly  from  this  county 
in  1692.  This  is  the  first  occurrence  of  the  name  in  the  county 
records.  His  name  occurs  again  in  the  Dutch  church  records 
as  having  a  son  Abraham,  baptized  May  5,  1696,  and  a  daugh- 
ter Martha,  September  7,  1698. 

Thomas  (probably  a  son  of  the  former)  and  Magdalena  Staats, 
his  wife,  had  the  following  children :  Elisabet,  baptized  Febru- 
ary 7,  1725;  Magdalena,  baptized  February  12,  1727;  Pieter, 
baptized  March  9,  1729;  Thomas,  baptized  October  10, 1731;  and 
Sarah,  baptized  September  16,  1739. 

The  name  does  not  again  appear  until  December  16,  1754, 
when  William  Morgan  and  Elizabeth  Winter  were  married.  It 
is  probable  that  William  was  the  son  of  Pieter  mentioned  above, 
though  not  certain.  William  had  a  son  John,  who  lived  and 
died  in  the  vicinity  of  New  Springville.  Among  his  children 
was  a  son  Charles,  who  married  a  Vroom,  and  they  were  the 
parents  of  Mr.  Henry  C,  of  Travisville,  and  his  brother,  the 
late  John  Vroom,  of  Mariners'  Harbor. 


CHAPTER   XII. 


OLD    FAMILIES   AND    PROMINENT    INDIVIDUALS    (Concluded). 


Ferine.— Poillon.— Post.— Prall.—  Aquila  Rich. — Alfred  Z.  Ross.- Ryerss. — 
Seguine. — John  G.  Seguine. — Henry  S.  Seguine. — Sharrott. — Francis  G. 
Shaw. — Simonson. — Stilwell. — Sprague. — Taylor. — Totten. — Epraim  J.  Tot- 
ten. — Tyson. — Van  Buskirk,  VanDuzer. — John  H.  Van  Clief . — The  Vander- 
bUts. — The  Van  Name  Family.— Van  Pelt.— Wandel.— Albert  Ward. — 
Stephen  Whitman. — Winant. — Garrett  Ellis  Winants. — Woglom. — Wood. — 
Abraham  C.  Wood. — Jacob  B.  Wood. — Abraham  J.  Wood. — Other  Families. 
— Eminent  Men  and  Women  of  Staten  Island. 


Ferine. — The  original  orthography  of  the  name  was  Perrin. 
Count  Perrin  was  a  Huguenot  refugee  from  Nouere;  the  Ameri- 
can family  are  not  descended  from  him,  but  the  original  emi- 
grant was  akin  to  him.  The  first  occurrence  of  the  name  in 
this  county  was  in  1687,  when  Daniel  Perine  sold  land,  and  he 
was  probably  the  progenitor  of  the  Periues  of  the  present  day. 
Like  many  other  old  families  in  the  county  they  have  a  family 
record,  but  very  imperfect,  except,  perhaps,  for  the  last  two  or 
three  generations.  The  branch  which  we  are  able  to  trace,  lived 
for  a  century  and  a  half,  or  more,  in  the  same  house,  which  is 
still  standing,  and  occupied  by  them,  on  the  Richmond  road,  a 
short  distance  north  of  Garrison's  station,  on  the  Staten  Island 
railroad.  It  is  probably  the  oldest  dwelling  house  in  the 
county  occupied  by  the  family  who  built  it. 

Cornelius  S.  and  Joseph  E.  are  the  sons  of  Simon  S.,  who 
was  the  son  of  Joseph,  born  June  4,  1759,  died  April  16th, 
1814.  Joseph's  brothers  were  Edward,  born  July  6,  1766,  and 
Henry,  born  November  29,  1768,  and  married  Mary  Winant, 
June  21,  1795  ;  they  were  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth,  relict 
of  the  late  Richard  Tysen,  Esq.  Joseph's  parents  were  Edward 
and  Ann  ;  Edward  died  during  the  revolution.  We  are  unable 
to  trace  the  pedigree  of  any  branch  of  the  family  beyond  Ed- 
ward, with  any  degree  of  certainty.  Probably  Edward  was  the 
son,  possibly  the  grandson  of  Daniel,  whom  we  suppose  to  be 
the  original. 


564  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  following  are  found  on  the 
county  and  church  records,  on  tomb  stones,  etc.  Henry  and 
Susannah  his  wife  had  a  son  Edward,  born  February  19,  1758  ; 
a  son  Peter,  born  May  22,  1764.  Henry  made  his  will  April 
10,  1788,  which  was  proved  June  7,  1788,  in  which  he  mentions 
his  wife  Susannah  and  his  children,  David  and  Cornelius,  then 
minors,  and  his  other  children,  Edward,  Margaret  and  Susan- 
nah, Abraham,  Henry,  Nancy  and  Mary.  This  younger  Henry 
was  a  weaver,  and  made  his  will  October  29,  1792,  which  was 
proved  April  2, 1793,  in  which  he  speaks  of  his  brothers,  David, 
Cornelius  and  Edward,  but  alludes  to  no  wife  nor  children. 
Henry  and  Ann  his  wife  had  a  son  Abraham,  born  February  1, 
1766.     Henry  and  Hannah  his  wife  had  a  son  Henry  born  June 

5,  1767.  James  and  Nannie  had  a  daughter  Sophia,  born  July 
17,  1767.  William  and  Miranda  his  wife  had  a  son  Peter,  bap- 
tized J  une  27, 1790.  Edward  and  Patience  Mersereau  were  mar- 
ried June  7,  1790,  and  had  a  daughter  Mary,  born  October  9, 
1790.  Abraham  and  Sarah  Rezeau  were  married  August  24, 
1790,  and  had  a  son  Peter  Rezeau,  born  September  20,  1791. 
Peter  and  Mary  Bedell  were  married  December  31,  1788.  Ed- 
ward and  Adriar  Guyon  were  married  January  20,  1791 .  Henry 
and  Magdelena  Simonson  were  married  June  19,  1800.  Corne- 
lius and  Mary  McLean  were  married  March  31,  1804.  Edward, 
born  in  1745,  died  November  22,  1818.  James  G.,  born  August 
29, 1796,  died  September  17,  1833.  There  was  a  Peter,  living  in 
1766,  and  a  Henry  in  1767,  who  were  interested  in  the  purchase 
or  sale  of  land. 

PoiLLON. — The  first  mention  of  the  name  found  was  in  connec- 
tion with  Staten  Island  when  Jaques  Poullion  was  appointed  a 
justice  for  Richmond  county,  December  14,  1689,  by  Leisler. 
The  family  were  very  numerous.  Jaques  is  frequently  men- 
tioned as  buying  or  selling  land  prior  to  1703.  After  him  we 
have  no  notice  of  any  member  of  the  family  for  half  a  century; 
then  John  and  Margaret,  his  wife,  had  sons:  John,  born  June  6, 
1753;  Peter,  born  January  27,  1763,  and  James,  baptized  No- 
vember 3,  1772.  James  and  Frances,  his  wife,  had  a  son  John, 
baptized  November  14,  1762.  Peter  and  Margaret,  his  wife,  had 
a  son  John,  born  October  28,  1770,  and  a  son  Peter,  born  March 

6,  1772.  This  Peter  was  a  communicant  in  St.  Andrew's  church, 
1792,  after  his  father's  death.  Abraham  and  Susan  Cole  mar- 
ried June  17, 1790;  he  died  young.    John  and  Elizabeth  Seguine 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  565 

married  July  5,  1792.  Abraham  made  Ms  will  July  20,  1791, 
proved  August  8,  1791,  in  which  he  mentions  his  wife  Susan, 
and  his  son  Peter,  a  minor.  John,  named  above,  made  his  will 
March  16,  1802,  proved  February  18,  1803;  mentions  his  wife 
Margaret,  his  daughters  Mary,  Margaret,  Ann,  Sarah  and 
Catharine,  and  his  sons  Peter,  John  and  James,  deceased.  There 
were  three  or  four  Johns,  but  they  had  all  disappeared  many 
years  ago. 

Post. — Adrian  Post,  who  was,  without  doubt,  the  progenitor 
of  the  family  on  Staten  Island,  was  commander  of  a  ship  which 
brought  emigrants  to  the  colony  before  1650.  He  was  subse- 
quently the  superintendent  of  Baron  Van  de  Cappelan's  planta- 
tion on  the  island.  The  Indian  massacre  of  1655  drove  him 
temporarily  from  the  island,  but  he  soon  returned,  and  resumed 
his  residence  there.  His  family  consisted  of  his  wife,  five  chil- 
dren and  two  servants.  John,  who  was  probably  a  grandson  of 
Adrian,  married  Anna  Housman,  and  they  had  the  following 
sons  baptized:  Abraham,  April  19,  1743,  and  Adrian,  April  26, 
1748.  Garret  and  Sarah  Ellis  had  the  following  sons  baptized: 
Garret,  August  7,  1754,  and  Abraham,  March  12,  1758.  Abra- 
ham had  a  daughter  Miriam,  born  July  31,  1790.  There  was 
another  Garret,  born  in  1720  and  died  March  31,  1797. 

Prall. — The  later  representatives  of  the  family  are  Hon. 
Benjamin  P.  Prall,  of  Huguenot,  Westfield,  and  his  brother 
Captain  Arthur  Prall,  of  New  Springville,  Northfield.  Their 
father  was  Peter  Prall,  born  1763  and  died  November  1,  1822; 
his  father  was  Benjamin  Prall,  born  1733  and  died  1796;  his 
father  was  Abraham  Prall,  born  1706  and  died  September  28, 
1775;  his  father  was  Peter  Prall,  whose  name  we  find  recorded 
as  a  witness  or  sponsor  at  a  baptism  in  1708;  he  had  an  older 
son  than  Abraham,  viz.:  Arent,  born  1698,  and  a  younger,  Isaac, 
born  1710.  This  brings  us  very  near  or  quite  to  the  original  of 
the  family.  There  was,  however,  an  Arent  Prall,  who  probably 
was  either  father  or  brother  of  the  last  mentioned  Peter.  We 
find  his  (Arent' s)  name  on  record  as  owning  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  land  on  Long  Neck  in  1694. 

Other  members  of  the  family,  not  in  the  above  line,  were 
Peter,  born  April  9,  1735,  and  died  February  28,  1822,  and  his 
brother  Abraham,  born  1740,  died  May  6, 1820.  He  had  two  sons, 
viz.:  Daniel,  drowned  October  10, 1817,  andlchabod,  a  merchant 


566  HISTORY  OP  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

in  New  York;    Daniel  married  Ann  Mersereau  January  22, 
1794. 

Scattered  through  various  records  we  find  the  following, 
whom  we  are  unable  to  place,  viz.:  Aron,  Jr.,  and  his  wife 
Antye  Staats,  had  a  daughter  born  May  21,  1715;  a  son  Aron 
in  1717;  a  daughter  in  1719,  and  a  son  Peter  in  1724.  Aron,  or 
Arent  (not  Jr.)  and  his  wife  Maritje  Bowman  had  a  son  William 
Joris,  born  1730,  and  a  son  Hendrick  born  1735.  Isaac  (prob- 
ably the  son  of  Abraham  above  mentioned)  and  Ms  wife  Maria 
Debaa  or  Dubois,  had  a  daughter  born  in  1746,  and  another  in 
1748;  a  son  Peter  in  1744,  and  a  son  Lewis  in  1751.  Benjamin 
and  his  wife  Sarah  Swaim  had  a  son  Abraham  born  in  1752,  and 
a  son  John  in  1766.  John  (wife's  name  not  given)  had  a  daughter 
born  in  1719.  Abraham  and  Sarah  Cannon  were  married 
in  August,  1776.  John  and  Martha  Latourette  were  married 
January  14,  1802.  There  was  a  Wolford  Praule,  who  was  a 
freeholder  as  early  as  1695,  but  he  was  not  probably  connected 
with  this  family,  as  his  name  was  spelled  differently,  and  there  is 
no  further  notice  of  him. 

Aquila  Rich. — Prominent  among  New  York  business  men 
residing  on  Staten  Island  is  Mr.Aquila  Rich,  of  the  well  known 
firm  of  C.  T  Raynolds  &  Co.  Mr.  Rich's  ancestors  were  among 
the  first  New  England  settlers,  and  many  interesting  facts  con- 
cerning them  are  contained  in  the  "  History  of  Cape  Cod." 
The  family  coat  of  arms  is  still  preserved  and  a  copy  is  now  in 
Mr.  Rich's  possession.  His  grandfather,  after  whom  he  is 
named, was  a  sea  captain  and  shipowner,  and  twice  suffered  im 
prisonment  for  his  loyalty  to  the  American  cause.  During  the 
revolutionary  war  he  was  captured  by  the  British  and  confined 
in  Dartmore  prison,  England,  for  three  years,  and  in  the  war 
of  1812  both  himself  and  his  ship  were  taken  while  in  the  act 
of  running  the  blockade.  He  was  retained  in  Halifax  as  a 
prisoner  of  war  and  died  there  on  the  day  upon  which  he  was 
to  have  been  exchanged.  Mr.  Rich's  father,  who  is  still  living, 
and  who  resides  at  Waltham,  Mass.,  was  for  many  years  an 
active  New  England  merchant  and  manufacturer,  and  it  is  from 
him  that  Mr.  Rich  inherits  his  energetic  and  persevering  quali- 
ties. In  youth  he  was  apprenticed  to  a  silversmith,  became  a 
manufacturing  chemist  at  Boston,  Mass.,  and  finally  a  glue 
manufacturer  at  Woburn  in  the  same  state.  It  has  been  his 
misfortune  to  suffer  from  blindness  during  the  past  few  years. 


U\  Ci  H-Jia.  }  iyic4^ 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  567 

Aquila,  of  whom  we  write,  was  born  in  Boston,  March  23, 
1835.  He  attended  the  "  Hawes  "  public  school  in  South  Boston, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  1850.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  was 
apprenticed  in  the  old  English  style  to  the  wholesale  drug  house 
of  Brewers,  Stevens  &  Gushing,  sign  of  the  good  Samaritan, 
Washington  street,  Boston,  where  he  remained  four  years.  At 
the  expiration  of  that  period  he  received  a  flattering  offer  from 
a  cousin  doing  business  in  'New  York  city  and  came  thither,  but 
the  unsuccessful  termination  of  his  cousin's  enterprise  a  year 
later  left  him  without  a  position,  and  his  tastes  leading  him  in 
that  direction  he  decided  to  follow  the  sea,  which  he  did  in  sev- 
eral capacities  till  1869.  He  then  entered  the  employ  of  Ray- 
nolds,  Devoe  &  Pratt,  dealers  in  paints,  oils  and  artists'  ma- 
terials at  iN'os.  106  and  108  Fulton  street,  New  York  city.  Here 
he  remained  as  a  clerk  for  twelve  years,  after  which  he  became 
a  member  of  the  firm,  much  of  its  subsequent  success  being  due 
to  his  clear  head  and  business  ability.  Since  he  entered  the 
house  in  1859  the  firm  name  has  twice  changed;  first  to  Ray- 
nolds,  Pratt  &  Co.  and  later  to  C.  T.  Raynolds  &  Co.,  as  it  is  at 
present  known.  The  influence  of  the  house  in  the  business 
world  is  far-reaching  and  powerful,  and  its  policy  is  character- 
ized by  careful  integrity  and  honorable  dealing  in  all  its  vast 
transactions. 

In"  1871  Mr.  Rich  removed  to  Staten  Island,  where  he  pur- 
chased his  present  residence  and  where  he  has  since  acquired 
other  property.  He  early  connected  himself  with  Christ  church, 
in  which  he  has  served  for  many  years  as  vestryman  and  of 
which  for  the  last  three  years  he  has  been  treasurer.  He  is  a 
life  member  of  Beacon  Light  Lodge  No.  701,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of 
New  Brighton.  In  1885  he  was  appointed  Deputy  Grand  Master 
of  the  order  for  Richmond  county  and  was  reappointed  the 
following  year.  He  is  also  a  life  member  of  the  "  Staten  Island 
Athletic  Club."  For  several  years  he  has  been  a  trustee  of  the 
Smith  Infirmary,  and  has  served  for  five  years  as  treasurer  of 
the  committee  and  manager  of  the  annual  charity  ball  held  in  aid 
of  that  institution.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  building  com- 
mittee. 

Though  in  no  sense  of  the  word  a  politician  he  has  been  a 
strong  republican,  and  as  such  twice  elected  to  the  county  con- 
vention, on  both  of  which  occasions  Mr.  George  William  Curtis 
was  chosen  as  delegate  to  the  national  convention.     Both  of 


568  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

these  elections  were  simple  tributes  to  the  trustworthiness  which 
is  his  prevailing  characteristic,  and  were  not  brought  about 
either  directly  or  indirectly  through  his  instrumentality. 

Mr.  Eich  is  whole  souled  and  cordial.  The  varied  travels  and 
adventures,  together  with  the  extended  business  relations 
which  have  diversified  his  career,  lend  to  his  conversation  a 
charm  and  vivacity  which  places  all  who  are  brought  into  con- 
tact with  him,  of  whatever  station  in  life,  at  their  ease,  and 
make  their  possessor  a  favorite  in  social  circles.  His  simple 
but  comfortable  home  partakes  of  a  warmth  which  is  the  result 
of  family  love,  jealously  guarded  by  parents  who  understand 
the  value  both  of  religious  and  social  training  to  their  children. 

Mr.  Rich  married  in  June,  1861,  Miss  Beales,  of  Brooklyn. 
He  has  four  children  still  living,  a  daughter  Susie  having  died. 
The  remaining  children  are:  Harvey  B.,  who  is  a  member  of  the 
'New  York  Stock  Exchange  and  one  of  the  well  known  firm  of 
Horace  L.  Hotchkiss  &  Co.,  brokers;  Aquila  B.,  Seton  Heather 
and  Clara  O.,  all  residents  of  Richmond  county. 

Alfred  Z.  Ross,  for  many  years  prominent  in  real  estate 
and  business  circles  in  Richmond  county,  is  the  son  of  John 
Ross,  formerly  a  resident  of  Staten  Island.  John  Ross  (Scotch) 
married  Miss  Sarah  P.  Zeluff,  of,  an  old  Staten  Island  family 
(German),  and  of  their  two  children  Alfred  was  the  second. 
He  was  born  at  Port  Richmond  July  26,  1844.  During  his 
youth  he  attended  the  private  academy  of  Theodore  A.  Thomp- 
son, from  which  he  entered  the  Ashland  Seminary  at  Ashland, 
Greene  county,  N.  Y.  Subsequently  he  studied  in  the  public 
school  in  Port  Richmond,  leaving  it  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  to 
engage  in  sail-making.  He  continued  this  till  1867,  when  he 
became  a  clerk  in  the  employ  of  Barrett,  Nephews  &  Co.,  dyers, 
where  he  remained  till  1874.  In  November  of  that  year  he  em- 
barked in  the  real  estate  business  at  Port  Richmond,  in  which  he 
still  remains.  Mr.  Ross,  by  care  in  the  management  of  his  con- 
cerns and  the  practice  of  thorough  integrity  in  all  his  transac- 
tions, has  won  for  himself  an  enviable  reputation  among  business 
men  as  well  as  a  sound  financial  success.  He  combines  with  the 
real  estate  an  extensive  insurance  business,  being  the  represen- 
tative of  several  companies  both  at  home  and  abroad. 

Mr.  Ross  has  also  been  prominent  in  the  politics  of  Rich- 
mond county.  During  the  year  1879  he  represented  the  town 
of  Northfield  in  the  board  of  supervisors  in  such  a  manner  as 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  569 

to  win  the  commendation  of  thinking  men  of  both  parties,  and 
his  long  attachment  to  the  republican  party  entitles  him  to 
a  i)rominent  place  in  its  ranks.  His  genial  temperament  and 
thorough  business  qualities  are  constantly  winning  for  him  the 
esteem  of  all  with  whom  he  is  brought  into  contact.  He  was 
married  June  2d,  1867,  to  Sarah  E.,  daughter  of  Captain  Garrett 
P.  Johnson. 

E,YEKSS.-^We  find  this  name  at  an  early  date  on  Long  Is- 
land. Arie  Ryerse  and  Maerte  Kyerse  were  assessed  as  owners 
of  property  at  Middelwout,  now  Flatbush,  in  1676,  but  when 
their  connection  with  Staten  Island  began  is  unknown.  Adrian 
was  born  in  1715,  and  died  December  12,  1779;  his  wife  was 
Hester  Debaa  (Dubois)  ;  their  son  Lewis  was  born  December  7, 
1754,  and  died  April  13,  1806.  Aris,  another  son  of  Adrian, 
had  a  daughter  baptized  July  27,  1786,  and  a  son  David,  bap- 
tized October  17,  1790.  Gozen,  also  a  son  of  Adrian,  made  his 
will  October  21,  1800,  proved  January  13,  1802,  in  which  he 
speaks  of  his  son  John  P.,  and  his  daughter  Margaret,  his 
brother  Lewis,  and  his  grandsons  Gozen  Adrian  Ryers,  and 
Ryerss  De  Hart.  He  was  an  exceedingly  obese  man,  and  re- 
quired two  ordinary  chairs  to  sit  upon;  his  wife  was  in  the  same 
condition.  He  was  a  wealthy  man,  and  owned  property  in 
various  parts  of  the  county.  In  1791  he  became  the  owner  of 
300  acres  of  land,  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  state,  which,  when 
the  line  between  New  York  and  Massachusetts  was  finally  de- 
termined, fell  within  the  latter  state.  To  compensate  him  for 
the  loss  of  this  land,  the  state  of  New  York  gave  him  a  patent 
for  1,800  acres  in  Wilmington  township,  Essex  county, which  is 
known  as  Ryerss'  grant  to  this  day.  He  dwelt  for  many  years 
preceding  his  death  at  Port  Richmond,  in  the  large  house 
known  as  the  St.  James  Hotel.  He  was  a  very  prominent  and 
useful  man. 

Seguine.— We  are  obliged  to  be  content  with  such  informa- 
tion as  can  be  found  in  the  local  records,  the  earliest  of  which 
is:  Jean  and  Elizabeth  Hooper  had  a  son  Jonas,  baptized  De- 
cember 12,  1725.  Jaques  and  Lady  Mambrut,  daughter  Sara, 
baptized  March  3,  1728.  A  son  Jean,  baptized  March  19,  1732. 
Jean  and  Jaques  stood  sponsors  for  each  other's  children;  they 
were  probably  brothers.  The  above  are  from  the  records  of  the 
Dutch  church;  the  following  are  from  those  of  St.  Andrew's  : 
James  and  Elsee,  daughter  Sara,  born  April,  1756  ;  son  James, 


570  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

born  December  10,  1760.  John  and  Sarah  had  the  following 
children  :  Elisha,  born  May  31,  1760  ;  James,  baptized  July  18, 
1762  ;  and  Henry,  born  February  4,  1764.  Lawrence  and  Ann, 
daughter  Sara,  born  April  2,  1761.  James  and  Caty,  son 
Stephen,  born  March  22,  1764  ;  and  son  James,  born  April  5, 
1766.  James  made  his  will  June  13,  1795,  proved  October  7, 
1795  ;  mentions  his  wife  Catharine  and  his  children  Barnt,  Jo- 
seph, Frederick,  John,  Henry,  Stephen  and  James.  John  and 
Rachel  Mitchel  were  married  in  November,  1775.  John  and 
Margaretta,  sons  John,  baptized  October  24,  1790,  and  Henry, 
baptized  October  27,  1793.  James  and  Mary  Guyon,  married 
June  30,  1791.  Stephen  and  Susanna  Poillon,  married  Novem- 
ber 8,  1792.  Henry  and  Jane  Garretson,  married  August  13, 
1800.     Stephen  and  Margaret  Guyon,  married  March  5,  1805. 

John  G.  Seguine  was  born  June  14,  1805,  on  the  family  es- 
tate at  Seguine's  Point,  Staten  Island.  His  youth  was  unevent- 
ful, the  neighboring  country  school  absorbing  so  much  of  his 
time  as  was  not  devoted  to  farming.  He  continued  to  reside 
upon  the  homestead  until  his  marriage  and  subsequent  pur- 
chase of  a  farm  at  Prince's  bay,  near  the  light  house,  upon 
which  he  resided  until  Rossville  became  his  home. 

Mr.  Seguine  was  married  February  15,  1830,  to  Harriet, 
daughter  of  Andre  Mille,  the  latter,  who  was  of  French  extrac- 
tion, having  been  a  soldier  under  Bonaparte.  Their  children 
are  :  Louise  M.,  married  to  Henry  S.  Seguine  ;  Henry  J.,  mar- 
ried to  Phebe  A.  Vail ;  John  J.,  married  to  Cordelia  Vail,  and 
Andre,  married  to  Catherine  Jane  Winant.  Mr.  Seguine  hav- 
ing retired  from  active  business  life,  now  enjoys  the  repose  and 
comfort  which  a  career  of  industry  has  brought  to  him.  He 
has  never  been  attracted  by  the  excitement  or  rewards  of  pub- 
lic life  to  enter  the  list  as  a  candidate  for  office,  though  always 
loyal  to  the  principles  of  democracy.  He  has  been  for  many 
years  a  vestryman  of  St.  Andrew's  Protestant  Episcopal  church 
at  Richmond.  The  grandfather  of  Mr.  Seguine  was  James  Se- 
guine, whose  son  Henry  married  Jane,  daughter  of  Judge  John 
G.  Garretson,  of  Staten  Island.  Their  two  sons  were- John  G., 
above  mentioned,  and  Joseph  H.,  who  was  both  a  farmer  and 
manufacturer,  and  prominent  as  a  leading  citizen  of  the  county. 

Henry  Stewart  Seguine. — The  Seguine  family,  which  has 
long  been  prominent  in  Westfield  township,  is  of  Huguenot 
antecedents.     James  Seguine,  the  father  of  Henry  S.,  and  the 


C^C^A^<f-f^ 


-^^f  .iyJUdHitch.i&  - 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  571 

son  of  James  Seguine,  married  Mary,  daughter  of  Joseph  Guion, 
of  Staten  Island,  also  descended  from  Huguenot  stock.  Their 
children  were :  Catherine,  wife  of  John  Gruion ;  Joseph  G. , 
James  G.,  James  S.  and  Henry  S.  The  last-named  son  was  born 
near  Annadale,  on  Staten  Island,  in  1812.  The  family  residence 
being  located  here  much  of  his  youth  was  spent  at  this  point. 
Joseph  G.  Seguine,  his  uncle,  then  resided  at  Rossville,  where 
he  founded  the  mercantile  interest  still  successfully  conducted, 
built  the  wharf,  and  engaged  in  public  life  as  judge  of  the 
court  of  common  pleas.  His  nephew,  Henry  S.,  became  a  mem- 
ber of  his  uncle's  family,  and  ultimately  inherited  the  estate, 
which  included  the  business  as  also  the  mansion  in  which  the 
family  reside.  He  married  January  7, 1857,  Louise  M.,  daughter 
of  John  G.  and  Harriet  Seguine,  of  Staten  Island.  Their  chil- 
dren are  a  son,  Henry  G.,  and  a  daughter,  Harriet  M.  Mr. 
Seguine' s  character  and  means  gave  him  an  influential  position 
throughout  the  county.  Notwithstanding,  he  possessed  all  those 
qualities  calculated  to  endear  him  to  men.  In  business  transac- 
tions he  was  strictly  honorable  and  upright,  possessing  a  kindly 
nature  and  conferring  substantial  sympathy  and  aid  when  de- 
served. His  charities  were  of  the  practical  kind  and  calculated 
to  bestow  permanent  aid  as  well  as  meet  the  present  necessity. 
His  convictions  of  right  were  decided  and  firm,  and  maintained 
with  energy.  No  compromise  was  ever  effected  with  wrong  or 
injustice.  Faithful  as  a  friend  and  true  to  his  word,  though  a 
positive  man,  he  viewed  the  faults  of  others  with  charity. 
Active  and  public-spirited  as  a  citizen,  his  rarest  pleasures 
were  found  within  the  circle  of  his  own  home,  where  his  hospi- 
tality was  dispensed  with  unsparing  liberality.  A  member  of 
St.  Luke's  Protestant  Episcopal  church  of  Rossville,  of  which 
he  was  warden,,  vestryman  and  treasurer,  Mr.  Seguine  exempli- 
fied in  daily  life  the  creed  he  espoused.  He  was  in  the  fullest 
sense  of  the  term  the  Christian  gentleman.  His  death  occurred 
on  the  2d  of  July,  1884. 

Sharrott.— Richard  Sharet,  the  first  of  the  name  on  Staten 
Island,  according  to  the  family  traditions  and  records,  was  a 
Frenchman  by  birth,  of  Huguenot  parentage,  and  for  a  short 
period  after  his  emigration  resided  in  New  England.  He  came 
to  Staten  Island  either  just  before  or  just  after  the  commence- 
ment of  the  revolution.     Here  he  married  a  woman  of  German 


572  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

parentage  named  Mary  Heger.     Their  children  were  William, 
Richard,  John,  JameSj_^ 

John  married^ Mary  Ann  BurbanH,  October  9,  1789;  their 
children  were  Peter  (died  February,  1875,  aged  86),  John,  Jere- 
miah, Richard,  Abraham,  William  Henry,  Mary,  Susan,  Cath- 
arine, Eliza  and  Louisa,  some  of  whom  are  still  living. 

Francis  George  Shaw  was  the  oldest  child  of  Robert  Gould 
Shaw  and  Eliza  Willard  Parkman.  His  father  was  an  eminent 
merchant  of  Boston,  in  which  city  Mr.  Shaw  was  born  on  the 
23d  of  October,  1809.  He  was  iitted  for  college  at  the  Boston 
Latin  school,  and  entered  Harvard  University  in  1825.  He  left 
college  in  1828,  before  his  graduation,  to  enter  his  father's 
counting  room,  and  engaged  actively  in  business.  In  1839  he 
passed  a  year  in  Europe,  and  he  married  in  1835  his  cousin 
Sarah  Blake  Sturgis.  In  1841,  with  health  impaired  by  unre- 
mitting attention  to  business,  Mr.  Shaw  withdrew  from  active 
participation  in  it  and  removed  to  West  Roxbury,  near  to 
"Brook  Farm,"  where  an  experiment  in  associative  life  in  which 
he  was  interested  had  begun  under  the  leadership  of  the  Rev. 
George  Ripley.  After  a  few  years  his  friends  abandoned  their 
enterprise.  But  although  experiments  in  associative  and  co- 
operative life  have  been  often  failures:  although  benevolent  and 
reformatory  agencies,  originating  in  kind  hearts  and  keen  intel- 
lects^ have  as  yet  little  diminished  the  evils  they  seek  to  remove; 
and  although  the  immediate  outlook  often  seemed  to  him  dis- 
couraging, Mr.  Shaw  never  lost  his  faith  in  an  ultimate  happy 
future  for  the  human  race  in  this  world.  He  rejected  the 
familiar  doctrines  of  political  economy  that  brutalizing  poverty, 
vice  and  crime  are  necessary  as  footholds  in  the  march  of  prog- 
ress; that  one  portion  of  the  race  must  be  trodden  under  foot 
in  order  that  another  portion  may  advance,  leaving  no  hope  of 
compensation  to  the  sufferers  save  in  the  future  of  another  ex- 
istence. He  believed  that  "  the  right  of  eminent  domain"  over 
land  could  be  wisely  carried  much  further  than  the  law  now  ap- 
plies it;  and  he  held  that  it  would  yet  be  possible  for  society, 
without  wronging  any  man,  to  secure  to  the  use  of  all  men  the 
land,  which  is  the  only  source  from  which  man  can  derive  his 
sustenance,  and  access  to  which  is  as  necessary  to  his  normal  de- 
velopment as  the  air  he  breathes. 

In  1847  he  left  West  Roxbury  on  account  of  Mrs.  Shaw's 
health,  and  after  living  for  more  than   three  years  upon  the 


7X^2<^^*  i/^^^Z-^-z^-^ 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  573 

north  shore  of  Staten  Island  near  the  Sailor's  Snug  Harbor,  he 
went  again  to  Europe  with  his  family.  After  four  years  he  re- 
turned in  1855  to  Staten  Island  where,  in  the  same  neighbor- 
hood to  which  he  had  first  come,  he  resided  until  his  death. 

Upon  coming  of  age  Mr.  Shaw  acted  with  the  whigs  in  poli- 
tics, taking  part  in  ward  and  other  meetings  until  1840.  Mean- 
time the  anti-slavery  movement  had  begun,  and  interested  him 
profoundly,  so  that  he  withdrew  from  the  whig  party  and  did 
not  vote  again  upon  national  questions  until  1856,  when  the  re- 
publican party  was  formed,  of  which  he  was  a  liberal  and  active, 
but  always  an  independent,  member.  He  was  one  of  the  dele- 
gates from  the  island  to  the  first  republican  convention  in  1856, 
which  nominated  General  Fremont,  and  he  was  deeply  inter- 
ested in  the  election  of  that  year  and  in  that  of  1860.  Although 
not  personally  engaged  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion  he  was  earn- 
estly devoted  to  the  cause  of  the  Union,  giving  freely  of  his 
time  and  labor,  and  counsel  and  money,  and  his  only  son, 
Kobert  Gould  Shaw,  fell  in  the  assault  upon  Fort  Wagner  at 
the  head  of  his  regiment  of  colored  troops.  Without  per- 
sonal political  ambition,  Mr.  Shaw  had  the  highest  sense  of 
public  duty,  and  he  was  pre-eminently  a  public  spirited  citizen. 

While  living  at  West  Roxbury  he  was  a  member  of  the  school 
committee  and  one  of  the  overseers  of  the  poor,  a  justice  of  the 
peace  and  president  of  the  first  common  council  of  Roxbury 
when  that  town  became  a  city.  He  was  also  foreman  of  the 
jury  of  Norfolk  county  which  first  proposed  the  establishment 
of  the  State  Reform  School  for  Massachusetts.  During  his  resi- 
dence on  Staten  Island  he  was  a  trustee  of  the  village  in  which 
he  lived,  a  trustee  of  the  Seaman's  Retreat  and  of  the  S.  R. 
Smith  Infirmary,  treasurer  of  the  American  Union  of  Associa- 
tionists  and  of  the  Sailor's  Fund,  president  of  the  National 
Freedman's  Relief  Association  and  of  the  New  York  Branch  of 
the  Freedman's  Union  Commission,  and  connected  with  vari- 
ous local  organizations.  He  was  also  a  hereditary  member  of 
the  Massachusetts  Society  of  the  Cincinnati. 

Bred  a  Unitarian  under  the  preaching  of  the  Reverend  Drs. 
C banning  and  Parkman,  Mr.  Shaw,  with  his  wife,  shortly  after 
their  marriage,  became  a  member  of  the  Boston  Society  of  the 
New  Jerusalem,  to  which  the  Reverend  Thomas'  Worcester 
then  ministered.  After  his  removal  to  West  Roxbury  he  joined 
the  congregation  of  the  Reverend  Theodore  Parker.     Subse- 


574  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

quently,  during  his  sojourn  in  Rome,  some  of  the  Italian 
friends  of  his  then  recently  deceased  brother,  Joseph  Ooolidge 
Shaw,  who  had  been  a  Catholic  priest  and  a  Jesuit,  manifested 
great  interest  in  his  behalf.  But,  after  passing  through  many 
"  phases  of  faith,"  he  remained  extremely  "liberal"  or,  per- 
haps more,  justly,  "radical"  in  his  opinions  upon  theological 
questions,  happy  that  he  was  never  led  to  doubt  the  existence 
of  a  divine  power  which  works  for  good. 

His  energetic  temperament  prevented  him  from  permitting 
leisure  to  stagnate  into  idleness,  and  to  his  various  local  ac- 
tivities he  added  the  literary  labor  of  translation.  He  trans- 
lated and  published  "Consuelo,"  and  other  tales  of  George 
Sands  ;  "Zchokke's  History  of  Switzerland,"  the  "  Swiss  Fam- 
ily Robinson,"  "Life  of  Charles  Fourier,"  and  other  books. 
Toward  the  end  of  his  life  he  withdrew  more  and  more  into  the 
retirement  of  his  home,  and  devoted  himself  more  exclusively 
to  the  management  of  his  own  affairs.  But  his  interest  in  pub- 
lic affairs  was  not  relaxed.  The  immortal  youthfulaess  of  his 
spirit  asserted  itself  always,  and  after  an  illness,  which,  as  he  had 
wished  his  last  illness  to  be,  was  very  short,  he  died  on  the  4th 
of  November,  1882,  and  was  buried  in  the  Moravian  cemetery. 

This  recapitulation  of  a  few  facts  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Shaw 
serves  only  as  a  preface  to  the  true  portraiture  of  the  man,  which 
was  drawn  by  his  friend  and  neighbor  of  many  years,  Sidney 
Howard  Gay,  who  knew  him  intimately,  who  greatly  loved  and 
honored  him,  and  whose  faithful  and  most  affectionate  deline- 
ation, with  all  its  warmth  of  feeling  and  felicity  of  phrase, 
does  not  exaggerate  in  any  degree  a  remarkably  noble,  manly 
and  beautiful  character. 

"  Were  we  to  preach  a  sermon  its  text  should  be  from  those 
desponding  words,  '  The  good  man  is  perished  out  of  the  earth; 
there  is  none  upright  among  men  ;'  an  assertion,  which,  how- 
ever true  it  may  have  been  in  the  time  of  Micah,  is  not  true 
in  our  time.  How  untrue  it  is  every  man  and  woman  in  this 
community  will  bear  witness  in  the  death  of  a  good  man  among 
us,  who,  in  a  long  life  of  seventy- three  years,  has  never  known 
a  fellow  creature  except  as  a  friend,  and  whose  single  aim  in 
living  has  been,  that  when  he  went  out  of  the  world  he  might 
leave  it  a  little  better  than  he  found  it.  Not  that  it  ever  oc- 
curred to  him  that  his  ways  and  wishes  differed  from  those  of 
many  other  men  of  like  opportunities  ;  not  that  he  ever  could 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  575 

have  said— we  do  not  believe  that  he  ever  once  assumed  in 
thought— that  any  special  purpose  belonged  to  his  life  ;■  that 
he  vpas  called  to  any  exceptional  duty,  or  that  he  was  pecu. 
liarly  faithful  to  that  duty.  The  modesty  that  distinguished 
him  made  any  such  self-consciousness  impossible.  There  are 
men  who  are  born  saints,  and  men  who  are  saints  by  education 
through  much  travail  and  sorrow.  The  great  difference  is  that 
the  born  saint  never  knows  that  he  is  one  ;  he  has  no  measure 
of  himself  between  what  he  wants  to  be  and  what  he  is  not  by 
gift  of  nature.  He  is  as  God  made  him,  and  he  can  no  more  be 
or  conceive  of  being  anything  else,  than  he  can  be  or  conceive 
of  being  a  man  of  another  race  in  some  far-off  country. 

"Let  this  not  be  understood  as  mere  words  of  eulogy,  for  it  is 
meant  to  be  a  simple  statement  of  the  fundamental  truth  in 
regard  to  this  one  man  who  has  just  perished  out  of  the  earth. 
His  life  should  not  be  permitted  to  fade  away  from  us  without 
a  recognition  of  its  character,  its  beauty,  what  there  may  be  in 
living,  and  of  what  a  man  may  be  to  his  fellow  men.  The 
elders,  indeed,  may  not  need  to  be  reminded  of  it,  but  the 
younger  should  be  taught  to  understand  and  remember  it. 

"In  one  of  the  many  notices  of  Mr.  Shaw's  death  it  was  said 
that  there  was  in  him  a  singular  mixture  of  modesty  and  man- 
liness, as  if  there  were  something  incompatible  in  those  quali- 
ties. Kather,  it  should  be  said,  he  was  singularly  modest 
because  he  was  singularly  manly.  Probably  never  in  his  life  was 
he  outraged  by  a  single  word  or  look  of  insult,  for  his  perfect 
self-command  and  self-respect  could  never  irritate  or  provoke 
resentment.  He  honored  manhood,  and  as  he  maintained  his 
own,  so  he  respected  it  in  others,  and  kept  anger  at  bay,  if 
there  were  occasion  for  anger.  Not  the  humblest  would  he 
permit  to  outdo  him  in  personal  courtesy,  not  from  any  pre- 
tense of  humility  on  his  part,  but  from  spontaneous  reverence 
for  human  nature.  If  he  was  ever  impatient  of  anything  it  was 
of  servility  as  a  respect  paid,  not  to  the  man,  but  to  accident  of 
position.  It  was  almost  a  personal  humiliation  to  him  that 
any  man  should  forget  that  first  of  all  he  was  a  man.  '  Mr. 
Shaw,'  said  one  who  has  long  been  in  his  employment,  're- 
spected every  man  who  respected  himself.'  For  himself,  could 
he  have  chosen  his  path  in  life,  it  would  have  been  one  where, 
whatever  he  might  be,  whatever  should  be  bestowed  upon  him 
of  honor  and  of  wealth,  would  not  have  been  due  to  fixed  cir- 


576  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUJMTY. 

cumstances,  but  to  his  own  manliuess  and  bis  own  energy.  His 
modeety,  in  the  original  sense  of  that  word,  was  in  the  accurate 
measure  he  took  of  his  own  powers,  making  no  mistake  as  to 
what  he  could  do  and  what  he  could  not  do ;  neither  over-esti- 
mating himself  nor  under-estimating  others.  Had  no  pre- 
arranged good  fortune  fallen  to  his  lot,  he  would,  doubtless, 
have  achieved  it,  as  certainly  he  would  have  been  glad  of  the 
chance  of  trying. 

"  With  these  qualities  went  naturally  the  highest  kind  of 
courage.  It  was  not  merely  the  courage  of  his  convictions, 
which  is  common  enough,  but  the  courage  of  coming  to  con- 
clusions of  his  own  without  regard  to  either  private  or  public 
opinion.  One  might  be  sometimes  almost  impatient  with  him, 
because  he  did  not  seem  open  to  conviction.  In  one  sense  he 
was  not;  but  it  was  because  he  was  so  singularly  faithful  to  the 
obligation  of  coming  to  an  impartial  judgment  of  his  own  and 
then  adhering  to  it.  He  stood  alone  in  the  court-room  of  his 
own  conscience,  and  the  conclusion  he  came  to  was  the  conclu- 
sion as  between  right  and  wrong,  as  it  was  given  to  him  to  see 
it.  Then  he  was  immovable — till  he  moved,  if  at  all,  on  his  own 
motion  for  an  appeal  to  his  own  court.  Then  he  admitted  no 
argument  of  counsel,  no  personal  bias,  no  consideration  of  self 
interest,  no  dictates  even  of  affection  to  plead  a  cause. 

"  It  was  impossible  not  to  respect  his  opinions,  however  one 
might  differ  from  them;  for  it  was  impossible  not  to  see  that  he 
maintained  them  simply  because  he  thought  them  true,  and  not 
because  he  thought  they  were  his.  With  those  who  did  not 
agree  with  him  he  could  not  be  resentful,  and  he  was  rarely  im^ 
patient  for  a  moment,  even  with  the  most  vapid  foolishness. 
His  modesty  never  let  him  forget  the  limitations  of  human  in- 
telligence, and  that  no  man  is  entitled  to  set  up  his  opinions  as 
wiser  and  better  than  those  of  all  other  men.  That  perfect  in- 
tellectual freedom  which  he  maintained  as  his  own  right,  he  re- 
cognized to  the  full  as  the  right  of  others.  His  own  unbiased 
judgment  and  conscience  were  guides  infallible  to  him;  but  he 
no  more  set  them  us  as  guides  for  other  people  than  he  would 
accept  their  judgments  and  consciences  in  place  of  his  own. 

"  One  who  thought  so  much  for  himself  must  needs  do  a  good 
deal  of  thinking,  for  second-hand  opinions  were  of  no  use  to 
him.  He  shirked  no  responsibility  lest  he  might  have  to  lift 
the  burden  alone;  nor  was  he  ever  afraid  of    intellectual  or 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  577 

moral    solitude.     The    problem    of    human    society  was    by 
no  means  satisfactorily  settled  for  him,  because  in  the  lottery 
of  life  his  ticket  had  turned  up  a  prize.    He  early  put  to  him- 
self the  question,  why  should  the  few,  himself   among  them, 
have  all  that  worldly  prosperity  can  give,  while  the  many,  com- 
paratively almost  all,  are  sunk  from   the  beginning  to  the  end 
in  the  slough  of  poverty,  wretchedness,  ignorance,  darkness  and 
crime,  from  which  no  struggle  of  theirs,  even  when  they  know 
enough  to  struggle,   promises  any  release?    He  believed   too 
much  in  man  to  believe  this  state  of  things  as  the  will  of  God. 
He  was  confident,  never  more  confident  than  in   the   seventy- 
third  year  of  liis  age,  that  there  was  somewhere  a  law  divine,  if 
only  we  could  be  wise  enough  to  see  it,  and  good  enough  to  live 
up  to  it,  whereby  all  men  would  become  equal  inheritors  of  the 
earth  and  the  fruits  thereof,  whereby  the  gifts  of  genius,  of  in- 
dustry, of  energy,  and  of  forethought  should  contribute  to  the 
common  welfare  and  happiness  of  all  men,  not  to  be  hoarded  for 
the  benefit  of  their  possessors  only,  and  so  often  to  the  injury  of 
almost  all  the  rest. 

This  was  not  in  him — as  with  so  many  for  whom  the  lottery  of 
life  turns  out  nothing  but  blanks— a  blind  and  resentful  instinct 
that  would  pull  all  down  to  a  common  level;  but  a  sublime  faith 
that  all  may  be  lifted  to  the  highest  point  of   culture,   of  com- 
fort and  of  material  happiness  that  humanity  has  reached  in 
certain  classes,  or  ever  can  reach.     He  saw  a  promise  of  it  in  his 
earlier  years,  in  the  philosophy  of  Fourier,  and  spared  neither 
labor  nor  zeal  nor  fortune  so  long  as  hope  lasted.     He  saw  it 
lately  in  the  doctrine  of  Henry  George  upon  land  tenure;  and 
that  he  upheld  with  all   the  enthusiasm   and  devotion  of  his 
earlier  years,  and  died  in  the  hope  that  therein  was  found  the 
divine  law.     All  good  causes,  the  help  of  the  poor,  the  ignor- 
ant, the   criminal   and    the   enslaved,    had   always    his    ready 
sympathy  and  his  hearty  support,  as  partial  remedies  for  misfor- 
tune and  wrong;  but  underneath  them  all  he  was  always  seek- 
ing for  the  great  remedy  that  should  strike  at  the  root  of  all  the 
evils,  and  inequalities,  and  suffering  which  the  world  inherits 
from  generation  to  generation.     Whether  he  was  right  or  wrong 
in  his  profound  belief,  whether  the  establishment  of  any  such 
order  of  human  society  as  he  hoped  for  be  possible,  this  is  not 
the  place  to  discuss;  but  this,  at  least  is  true — that  he  who  lived 
out  more  than  the  allotted  term  of  three  score  years  and  ten, 

37 


578  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

and  for  fifty  of  those  years  governed  his  life  and  relations  to 
his  fellow-men  by  a  faith  so  pure,  so  beneficent  as  that,  was 
one  whose  memory  should  not  die,  for  it  will  be  indeed  ill  for 
the  world  when  the  good  men  have  so  'peiished  out  of  the 
earth'  that  'none  upright,'  such  as  he,  can  any  more  be 
found. 

"  It  was  in  accord  with  this  faith  that  Mr.  Shaw  should  have 
held  wealth  as  an  estate  in  trust.  No  one  knows  and  no  one  will 
ever  know,  among  all  of  those  whose  hearts  are  sorely  bruised 
at  his  death  for  love  of  the  man,  how  many  there  are  who  also 
mourn  the  loss  of  a  benefactor;  for  literally  his  left  hand  knew 
not  what  his  open  right  hand  did.  And  in  this,  as  in  all  things 
else,  he  was  guided  by  that  calm  Judgment  and  eminent  sense 
of  justice  which  distinguished  him.  He  could  turn  his  back 
promptly,  and  squarely  and  peremptorily  to  any  appeal, 
whether  for  jjrivate  aid  or  for  a  public  purpose,  that  did  not 
commend  itself  to  his  own  judgment;  regretting  perhaps  that  he 
might  grieve  a  friend  by  a  denial,  but  never  giving  a  thought 
to  how  much  he  might  shock  public  opinion.  So,  also,  he  was 
never  in  danger  of  wasting  his  possessions  in  his  zeal  for  pro- 
gress. Earnest  as  his  hopes  and  labors  were  that  the  world 
should  be  better  and  happier,  he  was  too  wise  to  suppose  that 
the  breakers  in  which  the  ship  was  tossing  couJd  be  stilled  by 
throwing  overboard  his  little  cask  of  oil.  He  put  it  to  a  wiser 
purpose,  caring  generously  for  his  own,  recognizing  as  a  first 
duty  that  nearest  at  hand,  and  enjoying  and  making  the  best 
possible  use  of  his  own  prosperity  as  an  unquestionable  per- 
sonal right,  the  sacrifice  of  which  would  not  advance  one  jot 
the  general  good  he  had  so  much  at  heart.  But  he  was  what  is 
considered,  perhaps  a  little  too  devoutly,  the  highest  type  of 
civilization,  'a  good  business  man,'  who  knew  how  to  draw 
exact  limitations  and  how  to  abide  by  them.  His  disposition  of 
his  income  was  systematic.  Undoubtedly  the  number  of  wealthy 
persons  who  believe  wealth  has  its  duties  is  increasing;  but  there 
are  still  very  few  who,  like  Mr.  Shaw,  believe  that  they  are 
entitled  to  a  moderate  proportion  only  of  that  in  their  hands, 
and  that  the  rest  should  be  held  as  a  trust  fund  to  be  conscien- 
tiously and  wisely  used  on  behalf  of  those  less  fortunate  than 
themselves. 

"  Of  his  amiability  and  equanimity  of  temper,  his  charming 
personal  presence,  the  uniform  courtesy,  the  unvarying  kind- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  579 

ness  of  manner  and  of  speech,  little  need  be  said  in  a  com- 
munity where  he  was  so  universally  known  to  both  old  and 
young.  The  pleasant  smile,  which  was  in  his  eyes  as  well  as 
upon  his  lips,  was  not  merely  a  greeting;  it  was  a  benediction. 
One  could  hardly  meet  him  and  not  feel  the  better  for  it,  almost 
without  knowing  why.  This  inborn  grace  of  a  noble  and 
kindly  nature  '  made  his  face  to  shine '  with  an  uncommon 
beauty  in  the  morning  of  his  days;  so  in  the  evening  of  his 
years  it  was  as  the  golden  sunset.  He  was  indeed  unworthy 
from  whom  it  could  be  averted.  If  we  read  aright  this  was 
the  lesson  of  his  life — a  profound  reverence  for  human  nature; 
a  profound  belief  in  man's  high  destiny;  and  an  untiring  de- 
votion to  what  he  accepted  as  his  duty  to  his  fellow  creatures. 

"He  died  willingly,  even  gladly;  no  more  questioning  than  he 
would  question  that  day  shall  follow  darkness,  that  he  was 
about  to  join  a  heavenly  company  of  loved  ones  who  had  gone 
before,  and  that  beyond  the  grave  he  should  find  that  king- 
dom of  heaven  which  he  had  hoped  might  come  on  earth,  and 
the  way  to  which  he  had  sought  so  diligently  and  so  long." 

SiMONSON.— Willem,  the  founder  of  the  family  on  Staten 
Island,  came  from  Holland  in  a  vessel,  the  "  Fox,"  in  1662.  His 
descendants  have  become  so  numerous  on  the  island  that  it  is 
impossible  to  trace  the  different  branches.  They  have  been 
large  freeholders,  and  many  of  them  at  the  present  time  are 
prominent  in  the  political  and  church  affairs  of  the  island. 
Aert  (Arthur)  in  1721  purchased  an  estate  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  at  Carle's  neck,  now  called  New  Springville,  and 
the  larger  part  of  this  land,  with  the  old  homestead,  is  still  in 
possession  of  his  family,  having  passed  from  father  to  son  in 
each  generation.  The  house  is  a  picturesque  old  stone  struc- 
ture shaded  by  a  magnificent  elm,  probably  the  largest  in  the 
county.  David  Simonson,  a  direct  descendant  and  the  xiresent 
owner  and  occupant,  is  one  of  the  largest  freeholders  on  the 
island.  Isaac,  a  grandson  of  Aert,  was  an  officer  of  the  old 
Dutch  Reformed  church  at  Port  Richmond,  and  in  1795  signed 
the  call  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Kirby  as  pastor. 

John,  a  grandson  of  Isaac,  served  in  the  war  of  18]  2,  and 
was  noted  as  a  man  of  deep  learning  and  the  possessor  of  a  fine 
library  containing  manj'^  rare  and  ancient  books. 

Jacob,  a  grandson  of  Isaac,  purchased  part  of  the  original 
estate  and  erected  a  handsome  residence  upon   it.     He  lived 


580  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY . 

there  for  the  greater  j)art  of  his  life,  and  bequeathed  the  same 
to  his  children  at  his  death.  He  served  as  supervisor  of  the 
town  of  Northfield  from  1833  to  1840,  and  in  1840  he  was  elected 
sheriff  of  the  county,  and  was  again  elected  supervisor  of  his 
town  in  1849.  He  died  April  4,  1883,  in  his  85th  year.  His 
children  are:  John,  William,  who  died  in  1882;  Isaac  J.,  a  flor- 
ist in  Barclay  street,  New  York;  Jacob,  a  dentist  in  Newark, 
and  Eliza  J.  Waters,  residing  in  New  York. 

John  W.,  son  of  Jacob  and  Ann  E.  Bedell,  his  first  wife,  was 
born  on  the  old  estate  December  23,  1826,  and  died  at  West 
New  Brighton,  December  28,  1882.  In  1857  he  was  elected  a 
vestryman  of  the  old  St.  Andrew's  church  at  Richmond,  and 
served  for  a  number  of  years. 

In  1863  he  was  apijointed  one  of  the  United  States  assessors 
of  the  internal  revenue  on  Staten  Island,  and  after  serving  the 
government  nine  years  resigned  the  office.  He  was  also  the 
resident  agent  for  the  island  of  the  Continental,  Phoenix  and 
Hanover  Fire  Insurance  Companies  of  New  York  from  1865  to 
1872.  In  1875  he  was  elected  a  trustee  of  the  village  of  New 
Brighton.  In  1880  he  was  elected  president  of  the  New  York 
City  Fire  Insurance  Company  and  served  until  his  death  in 
1882.  In  1881  he  was  appointed  resident  manager  for  the  United 
States  of  the  Standard  Fire  Office  of  London,  a  large  English 
corporation. 

He  was  also  prominent  in  the  Masonic  order,  being  a  Knight 
Templar  and  a  member  of  Palestine  Commandery,  New  York. 

In  1851  he  married  Charlotte  A.,  daughter  of  Stephen  D. 
Stephens,  a  prominent  citizen  of  the  island.  Three  of  their 
children,  Stephen  D.,  Anne  E.  and  Charles  E.,  are  now  living 
at  the  family  residence  in  West  New  Brighton.  Stephen  D., 
the  eldest  son  of  John  W.,  is  the  junior  member  of  the  firm  of 
Miller  &  Simonson,  who  are  the  agents  for  Staten  Island  of  the 
Liverpool  and  London  and  Globe  and  other  leading  fire  insur- 
ance companies.  And  he  is  also  one  of  the  trustees  of  the 
Richmond  County  Savings  Bank. 

Stilwell. — This  family  is  of  English  origin  and  was  here  at 
an  early  date.  The  first  mention  of  the  name,  with  reference 
to  the  island,  is  in  the  Albany  records,  where  a  piece  of  wood- 
land on  the  south  side  of  Fresh  kill  is  mentioned  as  belonging 
to  Daniel  Stilwell  in  1680.  There  is  also  mention  made  in  our 
county  records  of  Richard  in  1689,  of  John  in  1695-6  and  1708, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  581 

and  of  Thomas  in  1697  and  1704.  It  would  appear  then  that  at 
the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century  there  were  at  least  four 
families  of  the  name  in  the  county.  We  subjoin  the  names  of 
those  found  in  the  several  church  records. 

Elias  and  his  wife  Anne  Burbank  (she  was  probably  the 
daughter  of  Thomas  Burbank  and  Maritje  Martling.  See  Bur- 
bank  family),  had  a  son  Thomas  baptized  June  30,  1726,  and  a 
son  Daniel  baptized  March  24,  1728.  Thomas  married  Debora 
Martling,  and  had  a  son  Elias  baptized  June  10,  1747.  Nicholas 
born  January,  1747,  died  April  26,  1819.  Abraham  born  March, 
1750,  died  September  12,  1824. 

The  Stil wells  were  for  a  long  time  an  influential  and  prom- 
inent family  in  the  county,  and  members  of  it  filled  many  local 
offices  (see  civil  and  military  lists),  while  there  are  yet  several 
highly  respectable  individuals  among  them. 

Spragub. — The  tradition  in  the  family  is  that  three  brothers, 
Joseph,  Edward  and  John,  emigrated  simultaneously  from 
England,  but  the  date  of  that  event  is  lost;  it  must  have  been 
early,  however,  as  we  read  of  Jacob  Spragg,  who  must  have 
been  a  son  of  Joseph,  as  early  as  1729.  Of  these  brothers, 
Joseph  took  up  his  abode  on  Staten  Island;  of  the  other  two, 
one  settled  on  Long  Island,  and  one  in  Rhode  Island.  Wil- 
liam, whose  name  we  find  in  the  county  records  in  1767,  and 
Joseph  in  1772,  were  undoubtedly  grandsons  of  the  original 
Joseph.  The  original  Joseph  had  three  sons,  Jacob,  John  and 
Edward,  notwithstanding,  the  family  has  not  increased  very 
rapidly,  and  at  present  numbers  but  a  few  families,  mostly  con- 
fined to  the  town  of  Westfield.  The  only  notices  of  the  name 
in  the  old  record  of  St.  Andrew's  church,  are  the  following: 
Andrew  and  Catharine  Pryor  married  June  28,  1800.  Jacob 
and  Margaret  Wood  married  July  12,  1800.  Daniel,  whose 
wife's  name  was  Annatje  (Anna),  had  a  daughter  Susannah, 
baptized  July  18,  1762.  There  was  another  Daniel  whose  wife 
was  Maria  Poillon,  and  who  had  a  son  Jaques  baptized  March 
26,  1738,  and  a  son  Daniel,  baptized-April  4,  1736,  whose  wife's 
name  was  Ariantje,  and  had  a  son  Jeremiah,  born  December  1, 
1763. 

Here  we  abandon  the  attempt  further  to  trace  the  genealogy, 
and  give  the  remaining  names  which  we  have  collected,  leaving 
it  to  the  members  of  the  family  to  discover  their  own  an- 
cestors.    Sarah  Pareyn  (Perine),  wife  of  William  "  oMit,'"  had 


582  HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.       • 

twins,  William  and  Daniel,  baptized  September  6,  1719  (Post- 
humous). Jan  and  Elizabeth  Parein  (Perine)  had  a  son  John, 
baptized  November  15,  1719.  Thomas  and  Sarah  Van  Name 
had  a  son  Thomas,  baptized  December  22,  1723.  Daniel  and 
Catharine  Larzalere  had  a  son  Richard,  baptized  November  25, 
1739.  Joachim  and  Anna  Tenners  had  a  son  John,  baptized 
July  28,  1751,  and  a  son  Richard,  May  23,  1759.  Thomas  and 
Nancy  Fountain  had  a  son  Antone,  baptized  February  16,  1755. 
John  and  Helena  Van  Name  had  a  son  Elias  baptized  June  24, 
1752.  Richard  and  Jenneke  ( Jane)  Van  Name  had  a  son  Nicho- 
las, baptized  September  21,  1735. 

The  above  are  from  the  records  of  the  Dutch  church;  the  fol- 
lowing are  from  St.  Andrew's  :  Nicholas  (son  of  last  mentioned 
Richard)  and  his  wife  Effey  (Eva)  had  a  daughter  Catharine,  born 
November  13, 1761.  Jeremiah  and  his  wife  Yetty  had  a  son  Peter, 
born  April  30,  1764.  John  and  Oily  Taylor  were  married  Sep- 
tember 15,  1757.  Samuel  and  Hannah  Van  Pelt  were  married 
June  9,  1755.  Richard  and  Mary  his  wife  had  a  son  Daniel, 
born  February  7,  1770. 

Taylor. — Abraham  and  HarmintJ^Haughwout "^ad  the  fol- 
lowing children :  Ephraim,  baptized  OctobeT"23,  1711,  died 
young;  Altje,  (Alida),  baptized  May  18,  1710,  died  young; 
Rachel,  baptized  August  21,  1720;  Altje,  baptized  November 
25,  1722;  Peter,  baptized  July  4,  1725;  Ephraim,  baptized  April 
6,  1729;  and  Margaret,  baptized  November  23,  1715.  Ephraim 
married  Elizabeth  Morgan,  January  4,  1756.  Another  Ephraim, 
probably  father  of  Abraham,  had  a  son  Jan,  and  a  daughter 
Marietta,  both  baptized  in  1696. 

The  above  family,  though  English  in  name,  had  assimilated 
with  the  Dutch,  as  is  evident  from  the  names  of  some  of  them, 
and  are  found  in  the  records  of  the  Dutch  church.  The  fol- 
lowing are  found  in  the  records  of  St.  Andrew's  church,  and  are 
of  another  family.  Oliver  was  born  1687,  and  died  August  24, 
1771;  there  is  nothing  to  indicate  that  he  was  born  on  the  is- 
land, though  he  died  here.  Henry  and  Judith  had  a  son  John, 
born  September  20,  1770.  Oliver  and  Sarah,  daughter  Eliza- 
beth, born  August  24,  1771.  Henry  and  Lydia,  son  Abraham, 
baptized  in  1775.  John  and  Fanny,  son  Oliver,  born  September 
24,  ]791.  Benjamin  and  Ann  Decker  married  September  9, 
1791.     John  and  Sarah  Yates  married  January  7,  1804. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  583 

ToTTEN. — We  can  scarcely  consider  this  family  as  among  the 
old  families  of  the  island,  though  the  name  is  found  in  local 
records  for  more  than  a  century.  In  the  records  of  St.  Andrew's 
church  the  name  occurs  two  or  three  times,  until  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Methodist  church,  when  it  becomes  identified  with 
that  church.  Gilbert  was  one  of  ihe  first,  and  leading  men, 
connected  with  that  society. 

The  residence  of  the  families  bearing  the  name  has  been  al- 
most exclusively  in  the  town  of  Westfield,  and  the  thriving 
village  of  Tottenville  in  that  town  perpetuates  their  respecta- 
bility and  influence.  The  only  notices  of  the  name  in  church 
records,  other  than  those  of  the  Methodist  church,  are  as  fol- 
lows :  Silas  and  Charity,  his  wife,  had  two  sons  :  Joseph,  born 
August  10,  1765,  and  Ephraim,  born  February  24,  1768.  Joseph 
and  Mary  Cubberly  were  married  December  11,  1804. 

Ephraim  J.  Totten  was  born  March  30,  1806,  on  the  home- 
stead at  Tottenville,  where  he  remained  until  seventeen  years 
of  age.  Finding  the  life  of  a  mariner  more  attractive  than 
the  labor  of  the  farm,  he,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  became  mas- 
ter of  a  vessel  sailing  to  southern  coasts,  and  for  a  period  of 
twenty-two  years  continued  to  follow  the  sea.  In  1850,  Mr. 
Totten,  with  many  other  adventurous  spirits,  started  for  the  Pa- 
cific coast,  and  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  in  San  Francisco. 
He  had,  meanwhile,  purchased  the  homestead  farm,  his  present 
residence,  and  California  no  longer  proving  an  attractive  point, 
Tottenville  became  the  scen^  of  his  business  experiences.  Here, 
until  1874,  he  continued  a  leading  and  successful  merchant, 
finally  abandoning  the  store  and  retiring  to  his  attractive  farm. 
As  a  republican,  Mr.  Totten  has  been  an  influential  factor  in 
politics.  He  filled  the  ofiice  of  supervisor  for  the  years  1846- 
47,  was  a  member  of  the  state  legislature  in  1848,  and  has 
held  other  less  important  positions.  He  has  also  been  assessor 
and  member  of  the  excise  board.  Public  spirited  and  enter- 
prising, Tottenville  and  its  various  interests  have  been  ma- 
terially advanced  through  his  agency.  He  was  one  of  the  pro- 
jectors and  an  early  director  of  the  Staten  Island  Eailroad. 
Mr.  Totten  is  a  zealous  member  of  the  Bethel  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  of  which  he  has  been  for  thirty-three  years  re- 
cording steward,  and  equally  long  a  trustee.  The  lot  upon 
which  the  edifice  stands  was  donated  by  his  father.  Ephraim 
J.  Totten  was  married,  June  27,  1827,  to  Harriet,  daughter  of 


584  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUWTY. 

Jesse  Oakley.  Their  children  are:  Gilbert,  Julia  A.,  George 
O  ,  William  W.,  Prances  E.,  John  J.,  James  B.  and  Ella  G. 
The  death  of  Mrs.  Totten  occurred  in  August,  1866,  and  he 
was  again  married,  in  1870,  to  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Downer,  daughter 
of  Jeremiah  T.  Brower,  of  Belleville,  N.  J.  The  Totten  family 
are  of  Welsh  extraction,  three  brothers  having  emigrated  from 
Wales.  Gilbert  and  Joseph  settled  on  Staten  Island,  the  latter 
attaining  distinction  and  influence  as  a  Methodist  divine.  Gil- 
bert became  an  extensive  land  owner  on  Staten  Island,  married 
Mary  Butler  and  had  children  :  James,  John,  Joseph,  Eachel, 

Mary,   Letitia,  Elizabeth  and  .     John,  of  this  number, 

was  born  in  1771,  and  died  in  1847.  He  married  Nancy  Cole, 
of  Staten  Island,  and  had  twelve  children,  one  of  whom  is  the 
subject  of  this  biography. 

Tysen.— This  family  is  of  Dutch  origin.  Barne  Tysen  came 
from  Amsterdam  about  the  year  1660.  He  married  Maria 
Kroesen  in  1672.  He  applied  for  a  grant  of  land  in  1674  and 
obtained  grant  by  patent  from  Edmund  .Andros  in  1677.  He 
built  the  old  stone  house  on  the  land  granted  by  Andros.  He 
had  three  sons  :  4.braham,  Cornelius  and  David.  Abraham  had 
a  son,  Abraham  DeDecker  Tysen,  who  was  baptized  October 
21,  1707,  and  Cornelius  married  Clymer  Morgan  Classen  in 
1703;  but  we  have  been  unable  to  trace  their  descendants. 
David  married  Magdalena  Morgan  in  1698  and  died  in  1710, 
leaving  a  son,  Barent  Tysen,  who  was  born  February  4,  1699, 
married  Elizabeth  Swain  October  20,  1723,  and  died  December 
29,  1752,  leaving  one  son,  John  Tysen,  who  was  born  October 
10,  1731.  He  married  Cordelia  Bergen  May  1,  1757,  and .  died 
March  7, 1808.  He  was  elected  trustee  of  the  "  Reformed  Dutch 
Church  on  Staten  Island"  in  1787,  ordained  elder  in  1797  and 
was  several  times  supervisor  of  Northfield.  He  had  two  sons, 
John  and  Jacob.  John  was  born  March  17,  1758,  and  married 
Miss  Elizabeth  Jaques  March  21,  1798.  He  was  elected  deacon 
and  treasurer  of  the  "North  Dutch  Church"  in  1802  and 
remained  its  treasurer  until  his  death,  February  6,  1827.  The 
records  of  the  church  contain  the  following  : 

"Whereas,  God  in  his  Sovereign  Providence  has  removed  by 
Death  Capt.  John  Tysen,  Treasurer  of  this  Church,  who  died 
yesterday,  Feb'y  6,  1827,  Elder  of  this  Church  and  accordingly 
member  of  the  Consistoiy  of  the  same.  Whereupon  it  was 
unanimously 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  585 

"Resolved,  That  the  surviving  members  of  the  Consistory, 
as  a  suitable  mark  of  respect  for  the  usefulness,  piety,  faithful- 
ness and  zeal  of  said  deceased  Elder,  we  do  wear  crape  on  the 
left  arm  for  the  space  of  thirty  days  from  the  date  hereof." 

He  left  a  large  family,  of  whom  one  is  now  living — Charles 
Tysen,  residing  at  Port  Richmond. 

David  Jaques,  his  eldest  son,  was  born  August  28,  1807, 
married  Miss  Elizabeth  P.  Lake  December  29,  1831,  and  died 
March  27,  1885,  leaving  two  sons,  Daniel  W.  and  David  J., 
both  residing  at  New  Dorp. 

Isaac  F.,  another  son  of  John,  was  born  in  February,  1814, 
married  Miss  Cordelia  H.  Jackson  January  11,  1837,  and  died 
March  26,  1886,  leaving  one  son,  Robert  F.,  residing  in  New 
York  city. 

Jacob,  son  of  John,  Sen.,  was  born  October  8,  1773,  and  mar- 
ried Miss  Mary  Housman  February  6,  1794.  He  became  treas- 
urer of  the  North  Dutch  church  at  the  death  of  his  brother 
John.  He  was  judge,  state  senator  and  member  of  congress. 
He  died  July  16,  1848,  leaving  three  sons :  John,  Richard  and 
Raymond  M.  John,  the  eldest,  was  born  February  1,  1808, 
and  is  still  living  at  Schraalenburgh,  N.  J.  Richard  was  born 
May  13,  1805,  married  Miss  Elizabeth  W.  Ferine  May  19,  1830, 
and  died  February  2,  1866,  leaving  two  sons  :  Jacob  Raymond, 
residing  at  Jacksonville,  Florida,  and  Edward  P.,  residing  at 
New  Dorp.  Raymond  M.  was  born  October  14,  1819,  and  died 
May  8,  1851,  leaving  no  male  issue. 

The  records  show  that  this  family  has  been  largely  interested 
in  Staten  Island  realty,  and  David  J.  Tysen  is  now  one  of  the 
largest  owners  of  real  estate  in  the  county.  As  was  the  custom 
with  many  of  the  old  settlers,  for  a  century  or  more  they  buried 
in  their  family  burying  ground  on  their  homestead,  John  Tysen 
being  the  last  buried  there  in  1808. 

Van  Buskirk,  Van  Duzer.— Neither  of  these  can  be  re- 
garded as  old  Staten  Island  families.  There  was  a  Cornelius 
Van  Bnskirk  here  during  the  revolution,  but  he  came  from 
Bergen.  The  sites  of  tlie  Pavilion,  at  New  Brighton,  and  St. 
Peter's  church  now  occupy  a  part  of  his  farm.  His  dwelling 
house  stood  along  the  Shore  road,  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  upon 
which  St.  Mark's  hotel  stands,  and  is  alluded  to  elsewhere.  He 
had  a  son  who  owned  a  farm  on  the  road  leading  from  Quaran- 
tine to  Richmond  near  the  Clove  road.     Another  son  lived  at 


586  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

West  New  Brighton,  and  owned  the  mill  which  formerly  stood 
on  the  "Factory  Dock;"  his  wife  was  a  Schermerhorn  from 
Schenectady. 

The  Van  Buskirks  were  among  the  earliest  settlers  on  Bergen 
Point,  and  were  a  very  respectable  though  not  a  numerous 
family,  on  the  island.  Mrs.  Van  Duzer,  mother-in-law  of  Hon. 
H.  B.  Metcalfe,  married  a  son  of  the  original  Cornelius  Van 
Buskirk,  and  after  his  death  married  the  late  Daniel  Van  Duzer. 

The  Van  Duzer  family  originally  came  from  Long  Island,  and 
settled  on  Staten  IsJand  near  the  close  of  the  last  century. 

Daniel  Van  Duzer  left  at  least  two  sons,  John  H.  and  Daniel 
C,  both  now  deceased. 

John  H.  Van  Cxief  is  one  of  the  prominent  business  men  of 
Richmond  county  who,  by  industry  and  careful  methods,  has 
won  for  himself  success  and  reputation.  Mr.  Van  Clief  is  a 
grandson  of  Daniel  Van  Clief,  of  German  extraction,  who  settled 
on  a  farm  near  Garrison's  Station,  S.  I.,  previous  to  the  revolu- 
tion, and  who  was  four  times  wounded  daring  the  colonial 
struggle  for  independence.  The  family  enjoys  an  enviable 
record  for  patriotism  and  loyalty,  members  of  it  having  served 
in  the  war  of  1812,  in  the  Mexican  war  and  in  the  war  of  the 
rebellion.  One  of  its  members,  Benjamin  "Van  Clief,  died  on 
Staten  Island  of  a  wound  received  in  the  war  with  Mexico.  He 
was  a  son  of  Jesse  Van  Clief,  and  a  brother  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch. 

Jesse  Van  Clief  was  a  man  of  indomitable  courage  and  energy. 
He  was  a  ship  blacksmith  and  was  employed  in  the  construc- 
tion of  many  famous  war  ships,  among  which  was  the  "Consti- 
tution." While  working  upon  her  he  broke  his  leg,  and  in  order 
that  her  completion  might  not  be  delayed  he  allowed  himself  to 
be  transported  from  Staten  Island  to  the  Brooklyn  navy  yard 
on  a  couch,  after  which  he  superintended  the  rigging  of  the 
vessel  in  his  invalid  condition.  Afterward  he  fought  in  the 
war  of  1812,  in  which  he  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  his 
hearing. 

Jesse  Van  Clief  married  Miss  Margaret  Moore  (English)  and 
of  their  ten  children  John  was  the  fourth.  He  attended  private 
school  in  the  neighborhood  of  his  home  till  his  father's  death 
left  him,  at  the  age  of  ten,  an  orphan.  Though  thrown  upon  his 
own  resources  for  support  he  did  not  give  up  the  idea  of  edu- 
cating himself,  and  with  this  end  in  view  he  spent  many  of  his 


^^i^'t-'t^ 


HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  587 

the  night  school  at  Tompkinsville.  The  same 
spirit  which  characterized  him  in  this  has  attended  him  through 
his  whole  business  career.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  com- 
menced learning  the  trade  of  a  carpenter,  and  at  twenty-one  he 
engaged  in  contract  work  for  himself.  In  1854  he  discontinued 
contracting  and  started  in  the  lumber  business  at  Port  Rich- 
mond. The  success  which  he  has  attained  in  this,  as  in  his 
other  ventures,  is  well  known  on  Staten  Island,  and  is  entirely 
due  to  his  foresight  and  good  judgment. 

Mr.  Van  Clief  has  never  held  political  office,  though  he  has 
long  been  identified  with  the  politics  of  the  county  as  a  staunch 
democrat.  For  thirteen  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  Rich- 
mond County  Guard,  and  during  a  portion  of  that  time  served 
as  sergeant  of  the  company.  He  has  interested  himself  in  real 
estate  on  Staten  Island  of  which  he  is  a  large  holder,  and  his 
advice  in  regard  to  real  estate  and  land  values  generally,  is 
highly  esteemed  by  business  men.  He  was  married  July  17, 
1836,  to  Miss  Janette  Vreeland.  He  has  had  seven  children,  all 
of  whom  survive. 

The  Yanderbilts.— Staten  Island  is  remarkable  in  that  it 
was  the  birthplace  of  the  distinguished  American  railroad  king 
(Commodore)  Cornelius  Vanderbilt,  and  for  many  years  the 
residence  of  his  world-famous  son  and  heir,  William  H.  Van- 
derbilt. Without  a  sketch  of  their  lives,  whose  names  and 
those  of  their  descendants  are  interwoven  with  so  many  inci- 
dents of  its  progress,  a  history  of  Richmond  county  must  be 
incomplete. 

Commodore  Vanderbilt  was  of  Holland  Dutch  descent.  The 
common  ancestor  of  the  family  from  which  he  came,  Jan  (John) 
Aoertsen  Van  der  Bilt,  arrived  in  this  country  from  (van)  der 
Bilt  or  Bylt,  the  hill,  in  Holland,  about  1650,  and  took  up  his 
residence  near  Flatbush,  Long  Island.*  A  grandson  of  the 
latter,  Jacob  Van  der  Bilt,  in  1718,  purchased  from  his  father, 

*Jan  Aoertsen  Vander  Bildt  married  Dierber  Cornelius.  He  married  three 
times.  The  second  wife  is  assumed  to  have  been  the  ancestress,  as  the  name 
Cornelius  is  repeated  in  the  family.  Jacob  Janse  (son  of  John),  married,  August 
13,  1687,  Maritje  (Mary)  Vander  Vliet  (of  the  stream).  Jacob,  Jr.,  born  1692, 
bought  a  farm  on  Staten  Island,  1718,  whence  he  had  removed  from  Flatbush,  L. 
I.  It  will  be  seen  how  long  a  time  the  Vanderbilts  have  been  associated  with  the 
island.  He  connected  himself  with  the  Moravian  church  ;  married  Neeltje  (Cor- 
nelia) Denyse.  Jacob,  born  1783,  married  Mary  Hoogland.  Cornelius  married 
Phoebe  Hand,  February  3,  1787.  The  Cornelius  Vanderbilt  of  this  sketch  was 
their  son. 


588  HISTORY  OF  EIOHMOND  COUNTY. 

of  the  same  name,  a  farm  on  Staten  Island,  to  which  he  re- 
moved with  his  wife,  Eleanor.  It  was  he  who  founded  the 
Staten  Island  branch  of  the  Vanderbilt  family. 

For  more  than  a  century  his  hardy  descendants  developed 
nothing  of  a  remarkable  character.  They  were  quiet,  indus- 
trious farmers,  pious,  perhaps  to  a  fault,  and  liberal  in  their 
support  of  the  little  Moravian  church,  to  the  faith  of  which 
they  were  converted  by  some  of  the  persecuted  followers  of 
John  Huss,  then  settled  at  New  Dorp.  "Not  slothful  in  busi- 
ness, serving  the  Lord,"  is  a  motto  which  they  seem  early  to 
have  adopted,  and  to  have  followed  through  the  long  years  with 
most  commendable  consistency. 

On  May  27,  1794,  Cornelius  Vanderbilt  was  born,  at  the 
home  of  his  parents,  near  Stapleton.*  He  was  the  son  of  Cor- 
neliusVan  Derbilt  and  Phcebe  Hand,  and  the  great-grandson  of 
Jacob  Van  der  Bilt.  His  boyhood  and  youth  were  spent  very 
much  after  the  manner  of  other  farmers'  sons,  in  the  pursuit 
of  amusement  and  the  performance  of  minor  tasks  about  the 
homestead.  He  did  not  love  school,  and  early  acquired  a  taste 
for  a  seafaring  life.  But  his  mother,  a  woman  of  sound  com- 
mon sense,  won  him  from  his  dreams  with  a  practical  proposal, 
the  acceptance  of  which  by  him  started  her  son  on  that  won- 
derful career  which  finally  seated  him,  if  not  in  the  highest, 
then  in  the  most  useful  position  offered  by  modern  civilization 
as  a  goal  for  ambition.  The  proposal  was  this,  that  in  case  of 
his  completing  an  almost  impossible  piece  of  work  upon  the 
farm  before  a  certain  date  he  should  have  one  hundred  dollars, 
with  which  to  purchase  for  himself  a  boat.  He  accepted  the 
terms,  and  with  the  assistance  of  other  boys,  whom  he  interested 
in  the  project  by  offering  them  the  privilege  of  sailing  with  him, 
he  won  the  prize.  This  took  place  in  his  sixteenth  year,  and 
shortly  after  he  began  the  transportation  business  by  carry- 
ing passengers  to  and  from  Staten  Island  for  an  established  toll 
of  eighteen  cents.  Often  when  he  first  started  in  this  business 
he  would  forego  his  meals  to  ferry  excursion  parties  to  the  city 
and  secure  the  extra  reward  sure  to  follow. 

He  made  money  rapidly.     At  the  end  of  the  first  year  he  gave 

*The  name  Vanderbilt,  like  most  Dutch  names,  has  been  subjected  to  modifi- 
cation in  its  spelling.  Commodore  Vanderbilt  always  signed  it  with  a  capital  D, 
while  his  son,  William  H.,  and  the  present  representatives  of  the  family  write  it 
without  division — Vanderbilt. 


^^^  ^^^^^^ 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  589 

one  hundred  dollars  to  his  mother  for  the  boat,  and  one  thousand 
dollars  besides.  At  the  end  of  the  second  he  gave  her  another 
thousand  dollars,  and  had  secured  a  fractional  interest  in  two 
or  three  more  boats.  The  war  of  1812  also  furnished  him  many- 
opportunities  to  add  to  his  regular  business,  which  he  eagerly- 
seized,  and  from  which  he  profited  largely,  insomuch  that  he 
began  to  be  regarded  as  a  remarkable  youth.  While  engaged 
in  this  manner  he  developed  many  of  the  peculiarities  which  so 
distinguished  his  after  life,  especially  that  of  never  allowing 
himself  to  be  underbid  or  circumvented  by  any  person  or  in  any 
way.* 

In  his  nineteenth  year  Mr.  Vanderbilt  fell  in  love  with,  and 
married,  his  cousin.  Miss  Sophia  Johnson,  the  daughter  of  his 
father's  sister  Eleanor.  The  ceremony  took  place  November 
19,  1813.  Immediately  after  it  he  redoubled  his  efforts  to  place 
himself  on  a  solid  business  foundation.  From  the  profits  of  a 
contract  with  the  commissary  department  of  the  United  States 
for  delivering  food  to  the  six  forts  in  New  York  bay,  together 
with  other  moneys  which  he  had  accumulated,  he  built  a  small 
schooner  for  the  coasting  trade,  which  he  called  the  "Dread." 
The  following  year  he  built  a  much  larger  one  named  after  his 
sister  Charlotte,  and  placed  it  on  the  line  between  New  York 
and  Charleston.  About  this  time,  also,  he  began  to  study  the 
modelling  and  planning  of  vessels,  which  finally  ended  in  his 
abandoning  sails  for  the  then  modern  invention,  the  steamboat. 

The  end  of  1817  found  him  twenty- three  years  of  age,  mar- 
ried, with  nine  thousand  dollars  in  his  possession,  and  out  of 
business.  He  had  heartily  espoused  the  cause  of  Gibbons, 
proprietor  of  the  steam  line  between  New  York  city  and  New 
Brunswick,  N.  J.,  in  the  fight  which  that  gentleman  was  con- 
ducting against  the  Fulton  Livingston  New  York  steamboat 
monopoly.  Mr.  Gibbons,  knowing  his  quality  of  determination, 
and  appreciating  the  assistance  which  he  had  rendered  him, 
offered  Mr.  Vanderbilt  the  command  of  the  small  steamboat 
"  Mouse  of  the  Mountain,"  which  he  accepted  at  a  salary  of  one 
thousand  dollars  per  annum. 

For  twelve  years  he  remained  with  Gibbons,  fighting  continu- 
ally against  his  monopolistic  opponents.    During  this  period  he 

*Many  interesting  incidents  in  the  life  of  Commodore  Vanderbilt  may  be 
found  in  a  racy  little  volume,  by  W.  A.  Croffut,  entitled  "  The  Vanderbilts  "— 
Bedford,  Clarke  &  Co.,  1886. 


590  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

added  considerably  to  his  income  by  tlie  purchase  and  mainten- 
ance of  the  Half-wav  House  at  New  Brunswick,  where  ten  of 
his  thirteen  children  were  born.  Finally,  the  law  giving  Fulton 
Livingston  the  sole  right  to  run  steamboats  in  the  waters  of 
New  York  state  was  repealed,  and  Mr.  Vanderbilt,  feeling  that 
he  could  greatly  increase  his  income  by  engaging  in  business 
for  himself,  even  though  Gibbons  offered  him  an  equal  partner- 
ship in  his  line,  then  paying  forty  thousand  dollars  a  year, 
turned  his  eyes  in  the  direction  o£  the  Hudson  river  and  Long 
Island  sound  traffic.  For  the  purpose  of  facilitating  the  accom- 
plishment of  his  projects,  he  sold  his  hotel  and  removed  to  New 
York  city  with  his  family  in  1829.  He  resided  for  a  short  time 
in  Stone  street,  also  in  East  Broadway,  after  which  he  removed 
to  Stapleton,  Staten  Island,  where  he  built  the  commodious  and 
stately  residence  at  present  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  G-eorge  H. 
Daley. 

From  the  time  of  hi^  leaving  New  Brunswick,  Mr.  Vander- 
bilt made  money  rapidly,  and  the  schemes  which  he  put  into 
operation  for  the  increase  of  his  fortune  followed  each  other  in 
quick  succession.  In  the  spring  of  1830  he  commenced  running 
a  line  of  boats,  which  had  been  built  for  him  and  which  con- 
tained many  improvements  of  his  own  invention,  on  the  Hud- 
son river.  At  first  he  was  opposed  in  this  by  the  Stevenses, 
Daniel  Drew  and  Dean  Richmond,  all  of  whom,  however, 
rapidly  disappeared  before  his  unconquerable  management  and 
indomitable  industry.  For  five  years  after  leaving  Gibbons  he 
made  thirty  thousand  dollars  a  year,  which  he  doubled  after 
the  expiration  of  that  period.  At  the  age  of  forty  he  had  more 
than  a  score  of  vessels  running  in  all  directions,  and  the  num- 
ber was  so  rapidly  increasing  that  he  began  to  be  called  the 
Commodore,  a  name  which  ever  afterward  clung  to  him.  Be- 
tween 1840  and  1850  his  receipts  were  enormous,  and  he  realized 
that  people  were  looking  upon  his  extensive  operations  and 
growing  wealth  with  that  curiosity  which  phenomenal  success 
always  attracts. 

In  1849  he  commenced  his  famous  battle  with  the  Pacific  Mail 
Steamship  Company  by  transporting  passengers  across  Lake 
Nicaragua,  located  among  the  tops  of  the  Andes.  To  accom- 
plish this  he  was  obliged  to  get  a  small  side-wheel  steamer  ("The 
Director")  up  the  San  Juan  river,  full  of  cascades  and  rapids, 
which  he  succeeded  in  jumping  by  tying  down  the  safety  valve, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  591 

to  the  great  consternation  of  the  accompanying  engineers.  He 
made  more  than  one  million  dollars  a  year  in  Nicaragua,  besides 
the  income  from  his  other  enterprises  at  the  same  time.  In 
1853  he  sold  out  the  route  to  the  Transit  Line  and  started  on  his 
voyage  in  the  "North  Star,"  then  the  largest  steam  yacht 
ever  constructed.  Accompanying  him  were  his  wife  and  eleven 
children.  Everywhere  through  Europe  Mr.  Vanderbilt  was  re- 
ceived with  marked  respect  by  the  various  sovereigns  and  peo- 
ples, who  looked  upon  his  self-made  wealth  with  surprise  and 
wonder.  This  trip  gave  a  great  impetus  to  emigration,  and  was 
influential  in  bringing  to  this  country  many  who  recognized  in 
him  the  legitimate  product  of  free  institutions. 

On  his  return  to  America  Commodore  Yanderbilt  became  en- 
gaged in  an  altercation  with  the  Nicaragua  Transit  Company,^ 
which,  in  his  absence,  had  grown  rich  by  systematically  de- 
frauding him.  The  course  which  he  took  on  that  occasion  was 
characteristic.  After  first  warning  them  of  his  intentions,  he 
put  on  an  opposition  line,  and  in  one  year  the  Transit  Company 
was  bankrupt.  Nine  years  longer  he  continued  in  the  California 
business,  accumulating  not  less  than  ten  million  dollars;  but 
the  filibuster  Walker  put  an  end  to  farther  operations  by  seiz- 
ing the  Vanderbilt  franchise  and  nearly  capturing  his  steamers. 

Mr.  Vanderbilt' s  next  venture  was  in  the  direction  of  the 
transatlantic  traffic.  At  that  time  this  was  divided  between  the 
Cunard  Line  of  English  steamers  and  the  Collins  Weekly  Line 
(American).  These  furnished  only  half  the  service  required. 
The  commodore  offered  to  form  a  partnership  with  Collins,  but 
the  latter  declined,  fearing  that  if  Mr.  Vanderbilt  once  got  his 
hand  on  the  European  trade  he  would  monopolize  it  and  in  all 
probability  crowd  him  out.  For  some  time  tiie  commodore 
waged  war  with  his  voluntary  antagonist  over  the  United  States 
mails,  which  had  heretofore  been  carried  at  an  enormous  rate; 
and  finally,  when  Mr.  Collins'  power  at  Washington  was  too 
great  to  be  overthrown,  he  offered  to  carry  the  mails  for  noth- 
ing. President  Pierce  vetoed  the  Collins  subsidy  and  Mr. 
Vanderbilt  placed  the  three  steamers,  "Vanderbilt,"  "Ariel" 
and  "Harvest  Queen,"  on  the  route.  With  these  he  beat  the 
Collins  steamers  nine  times  out  of  ten.  He  soon  made  his  line 
the  favorite  of  travelers,  and  before  long  succeeded  in  so  mo- 
nopolizing the  trade  that  the  Collins  line  disappeared  from  the 
ocean.     For  years  he   continued  the  transatlantic  traffic,  and 


592  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

gave  it  up  only  when  he  found  that  the  rapidly  growing  railroad 
interests  of  the  country  furnished  him  with  a  better  invest- 
ment for  his  money.  At  the  time  he  commenced  to  put  money 
in  railroad  stock  he  had  built  fifty-one  steamboats  and  steam- 
ships, besides  schooners  and  other  vessels, and  he  was  the  largest 
employer  in  the  country.  He  owned  nearly  a  hundred  vessels, 
and  his  powerful  hand  was  felt  in  every  commercial  circle  in 
the  world. 

The  war  of  the  rebellion,  in  its  effect  upon  a  man  of  Mr. 
Vanderbilt's  wealth  and  temperament,  was  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance. From  its  outbreak  he  favored  offensive  measures, 
and,  together  with  Thurlow  Weed,  interested  himself  in  the 
sending  of  troops  to  the  front.  Mr.  Lincoln,  noticing  the  ardor 
with  which  he  espoused  the  federal  cause,  sent  for  him,  after 
the  sinking  of  the  "  Cumberland "  by  the  "  Merrimac,"  and 
offered  him  money  to  stop  the  progress  of  the  rebel  ram.  Re- 
fusing compensation,  he  returned  to  New  York,  received  a 
quota  of  government  seamen  aboard  his  favorite  ship  "Van- 
derbilt,"  and  soon  afterward  was  steaming  up  the  James  in  quest 
of  the  confederate  ram.  The  "Merrimac"  did  not  reappear, 
however,  and  the  commodore  wrote  to  Mr.  Lincoln  offering  him 
the  loan  of  his  ship  till  the  close  of  the  war.  Congress  ordered 
a  medal  struck  in  his  honor  and  presented  to  the  donor,  and 
the  "  Van  derbilt,"  then  probably  the  handsomest  and  best 
equipped  steamer  afloat,  and  representing  a  value  of  eight  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars,  passed  into  the  possession  of  the  United 
States  government. 

In  the  winter  of  1862-63,  Mr.  Vanderbilt  made  his  first  invest- 
ments in  railroad  stock,  a  move  which  at  the  time  was  consid- 
ered by  his  friends  to  be  impolitic.  He  was  then  in  his  69th 
year,  and  it  was  thought  that  the  intricate  methods  of  Wall 
street  would  be  too  much  for  his  declining  days.  But  the  fact 
that  in  the  next  fourteen  years  he  succeeded  in  withdrawing 
his  immense  fortune  entirely  from  its  maritime  investment, 
doubling  it  four  times  over,  and  obtaining  for  it  the  most  solid 
of  all  security  then  known  to  the  American  financier,  shows  the 
mental  power  which  he  possessed  and  the  clearness  of  his  Judg- 
ment. His  first  investment  was  in  Harlem,  then  selling  at  from 
seven  to  nine.  Under  the  impetus  of  his  name  it  soon  rose  to 
thirty,  and  shortly  afterward  to  par,  on  his  obtaining  from  the 
common  council  of  New  York  city  a  franchise  for  a  street  rail- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  593 

road  to  the  Battery.  The  phenomenal  rise  thus  given  the  stock 
excited  the  bears,  who,  after  selling  immense  quantities  of  Har- 
lem short,  attempted  to  injure  the  commodore  by  influencing 
the  withdrawal  of  the  street  franchise.  They  succeeded,  by 
forming  a  combination  with  the  aldermen,  in  having  the  charter 
repealed;  but  found  to  their  sorrow  that  he  had  outdone  them 
by  purchasing  all  the  stock  and  holding  it  in  his  possession. 
Some  of  it  sold  as  high  as  two  hundred  and  eighty-five,  and 
from  the  millions  which  he  realized  in  this  cornering  of  Harlem 
Mr.  Vanderbilt  began  investing  in  Hudson  River  stock,  then  (in 
the  fall  of  1863)  selling  at  twenty-five.  His  idea  was,  if  pos- 
sible, to  control  the  road  and  secure  its  consolidation  with  the 
Harlem.  For  this  purpose  he  went  to  Albany  and  secured  the 
promises  of  a  majority  of  the  legislators  that  they  would  give 
their  votes  in  favor  of  the  measure.  Again,  as  in  the  instance 
of  the  common  council,  he  found  that  duplicity  was  being  prac- 
ticed upon  him.  The  honorable  members  of  assembly  and  their 
friends  were  selling  Hudson  Eiver  short,  preparatory  to  break- 
ing their  pledges  and  defeating  the  bill.  This  caused  Mr.  Van- 
derbilt to  form  a  combination  with  John  Tobin,  afterward  pres- 
ident of  the  road,  and  Leonard  Jerome.  They  secured,  as  in 
the  Harlem  corner,  nearly  all  the  stock  of  the  road.  The  legis- 
lators went  on  selling  till  they  had  disposed  of  twenty-seven 
thousand  more  shares  of  stock  than  existed,  and  when  the  time 
came  to  cover  their  shorts  there  was  a  panic  in  Wall  street. 
Hundreds  were  ruined  outright,  and  Mr.  Vanderbilt' s  reputa- 
tion as  a  railroad  manipulator  was  firmly  maintained. 

The  acquisition  of  the  Hudson  River  Railroad  by  the  com- 
modore gave  him  great  power  over  the  transit  of  the  state,  which 
was,  however,  hampered  to  a  certain  extent  by  the  arbitrary 
conduct  of  the  New  York  Central,  under  the  control  of  Dean 
Richmond  and  Peter  Cagger.  These  gentlemen  adopted  a 
course  with  Mr.  Vanderbilt  which  was  from  the  first  calculated 
to  excite  his  displeasure.  They  refused  to  unite  with  him  in 
any  measure  for  the  better  accommodation  of  either  passengers 
or  freight,  and  caused  him  to  retaliate  by  a  bold  movement, 
which  finally  gained  him  possession  of  the  New  York  Central 
road.  Richmond  and  Cagger  had  been  in  the  habit  of  using 
Drew's  river  boats  as  an  outlet  for  their  freight  in  New  York 
city  during  the  summer  months,  but  in  the  winter  they  were 
obliged  to  send  it  over  the  Hudson  River  road.    Mr.  Vander- 

38 


594  HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  OOlTNTy. 

bilt  took  advantage  of  this  fact,  and  refused  to  run  any  trains 
to  Albany  during  the  winter,  thus  reducing  the  stock  of  the 
Central  more  than  fifteen  per  cent.,  after  which  he  bought  large 
amounts  of  it,  and  gained  the  management.  Three  years  later, 
November  1,  1869,  he  secured  its  consolidation  with  the  Hudson 
River  road  under  the  name  of  the  New  York  Central  and  Hud- 
son River  Railroad  Company.  Even  now  Mr.  Vanderbilt  found 
that  his  path  was  not  entirely  clear.  New  difficulties  presented 
themselves  in  the  senseless  and  ruinous  rate  cutting  of  the  Erie 
road,  against  which  all  his  remonstrances  were  in  vain.  After 
trying  in  various  ways  to  outwit  Daniel  Drew  and  his  friends, 
then  in  control  of  that  company,  he  decided  that  his  only  plan 
would  be  to  purchase  the  road.  He  accordingly  commenced  a 
rapid  absorption  of  Erie  stock,  while  Drew,  Pisk  and  Gould 
sold  short.  For  a  while  the  issue  of  the  battle  between  these 
giants  of  finance  seemed  doubtful,  but  the  odds  were  in  favor 
of  the  commodore.  No  one  suspected  the  trick  which  Drew 
and  his  companions  were  about  to  put  in  practice;  nothing  less, 
indeed,  than  the  issue  of  bogus  stock.  One  hundred  thousand 
shares  of  this  were  suddenly  thrown  on  the  market,  and  Mr. 
Vanderbilt  unknowingly  bought  the  whole  issue.  Immediately 
on  discovering  the  fraud,  he  put  the  machinery  of  the  law  in 
motion.  Drew,  Fisk  and  Gould  fled  to  New  Jersey,  carrying 
nearly  seven  million  dollars  of  greenbacks  with  them.  But 
they  were  finally  pressed  to  such  an  extent  by  Mr.  Vanderbilt' s 
lawyers  that  they  agreed  to  a  restitution  of  several  millions. 
The  commodore,  however,  never  fully  recovered  his  loss  in  this 
transaction.  After  the  matter  had  subsided,  he  made  no 
further  effort  to  obtain  control  of  the  Erie  road,  and  for  some 
years  devoted  his  energy  to  the  improvement  of  the  properties 
already  in  his  possession.  He  caused  the  tracks  of  the  Harlem 
and  New  York  Central  and  Hudson  River  Roads  to  be  relaid 
and  reballasted,  new  rolling  stock  was  added  to  their  outfit,  the 
St.  John's  Park  property  was  purchased  and  the  freight  depot 
erected.  A  charter  was  also  obtained  for  an  immense  union  de- 
pot at  Forty-second  street,  and  the  building  was  constructed, 
together  with  the  splendid  system  of  viaduct  tracks  forming 
the  entrance  to  the  city  of  the  northern,  western  and  eastern 
railroads.  This  was  accomplished  at  a  cost  of  six  million  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  half  of  which  was  borne  by  the  city 
of  New  York.     On  November  10,  1869,  the  famous  Albert  de 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  595 

Groot  bas-relief,  emblematical  of  Commodore  Vanderbilt's 
career,  was  unveiled  in  the  presence  of  more  than  ten  thousand 
people.  The  design  was  most  happy,  and  plainly  tells  the  story 
of  his  rise  from  farmer's  boy  to  railroad  king.  It  occupies  a 
position  over  the  east  front  of  the  depot  at  St.  John's  Park, 
and  it  is  said  to  have  cost  in  the  neighborhood  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  dollars.  The  vast  improvement  which  Mr. 
Vanderbilt  made  in  his  roads  by  the  constant  exercise  of  his 
managerial  skill,  together  with  their  ever-increasing  traffic,  add- 
ed greatly  to  their  value,  and  he  at  last  applied  to  the  legis- 
lature for  permission  to  increase  their  capital  stock  from  thirty- 
five  million  dollars  to  ninety  million  dollars.  This  was  granted, 
and  he  derived  as  his  personal  share  of  profit  from  the  transac- 
tion twenty-six  million  dollars. 

In  November,  1873,  Mr.  Vanderbilt  found  himself  obliged  by 
the  death  of  his  son-in-law,  Horace  F.  Clark,  who  had  formerly, 
through  his  position  of  president  of  the  Lake  Shore  &  Mich- 
igan Southern,  controlled  for  the  New  York  Central  road  an 
outlet  in  Chicago,  to  purchase  the  former  road.  The  advantage 
secured  by  rival  railroad  managers  through  the  combination  of 
the  Grand  Trunk  and  Great  Western  railroads  also  obliged  him 
later  on  to  secure  the  Canada  Southern  and  the  Michigan  Central, 
which,  when  added  to  his  former  acquisitions,  composed  the 
finest  and  best  equipped  railroad  property  in  the  world. 

The  commodore  met  with  the  loss  of  his  wife  August  17, 
1868.  Her  death  took  place  at  the  residence  of  her  son-in-law, 
Horace  F.  Clark,  where  she  was  visiting.  It  was  a  great  blow 
to  her  husband  and  family.  Mrs.  Vanderbilt  was  one  of  the 
noblest  of  women,  affectionate,  thoughtful  and  self-denying. 
She  had  borne  thirteen  children,  twelve  of  whom  reached  ma- 
turity. Her  burial  took  place  at  New  Dorp  in  the  presence  of  a 
crowd  of  affectionate  friends.  Among  the  pall  bearers  were  A. 
T.  Stewart  and  Horace  Greely. 

A  year  later,  in  1869,  Mr.  Vanderbilt  married,  at  the  little 
town  of  London  in  Canada,  another  of  his  cousins.  Miss  Frank 
A.  Crawford.  Augustus  Schell  and  James  Tillinghast  were  the 
sole  witnesses  of  this  ceremony.  The  second  Mrs.  Vanderbilt 
exercised  a  softening  and  refining  influence  over  her  husband, 
and  made  him  a  loving  and  attentive  companion  in  his  old  age. 
It  was  largely  due  to  her  influence  that  he  established  the  "Van- 
derbilt University,"  of  Tennessee,  at  a  cost  to  himself  of  §1,000,- 


596  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

000,  and  also  that  he  purchased  for  the  friend  of  his  latter  days, 
Eev.  Dr.  Deems,  "The  Church  of  the  Strangers,"  costing  $50,000. 

On  January  4,  1877,  the  great  railroad  king,  then  at  the  age 
of  eighty-three,  died.  His  funeral  excited  an  intensity  of  inter 
est  equal  to  that  shown  toward  no  other  man,  purely  of  a  private 
character,  who  had  preceded  him.  A  large  number  of  friends 
followed  his  body  to  its  last  resting  place  at  New  Dorp,  and  the 
items  of  his  will  were  telegraphed  to  all  parts  of  the  world,  where 
they  were  eagerly  sought  by  thousands  whose  interests  they 
might  incidentally  affect. 

Thus  passed  from  the  stage  of  usefulness  perhaps  the  ablest 
man  of  affairs  the  world  has  ever  seen.  He  left  behind  him  a 
large  family,  of  whom  William  Henry  Vanderbilt  was  the  eldest 
son.  On  examination  of  the  will  it  was  found  that  the  commo- 
dore had  left  the  bulk  of  his  fortune,  amounting  to  nearly  890,- 
000,000,  in  his  hands.  How  well  he  managed  the  trust  imposed 
on  him  by  his  father  will  be  seen  in  the  following  sketch  of  his 

life. 

William  Henry  Vanderbilt  was  born  at  New  Brunswick,  N. 
J.,  May  8,  1821.  For  four  years  he  attended  the  public  school 
in  that  place;  but  shortly  after  his  father's  removal  to  New 
York  city,  in  1829,  he  became  a  student  of  Columbia  G-rammar 
school. 

At  sixteen  he  began  his  business  career  as   a  ship  chandler, 
and  two  years  later  he  entered  the  office  of  Drew,  Robinson  & 
Co.,  bankers  on  Wall  street,  the  senior  partner  of   which  was 
Daniel  Drew.     The  young  man  had  been  for  some  time  consid- 
ering the  adverse  opinion  which  his  father  seemed  to  have 
formed  of  him.     He  saw  that  it  was  an  obstacle  to  his  progress, 
and  resolved  if  possible  to  remove  it.     With  this  end  in  view, 
he  devoted  himself  unreservedly  to  his  work,  and  as  a  result, 
his  advancement  at  the  bank  was  a  rapid  one.     On  entering  it 
his  salary  was  placed  at  $150  per  annum.     The  second  year  it 
was    $300,  and    the    third    it    was    $1,000.     At    the    age    of 
twenty  he  married  Miss     Maria     Louisa    Kissam,    daughter 
of  a  Brooklyn  clergyman  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  church,  and. 
with  her  he  went  to  board  in  East  Broadway.     His  father  was 
then  worth  in  the  neighborhood  of  $1,000,000,  but  he  had  made 
-tip  his  mind  that  his  sou  was  reckless  and  that  helping  him 
would  but  be  wasting  money;  so  he  allowed  him  to  live  on  as  he 
had  started,  without  his  aid.     At  last  the  young  man's  health 


2^^^ 


HISTORY  OP  "RICHMOND  COUNTY.  597 

gave  way,  and  his  physicians  notified  his  father  that  he  must 
be  taken  from  the  bank  or  the  result  might  prove  fatal. 

The  commodore  looked  about  for  some  means  of  employing 
his  son,  which  would  at  the  same  time  enable  him  to  recover  his 
health.  Finally  he  decided  on  purchasing  for  him  a  farm  at 
New  Dorp,  S.  I.,  between  the  old  Moravian  church  and  the  sea, 
and  to  it  William  and  his  wife  removed  (in  1842)  with  the  deter- 
mination that  they  would  make  the  best  of  the  situation.  The 
house  to  which  they  went  was  a  plain  two-story  structure  facing 
the  sea,  with  a  lean-to  for  a  kitchen.  It  probably  did  not  contain 
more  than  five  rooms.  The  farm  also  was  very  small,  and  was 
a  part  of  the  neglected  barrens  of  Staten  Island.  It  needed  to 
be  carefully  tilled  and  abundantly  fertilized  to  make  it  fruitful. 

From  the  first  Mr.  Vanderbilt  made  a  success  of  farming.  As 
at  the  bank,  he  gave  his  undivided  attention  to  the  task  before 
him,  and  got  as  much  as  was  possible  out  of  his  narrow  acres. 
His  rule  was  hard  work  during  the  day,  and  rest  at  night.  Essen- 
tially a  domestic  man,  he  lived,  while  at  New  Dorp,  and,  in  fact, 
during  his  whole  life,  always  with  and  for  his  family.  When 
he  left  Staten  Island,  on  his  father's  accession  to  the  control  of 
Harlem,  he  had  by  his  own  efforts  enlarged  his  farm  to  three 
hundred  and  fifty  acres,  re-built  his  house,  now  one  of  the 
finest  farm-houses  of  Richmond  county,  and  his  produce  was 
yielding  him  $1,000  a  montli  or  $12,000  a  year. 

The  construction  of  the  Staten  Island  railroad  shortly  before 
the  war  was  a  scheme  in  which  Mr.  Vanderbilt  had  deeply  inter- 
ested himself.  This  thoroughfare  proved  of  great  convenience, 
especially  to  the  farmers  and  residents  in  the  southern  portion 
of  the  island,  but  owing  to  bad  management  it  was  soon  over- 
laden with  debt,  and  it  became  necessary  to  place  it  in  the 
hands  of  a  receiver.  Through  his  father's  influence,  who  was 
then  a  principal  stockholder,  he  was  appointed  to  the  place. 
He  had  no  experience  as  a  manager,  but  he  began  by  applying 
rules  of  common  sense  to  the  task  before  him  ;  and  at  last  suc- 
ceeded, by  reducing  expenses,  stopping  leaks,  discovering  new- 
sources  of  patronage,  and  connecting  the  road  with  New  York 
city  by  an  independent  line  of  ferries,  in  placing  the  company 
on  such  a  footing  that  its  stock,  from  being  valueless,  rose  to 
$175  a  share.  All  this  was  accomplished  in  two  years,  and  as  a 
result  Mr.  Vanderbilt  was  made  president  of  the  road. 

From  this  time  forward,  the  commodore  looked  upon  his  son 


598  HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

with  more  favor.  He  soon  afterward  sent  him  to  Europe  to  look 
after  a  brother,  Captain  George  Yanderbilt,  whose  health  had 
been  wrecked  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  and  who  had  been 
spending  a  year  in  the  Riviera.  This  young  man,  his  father's 
favorite,  died  at  Paris,  not  long  after  his  brother's  arrival,  and 
subsequently  William  occupied  his  place  in  the  paternal  affec- 
tions. When  his  father  assumed  control  of  the  Harlem  Rail- 
road he  was  made  vice-president,  and  the  management  of  the 
commodore's  schemes  for  the  imjirovement  of  the  property  were 
all  intrusted  to  his  care.  He  soon  after  became  vice-president  of 
the  Hudson  River  Railroad,  and  on  the  consolidation  of  the  lat- 
ter with  the  New  York  Central  he  was  elected  vice-president  of 
the  combined  system.  He  put  into  operation  the  same  methods 
in  the  reconstruction  of  these  roads  which  had  been  used  by  him 
with  such  success  in  that  of  the  Staten  Island  road.  Expenses 
were  reduced  to  a  minimum  ;  old  ties  and  old  cars  were  burnt 
and  replaced  with  new  material ;  ornaments  were  removed  from 
locomotives,  superfluous  and  incompetent  employees  and  officers 
were  either  dispensed  with  entirely  or  replaced  by  men  whose 
ability  was  undoubted,  and  who,  together  with  the  intelligence 
which  directed  their  movements,  made  the  Vanderbilt  system 
of  railroads  what  it  is  to-day — the  finest  and  most  thoroughly 
equipped  in  the  world.  Its  value  was  so  greatly  enhanced  by 
Mr.  Vanderbilt' s  management  that,  although  the  amount  of  stock 
was  nearly  doubled,  its  selling  price  was  increased  from  $75  to 
$200  a  share. 

In  superintending  his  father's  roads,  Mr.  Vanderbilt  was  me- 
thodical and  industrious,  and  in  familiarizing  himself  with 
routine  work  he  gave  attention  to  the  minutest  details.  He 
carefully  investigated  every  department  of  the  vast  machinery 
under  his  charge,  and  probably  no  railroad  manager  in  the 
country  ever  became  more  conversant  with  the  necessities  of  his 
roads  than  did  he.  Together  with  his  father,  he  controlled  the 
great  trunk  line  to  Chicago  with  an  ability  never  before  mani- 
fested, and  his  addition  to  the  New  York  Central  railroad  of 
two  extra  tracks  for  freight,  made  that  road  the  greatest  com- 
mercial highway  in  the  country. 

At   the  age  of    fifty-five,  on  his  father's  death,    Mr.   Van- 
derbilt became  the  possessor  of  the  greater  part  of  his  estate 
amounting  to  nearly  $90,000,000.     The  interests  which  the  com- 
modore held  seemed  to  render  this  disposition  of  his  fortune 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  599 

necessary,  and  the  wisdom  of  his  will  has  been  many  times  re- 
cognized by  the  American  public  since  his  death.  The  passage 
of  this  immense  amount  from  father  to  son  was  unaccompanied 
by  any  downward  tendency  of  values,  and  was  managed  by  Mr. 
Vanderbilt  with  such  ability  that  it  created  no  jar  or  friction  in 
financial  circles.  He  at  once  became  president  of  all  the  roads 
of  which  he  had  before  been  vice-president;  but  his  relation  to 
affairs  remained  substantially  the  same. 

The  first  year  after  his  father's  death  was  signalized  by  vig- 
orous rate  cutting  among  the  trunk  lines  in  west  bound  freight. 
Mr.  Vanderbilt  from  the  first  looked  for  a  peaceful  solution  of 
the  difficulty,  and  his  suggestion  in  favor  of  a  compromise  was 
finally  adopted.  But  trouble  in  this  direction  was  hardly  over 
when  the  railroad  strikes  and  riots  began.  The  cutting  of  rates 
had  been  the  cause  of  reduced  wages,  and  ten  per  cent,  had  been 
taken  from  the  employees  of  the  Vanderbilt  roads.  At  the 
time  Mr.  Vanderbilt  was  at  Saratoga,  from  which  place,  appre- 
hending an  outbreak,  he  sent  out  a  proclamation  to  the  effect 
that  the  New  York  Central  would  give  to  those  in  its  employ, 
the  departmental  and  clerical  forces  excepted,  $100,000,  to  be 
divided  ratably.  He  also  promised  a  restoration  of  old  rates  as 
soon  as  the  business  of  the  road  warranted  the  action.  This 
quieted  the  apprehensions  of  his  employees,  and  subsequently 
no  difficulty  of  the  kind  has  been  known  on  any  road  under  his 
control. 

In  the  life  of  a  man  of  Mr.  Vanderbilt' s  prominence,  im- 
portant events  follow  each  other  rapidly.  No  sooner  had  the 
last  mentioned  trouble  been  obviated  than  an  attempt  was  made 
by  one  or  two  of  the  commodore's  heirs  to  break  his  will.  The 
interests  which  he  had  at  stake  compelled  Mr.  Vanderbilt  to 
defend  himself  to  the  extent  of  convincing  aspiring  contestants 
that  his  position  was  entirely  tenable.  When  he  had  gained 
this  point,  however,  he  brought  the  suit  to  a  peaceable  termina- 
tion by  compromise.  To  his  epileptic  brother,  Cornelius  J.,  he 
gave  $1,000,000,  and  to  each  of  his  sisters  $500,000,  in  addition 
to  the  amounts  already  given  them  by  the  will  of  their  father. 

After  the  commodore's  death,  Mr.  Vanderbilt  completed  the 
purchase  of  the  Canada  Southern  Railroad.  This,  together  with 
other  acquisitions  which  he  made,  added  considerably  to  his 
already  immense  income;  and  he  soon  began  at  Fifth  avenue 
and  Fifty-first  street  the  construction  of  the  elegant  residence 


600  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

in  which  he  died,  and  descriptions  of  which  have  been  plenti- 
fully circulated  in  the  newspapers  ever  since  its  completion. 
Work  was  begun  on  the  building  in  1879,  and  was  pushed  with 
such  energy  that  the  structure  was  completed  in  two  years. 
Six  hundred  workmen  were  employed  upon  it  and  sixty  sculp- 
tors, brought  especially  from  Europe,  were  kept  busy  during 
the  same  length  of  time.  The  cost  of  the  double  home  was 
$2,000,000,  and  the  art  gallery  was  furnished  at  an  additional 
expense  of  $1,500,000.  The  collection  of  paintings,  two  hun- 
dred in  number,  representing  the  best  modern  artists  of  France, 
is  said  to  be  the  most  complete  in  the  world.  Mr.  Vander- 
bilt  gave  much  attention  to  its  constrnction,  as  a  result  of  which 
he  probably  secured  for  himself  the  finest  private  residence  in 
America. 

The  love  of  Mr.  Vanderbilt  for  out  door  exercises,  and  especi- 
ally for  fast  driving,  was  a  theme  of  conversation  in  si^orting 
circles,  not  only  throughout  this  country  but  also  in  Europe. 
After  the  decease  of  his  father  he  essayed  to  take  his  place  upon 
the  road.  He  bought  Lady  Mac  to  match  with  Small  Hopes, 
and  astonished  the  public  by  driving  the  team  to  a  top  road 
wagon  over  the  Fleetwood  park  course  in  2.23^.  This  was  the 
beginning  of  the  rage  for  fast  teams.  Others  competed  with 
Mr.  Vanderbilt,  and  the  excitement  on  the  boulevards  and 
avenues  above  Central  Park  was  unprecedented.  Discovering 
that  Small  Hopes  and  Lady  Mac  would  not  be  able  to  main- 
tain his  prestige,  he  secured  Aldine  and  Early  Rose,  which 
were  driven  together  at  Hartford  in  2.16J.  Shortly  afterward 
Frank  Work's  team  beat  the  record,  and  on  June  14th,  1883, 
Mr.  Vanderbilt  took  his  fastest  ride  behind  his  team,  Maud  S. 
and  Aldine,  in  2.15^,  the  wagon  together  with  himself  weighing 
four  hundred  pounds.  This  time  has  never  been  beaten.  Among 
other  fast  horses  which  Mr.  Vanderbilt  owned  were  Leander 
and  Lysander,  and  Bay  Dick  and  Charles  Dickens. 

It  is  not  nor  will  it  ever  be  known  how  much  Mr.  Vanderbilt 
gave  to  charities.  His  method  of  doing  this  was  so  secretive 
that  his  contributions  seldom  reached  the  public  ear.  His  hand 
was  constantly  in  his  pocket.  Realizing  the  fact  that  he  had 
duties  toward  those  who  were  less  fortunate  than  himself,  he 
performed  them  without  hesitation.  Old  friends  of  his  father 
who  were  needy,  employees  of  the  Central  suddenly  afflicted  or 
disal^led,  he  helped  without  stint.     He  added  8200,000  to  the 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  601 

endowment  of  the  Vanderbilt  University,  and  gave  $100,000  for 
the  Theologica]  school.  The  latter  went  to  bnild  a  hall  which 
was  dedicated  on  the  donor's  birthday,  May  8,  1881.  Two 
weeks  before  his  death  he  gave  $10,000  for  the  formation  of  a 
library  for  use  at  the  university.  No  one  was  more  sensitive 
to  public  opinion  than  was  he.  He  studiously  avoided  public 
honors,  and  always  gave,  where  he  could,  to  already  established 
institutions.  In  pursuance  of  this  custom  he  gave  to  the 
" College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons"  $500,000,  to  which  his 
daughter,  Mrs.  Sloan,  and  her  husband,  William  J.  Sloan,  one 
year  later  added  $250,000.  At  the  time  of  the  Grant- Ward 
failure,  he  made  strenuous  efforts,  without  avail,  to  induce  G-en- 
eral  Grant  to  accept  as  a  gift  §150,000  previously  loaned  him, 
but  which  obligation  the  general  through  unforseen  difficulties 
had  been  unable  to  meet.  Among  his  minor  gifts  were  $50,000 
to  remove  the  debt  of  the  church  of  St.  Bartholomew  and 
$10,000  to  the  Deem's  fund  for  the  education  of  poor  young 
men  at  the  University  of  North  Carolina.  He  also  con- 
tributed to  the  University  of  Virginia,  and  made  innumerable 
private  donations  of  which  tlie  public  has  no  knowledge.  In 
his  will  he  left  $900,000  to  charity,  and  it  is  said  that  the  last 
check  signed  by  him,  within  three  hours  of  his  death,  was  for 
a  charitable  object.  When  spoken  to  in  regard  to  the  re- 
moval of  the  obelisk  to  this  country  from  Egypt,  he  immedi- 
ately agreed  to  bear  the  expense,  amounting  to  more  than 
$100,000. 

In  his  latter  days  Mr.  Vanderbilt' s  health  became  much  im- 
paired, and  he  was  disposed  to  lean  upon  his  sons  for  counsel 
and  advice.  He  also  took  frequent  and  more  extended  vaca- 
tions, sometimes  going  to  Europe  and  returning  on  the  same 
steamer.  It  was  partly  for  this  reason,  and  partly  to  silence  the 
senseless  clamor  of  the  socialistic  elements  of  society,  that  he 
sold  $35,000,000  of  the  New  York  Central  stock,  which  he  ac- 
complished at  one  time  without  weakening  its  value  or  depress- 
ing the  money  market.  This  immense  number  of  shares  was 
purchased  by  a  syndicate  composed  of  the  following:  J.  S. 
Morgan  &  Co.,  of  London,  Drexel,  Morgan  &  Co.,  August 
Belmont  &  Co.,  L.  Van  Hoffman  &  Co.,  Morton,  Bliss  &  Co., 
Winslow,  Lanier  &  Co.,  Edwin  D.  Morgan,  Cyrus  W.  Field, 
Jay  Gould,  Russell  Sage  and  others.  They  took  250,000  shares 
at  $120,  ten  points  below  the  market  price,  on  condition  that 


602  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

the  syndicate  should  have  a  corresponding  representation  in  the 
directory  of  the  Central,  and  that  Mr.  Vanderbilt  should  not 
place  any  of  the  stock  of  the  road  upon  the  market  for  one 
year.  The  $35,000,000  thus  withdrawn  was  promptly  reinvested 
in  government  bonds,  which,  together  with  moneys  already 
placed  in  the  same  manner  made  a  total  of  $53,000,000  in  gov- 
ernment bonds,  of  which.  Mr.  Vanderbilt  was  the  possessor. 

During  the  construction  of  the  "Nickel  Plate"  railroad,  Mr. 
Vanderbilt' s  interests  compelled  him  to  make  every  effort  to 
prevent  its  completion.  Finally,  when  these  failed,  he  purchased 
the  road.  His  second  son,  William  K.,  carried  on  the  negotia- 
tions, and  was  shortly  afterward  elected  its  president.  After 
this  transaction,  on  May  3d,  1883,  Mr.  Vanderbilt  resigned  the 
presidencies  of  the  various  railroads  of  which  for  more  than  six 
years  he  had  been  the  honored  head.  The  event  was  heralded 
by  the  press  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  various  reasons  were 
assigned  for  the  action.  The  truth  of  the  matter  was  simply 
that  he  was  overworked  and  his  health  fatally  impaired.  De- 
cember 8,  1885,  three  years  after  his  resignation,  he  died  at 
his  home  in  New  York  city,  of  paralysis,  a  second  attack. 

His  latest  operations  were  made  in  Chicago  &  Northwest- 
ern, Omaha  and  Philadelphia  &  Reading.  He  also  arranged 
the  details  of  the  purchase  of  the  bankrupt  West  Shore  rail- 
road. 

Mr.  Vanderbilt  left  behind  him  his  wife,  four  sons  and  four 
daughters.  He  had  more  than  doubled  the  fortune  left  him  by 
his  father,  and  was  reputed  at  the  time  of  his  death  to  be  worth 
in  the  neighborhood  of  $200,000,000.  The  manner  in  which  this 
was  invested  admitted  of  a  more  equal  distribution  than  his 
father  had  been  enabled  to  make  of  his  estate  ten  years  before, 
and  of  the  eight  children  surviving  him,  not  one  received  less 
than  $10,000,000.  The  two  eldest  sons,  Cornelius  and  William 
K.,  however,  inherited  the  balk  of  the  fortune,  amounting  to 
nearly  $120,000,000.  Of  the  two,  the  oldest,  Cornelias,  now  in 
his  forty-second  year  and  worth  probably  $80,000,000,  is  prop- 
erly recognized  as  his  father's  chief  successor.  He  has  long 
been  looked  upon  in  the  financial  world  as  a  young  man  of  far- 
seeing  and  correct  judgment,  and  he  has  already  evinced  great 
skill  and  ability  in  his  management  of  his  immense  estate. 

In  concluding  this  sketch  of  two  individuals  whose  names 
during  the  last  half  century  of  the  country's  history  have  at- 


HISTORY  0¥  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  603 

tracted  so  much  attention  and  inquiry,  it  is  perhaps  proper  for 
us  to  glance  a  moment  at  the  qualities  which  succeeded  ingath- 
ering, and  those  which  retained  this  greatest  of  all  the  vast 
estates  of  which  the  world  has  any  knowledge. 

Commodore  Vanderbilt,  the  founder,  was  a  poor  farmer's 
son.  He  inherited  a  strong  physique,  indomitable  energy  and 
an  earnestness  of  purpose  which  is  noticable  through  his  whole 
business  career.  To  these  he  added  ambition;  one  which  en- 
abled him  to  laugh  at  obstacles  and  even  at  defeat,  and  carried 
for  him  many  points  which,  had  they  gone  adversely,  might 
have  ruined  his  prospects  forever.  Armed  thus,  and  with  an 
intelligence  capable  of  grasping  with  ease  problems  which  had 
been  the  bane  of  financiers  and  statesmen  for  years,  he  stepped 
upon  the  field  of  action  at  a  time  when  the  present  all-pervad- 
ing spirit  of  mercantileism  was  in  its  infancy.  The  first  issae 
which  stared  him  squarely  in  the  face  was  the  necessity  for  hard 
work  and  earnest  endeavor  in  his  own  behalf.  Where  others 
might  have  bemoaned  the  ill  fortune  which  compelled  the  ac- 
tion, he  accepted  the  world  for  just  what  it  was,  strove  vigor- 
ously, and,  seizing  the  tide  of  fortune  at  the  ebb,  marched  on  to 
usefulness  and  to  success.  No  man  ever  exercised  a  more  im- 
portant influence  on  the  times  in  which  he  lived  than  did  he. 
Many  passages  of  his  life  read  like  romances  and  suggest  the 
providence  of  the  Almighty  in  placing  such  a  man  in  such  a 
position.  For  many  years  he  busied  himself  in  providing  ways 
and  means  for  the  transportation  of  population  and  commerce 
to  and  from  his  native  land,  and  finally,  when  he  found  the  in- 
ternal highways  of  his  country  blocked  and  in  the  hands  of 
wreckers,  he  made  his  entry  upon  the  scene,  and  like  the  hero 
in  the  play,  struck  boldly  at  the  evil,  and  provided  a  sure 
remedy.  He  and  such  as  he  are  in  the  highest  sense  useful. 
They  may  acquire  fortunes  which  are  looked  upon  by  large 
numbers  with  envious  eyes,  but  they  give  to  the  state  what  they 
can  never  take  away,  far-reaching  prosperity  resting  on  a  basis 
sound  as  their  own  judgment. 

No  less  useful,  but  far  different  in  his  characteristics,  was  the 
commodore's  favored  son  and  heir.  The  father  was  cold,  gruff 
and  inclined  to  argument;  the  son  the  direct  opposite  in  every 
respect.  Each  seems  to  have  been  made  for  a  special  sphere  in 
life,  and  each  to  have  occupied  it.  It  is  doubtful  whether  or 
not,  had  the  commodore  lived   till  now,  his  naturally  uncom- 


604  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

promising  disposition  would  have  been  able  to  deal  as  success- 
fully with  the  railroad  strikes,  the  Nickel  Plate  and  West  Shore 
difficulties,  or  even  the  cutting  of  west-bound  freight  rates,  as 
did  his  son.  That  he  would  have  met  these  troubles  there  is 
no  doubt,  but  his  disposition  would  probably  have  led  him  to 
light  them  all  to  the  bitter  end,  a  course  which,  in  the  present 
state  of  the  country  and  of  the  transportation  system,  would 
have  proved  a  mistake.  William  H. Vanderbilt  left  behind  him 
the  record  of  a  life  well  led,  a  course  well  run.  His  lat- 
ter days  were  not  his  happiest.  The  great  fortune  in  his 
hands  was  not  a  means  of  comfort.  It  weighed  heavily 
upon  him  as  a  public  trust,  and  not  as  a  source  of  pri- 
vate gratification.  He  finally  sank  with  a  sigh  of  relief, 
wearied  beneath  its  weight.  How  appropriate  that  he  should 
be  buried  on  Staten  Island  in  sight  of  the  very  home  in 
which  he  spent  so  many  happy  hours  with  his  loving  wife 
and  children  by  his  side.  The  same  breezes  which,  as  they 
pass  the  vaults  and  headstones  of  gamblers  and  railroad  wreck- 
ers, shriek  and  groan  disapprobation,  smile  as  they  take  from 
the  costly  mausoleum  at  New  Dorp  the  clear  records  of  Com- 
modore Vanderbilt  and  his  son  and  hurry  them  on  to  their  de- 
scendants in  the  metropolis  beyond.  A  heritage  of  usefulness 
such  as  they  left  to  their  children  is  of  more  value,  and  will  be 
justly  considered  so  by  thoughtful  and  conscientious  people, 
than  all  the  dollars  which  Providence  has  placed  in  their  hands. 

Captain  Jacob  Hand  Vanderbilt  was  born  on  the  eastern 
shore  of  Staten  Island,  on  September  2,  1807.  His  ancestors 
were  of  Dutch  origin,  and  had  resided  on  the  island  from  the 
earliest  times.  A  few  years  before  his  birth,  his  father,  Cor- 
nelius Vanderbilt,  had  removed  from  the  north  shore,  where 
he  had  lived  on  the  site  of  the  present  residence  of  Read  Bene- 
dict, Esq.,  and  where  the  captain' s  brother,'  Cornelius,  had  been 
born  in  1794.  The  homestead  on  the  eastern  shore  was  located 
on  the  west  side  of  the  shore  road,  in  the  settlement  now  known 
Stapleton,  and  adjoined,  on  the  south,  the  site  upon  which  Com- 
modore Cornelius  Vanderbilt  subsequently  built  a  residence 
for  himself.  Connected  with  it  was  a  farm  of  about  forty 
acres,  extending  to  the  south  and  west. 

In  those  early  days  of  Staten  Island  neighbors  were  few,  and 
life  quiet  and  simple. 

Between  Duxbury's  Point,  a  short    distance   north  of  the 


HISTOBY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  60o 

United  States  Lighthouse  grounds,  and  the  Narrows  there  were 
but  twelve  houses,  and  these  were  occupied  by  farmers,  who 
also  took  no  small  interest  in  the  neighboring  fisheries. 

The  meal  and  flour  for  family  use  were  ground  at  the  Clove 
mill  or  by  the  tide  mill  on  the  South  beach,  and  each  farmer 
supplied  his  family  with  meat  from  his  own  cattle. 

Doctors  and  lawyers  were  very  few  and  rarely  employed  ; 
there  were  no  shops  on  the  island,  and  the  pedlar  with  his 
pack,  or  the  merchants  of  the  neighboring  city,  who  were  visited 
once  or  twice  a  year,  supplied  the  various  necessary  articles 
which  a  farming  and  fishing  community  could  not  produce. 

A  conch  shell,  sounded  in  the  morning  toward  the  hills  from 
the  little  wharf  in  front  of  the  Vanderbilt  homestead,  hastened 
the  pace  of  the  farm  horse  or  the  feet  of  the  laggard  that 
bore  to  the  ferry  the  traveller  to  the  city.      , 

The  undecked  periauger  of  farmer  Vanderbilt,  Senior,  with  its 
two  lug  sails,  would  at  last  draw  out  from  the  shore,  perhaps 
have  a  brush  with  the  rival  boat  of  his  near  neighbor.  Van 
Duzer,  and  then  settle  down  with  a  steady  favoring  breeze  for 
a  six  mile  run  to  Whitehall  slip  in  the  city,  or,  perhaps,  a  slow 
trip  in  a  calm  over  the  Jersey  shallows  where  oars  and  poles 
furnished  the  motive  power. 

Mrs.  Phebe  Vanderbilt,  the  mother,  was  a  woman  of  ability, 
force  of  character  and  piety.  In  her  co-operation  her  husband 
always  felt  that  he  had  a  powerful  resource,  and  to  the  quali- 
ties which  she  transmitted  to  her  two  sons  they  have  been 
largely  indebted  for  the  prominence  and  influence  which  they 
subsequently  attained. 

Under  these  influences  of  surrounding  nature  and  domestic 
life  young  Captain  Vanderbilt  grew  up,  acquiring  the  common 
school  education  of  the  times,  and  at  an  early  age  began  to 
"follow  the  water." 

At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  had  risen  to  the  command  of  a 
steamboat,  and  from  that  time  onward  he  rose  steadily  in  the 
importance  of  his  business  engagements  and  adventures,  which 
were  chiefly  connected  with  the  conduct  of  steamboat  lines  on 
Long  Island  sound,  the  Connecticut  and  Hudson  rivers. 

In  1834  he  married  Euphemia  Maria  Banta,  a  descendant  of 
General  Israel  Putnam,  whose  personal  and  mental  charms, 
joined  with  her  widespread  benevolence,  made  her  a  leader  in 
society  and,  at  the  same  time,  beloved  of   the  poor  and  dis- 


606  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

tressed,  from  an  early  age  until  her  death  which  occurred  in 

1877. 

Three  of  Captain  Vanderbilt's  children  are  living:  a  son, 
bearing  his  own  name ;  Ellen,  widow  of  Herman  D.  Csesar,  son 
of  Senator  Csesar,  of  Bremen,  and  Clara,  wife  of  James  Mc- 
Namee,  of  the  bar  of  New  York. 

Since  the  close  of  the  rebellion  Captain  Yanderbilt  has  lived 
in  a  beautiful  home,  known  as  "Clove  Hill,"  on  the  heights  of 
Staten  Island,  in  retirement  from  business,  excepting  that,  in- 
stead of  completely  ceasing  from  the  activity  of  a  long  and 
busy  life,  he  filled  for  nearly  twenty  years  before  1884  the  posi- 
tion of  president  of  the  Staten  Island  East  Shore  railroad  and 
ferry. 

Many  of  his  contemporaries  have  passed  away  and  men  of 
different  training  and  stamp  have  come  and  are  coming  upon 
the  scene  of  business  life,  but  to  his  many  friends  and  acquain- 
tances, who  yet  survive  out  of  the  multitude  that  have  known 
him.  Captain  Vanderbilt  will  always  be  known  as  a  man  of  ac- 
tion, sturdy  integrity,  modest  disposition,  yet  great  force  of 
character,  kind  heart,  notwithstanding  a  certain  direct  and 
sometimes  brusque  address,  and  always  a  comforter  of  the 
desponding. 

His  love  of  horses  is  well  known,  and  the  furious  speeding  of 
his  favorite  trotters  over  the  "Lane,"  in  New  York  city,  and  on 
the  roads  of  Staten  Island  will  long  be  remembered. 

The  old-fashioned  race  of  native  Americans,  to  whose  labor, 
energy,  disdain  of  ease  and  hatred  of  underhand  business 
methods  this  country  is  indebted  for  its  foundations,  has  nearly 
passed  away. 

To  this  class  of  men  Captain  Yanderbilt  belongs,  and  to  those 
who  know  him  and  the  history  of  his  life,  he  is  to-day  the  most 
picturesque  and  interesting  figure  among  all  the  residents  of 
his  native  island. 

The  Van  Name  Family.* — The  family  of  Van  Names,  from 
tradition,  originally  came  from  Holland,  and  the  exact  time 
they  came  to  Staten  Island  seems  to  be  unknown,  as  it  appears 
no  record  can  be  produced  to  establish  their  authenticity  of  set- 
tlement. This  much  we  must  rely  upon  from  a  church  record 
produced  from  Mr.  John  J.  Clute's  statement,  which,  however, 
is  incomplete  in  many  instances. 

*  By  David  M.  Van  Name. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  607 

The  earliest  mentioned,- according  to  the  records,  is  Evert, 
who  married  Wintje  (Wilhelmina)  Benham.  The  number  of 
children  by  the  union  is  not  known,  unless  the  subsequent 
names  taken  from  the  records  are  his,  which  seems  quite  proba- 
ble. These  were :  a  son  Joseph,  baptized  April  22,  1709 ;  a 
daughter  August  31,  1718;  Simon,  born  October  29,  1713;  Sarah, 
born  August  15,  1717  (this  was  probably  the  daughter  above 
baptized);  Aaron,  August  11,  1718;  and  Moses,  February  8, 
1725.  There  also  appear  under  the  same,  other  members.  For 
instance,  Simon  and  Sarah  Prall  had  a  daughter  baptized  Octo- 
ber 30,  1716,  which  might  possibly  have  been  brother  to  Evert; 
also  an  Englebert  married  to  Maria  DeCamp;  son  John  baptized 
April  12,  1719;  twin  daughters,  October  15,  1721;  and  a  Johan- 
nes had  a  son  Peter,  baptized  May  18, 1718.  According  to  dates, 
Aaron  and  Simon  must  have  been  brothers,  there  being  about 
five  years  difference  between  their  ages. 

Aaron  and  Mary  McLean  had  the  following  children  :  Aaron, 
Catharine,  Simon,  William,  Ann,  Moses  and  Charles. 

Moses  (the  son  of  Aaron)  married  Mary  La  Grange,  and  they 
had  the  following  children :  John,  Mary,  Moses,  Elizabeth, 
Catharine,  Michael,  Sophia,  Rachel,  Aaron  and  Charles.  Charles 
(the  son  of  Moses),  married  Elizabeth  Mersereau,  only  daughter 
of  Judge  Paul  Mersereau,  by  whom  he  had  the  following  child- 
ren :  Joseph  H.,  Paul  M.,  David  M.,  Nancy  M.  and  George  W. 
David  M.  (son  of  Charles)  married  Sarah  M.  Wyckoff,  of  New 
Brunswick,  New  Jersey. 

Charles,  son  of  Aaron  (who  was  a  son  of  Simon),  made  his 
will  April  8,  1805,  which  was  probated  May  21,  1805,  in  which 
he  mentions  his  sons  Anthony  and  Aaron,  both  minors. 

Aaron,  last  named  (son  of  Charles),  had  a  son  Cornelius,  who 
married  Rebecca  Corson  ;  the  last  named  were  the  parents  of 
William  Henry  Van  Name  (now  deceased),  who  married  Eliza- 
beth Ann,  only  daughter  of  Benjamin  Decker,  of  Mariners' 
Harbor,  and  had  one  child,  Counselor  Calvin  D.  Van  Name,  of 
Mariners'  Harbor. 

Moses  (son  of  Aaron)  was  born  February  23,  1760,  married 
June  9,  1782,  died  October  16,  1811 ;  Mary  La  Grange  (wife 
of  Moses)  was  born  September  8,  1763,  married  June  9,  1782, 
died  February  3,  1846;  John  (son),  was  born  June  18,  1783, 
married  Elizabeth  Wright,  died  April  1,  1853 ;  Mary  was  born 
July  19,  1785,  married  April  15,  1803,  to  Edward  De  Hart,  died 


608  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

January  13,  1870  ;  Moses  was  born  April  9,  1788,  married  Janu- 
ary 28,  1811,  to  Mary  Pierson,  died  July  28,  1871 ;  Elizabeth 
was  born  June  30,  1790,  married  to  Matthius  De  Hart,  died  July 
25,  1873  ;  Catharine  was  born  February  16,  1793,  married  De- 
cember 1,  1811,  to  Henry  Simonson,  died  July  27,  1869;  Michael 
was  born  November  14,  1795,  married  April  20,  1817,  to  Ger- 
trude Cortelyou,  died  June  5,  1883 ;  Sophia  was  born  August 
29,  1798,  married  October,  1816,  to  William  Lake  ;  Rachel  was 
born  March  10, 1801, married  September  4, 1821,  to  Peter  Thatch- 
er, died  1885;  Aaron  was  born  October  1,  1803,  married  January 
24,  1827,  to  Mary  Mersereau,  died  July,  1882  ;  Charles  was  born 
August  25,  1806,  married  November,  1832,  to  Elizabeth  Merse- 
reau (cousin  to  Mary),  and  died  July  15, 1883.  This  generation 
have  all  died,  excepting  Mary  (wife  of  Aaron)  and  Elizabeth 
(wife  of  Charles). 

The  family  of  Charles  Van  Name. — Charles  (son  of  Moses) 
and  Elizabeth,  his  wife,  had  the  following  children:  Joseph  H., 
born  March  27,  1835,  married  December  31,  1856,  to  Caroline 
Gribson  ;  Paul  M.,  born  June  12,  1837,  married  July  3,  1860,  to 
Elizabeth  Scott,  of  New  Jersey  ;  she  departed  this  life  March 
4,  1872. 

7  Family  of  John  Van  Name. — John  Van  Name  (son  of  Moses), 
born  June  18,  1783,  married  January  8,  1809,  to  Elizabeth 
Wright,  died  April  1,  1853 ;  Elizabeth,  his  wife,  born  July  2, 
1792,  died  May  22,  1875.  Their  children  were:  Mary  La  Grange, 
born  October  12,  1809  ;  Caleb  Halsey,  born  February  7,  1813  ; 
Judy  Johnson,  born  September  2,  1815  (now  dead)  ;  Moses  J., 
born  March  9,  1818  ;  Catherine,  born  October  27,  1820  ;  Sophia 
Lake,  born  May  9,  1823  ;  John  Poiner,  born  February  2,  1826  ; 
Andrew  Wright,  born  July  11,  1828;  Elizabeth  Jane,  born  April 
28,  1831,  died  May  23,  1855  ;  Charles  Joseph,  born  January  28, 
1834. 

David  M.  (son  of  Charles),  born  January  1,  1840,  married 
November  18,  1869,  to  Sarah  M.  WyckoflE,  of  ISlew  Brunswick, 
N.  J.;  Nancy  M.,  born  November  24,  1842,  married  May  10, 
1865,  to  John  Todd  Crittenden,  of  Virginia ;  George  W.,  born 
October  20,  1845,  married  April  10,  1870,  to  Kate  A.  Van  Name. 
She  departed  this  life  April  10,  1881. 

The  family  of  David  M.Van  Name.— David  M.  and  Sarah  M., 
his  wife,  had  the  following  children  :  Travilla,  born  October  1, 
1870  ;  Lizzie  Irene,  born  April  3,  1872  ;  Ada  D.,  born  February 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  609 

11,  1876  ;    Florence  Adelaide,  born  September  20,  1879  ;  Sara 
Vida,  born  June  14,  1882. 

Family  of  Joseph  H.  Van  Name.— Joseph  H.  and  wile  had 
one  child,  a  son  George,  who  married  Louisa  Ricard. 

Family  of  Paul  M.  Van  Name.— Paul  M.  and  wife  had  the 
following  children:  Alice  Jane,  married  to  Thomas  Simonson; 
Charles  Winlield  (dead);  Edward  Everett;  Zenetta,  married  to 
A.  Luske;  Frances  Marion;  Paul  M.  (dead),  and  Charlotte 
(dead).     The  last  two  were  twins. 

Family  of  Nancy  M.  Crittenden.— Nancy  M.  and  husband 
had  the  following  children:  Pauline,  born  July  28,  1866;  J. 
Howard,  born  November  7,  1871. 

Family  of  George  W.  Van  Name.— George  W.  and  wife  had 
the  following  children:  Edgar,  Irving  and  Pearly  Louise. 

The  family  of  Van  Names  have  ranked  as  a  very  prominent 
class  of  people  from  the  ancient  name  in  Holland  down  to  the 
present  day,  and  have  lived  and  labored  mostly  during  all  these 
years  at  their  island  home  of  nativity.  Charles  was  a  merchant 
for  forty  years,  and  educated  his  sons  in  the  same  line.  Joseph 
H.  and  George  W.  are  pursuing  the  course  of  their  father, 
Paul  M.  may  be  found  at  Jewett's  white  lead  factory,  and  David 
M.  is  a  commission  merchant  in  New  York  city.  Charles  was 
supervisor  of  the  town  of  Northfield  daring  the  late  civil  war. 
He  was  always  active,  and  discharging  his  duties  in  the  most 
honorable  manner,  was  beloved  by  his  towns-people  and  re- 
marked for  his  courteousness  with  all. 

Van  Pelt. — We  read  of  individuals  of  this  name  in  New 
Utrecht  several  years  before  we  meet  the  name  in  connection 
with  Staten  Island.  Thus,  Wouter  (Walter),  Anthony  and  Aert 
Van  Pelt  are  mentioned  as  early  as  1687,  living  on  Long  Island. 
The  first  Van  Pelt  we  meet  in  the  Staten  Island  records  is  Hen- 
drick,  who  had  seven  children  born  between  1696  and  1701.  He 
was  probably  connected  with  the  Long  Island  families,  as  we 
find  their  names  perpetuated  on  Staten  Island.  At  or  about  the 
same  time  there  was  a  Peter  Van  Pelt,  who  had  a  son  Jan  bap- 
tized October  21,  1707,  and  a  son  Samuel  July  25,  1710.  This 
John  and  Jannetje  (Janet)  Adams  had:  A  daughter,  baptized 
March  28,  1736;  a  son  William,  April  13,  1742,  and  a  daughter, 
April,  1744.  Jacob  and  Aaltje  (Alida)  Haughwout,  his  wife,  ' 
had  a  son  John,  baptized  October  15,  1727,  and  a  daughter  Cat- 
alyntje,  September  27,  1724.     John  and  Susanna  Latourette, 

39 


610  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

his  wife,  had  twins,  John  and  Susanna,  baptized  May  25,  1729. 
Tunis  and  Maria  Drageau,  his  wife,  had  the  following  children: 
Anthony,  baptized  October  9,  1729;  Johannes,  baptized  Febru- 
ary 14,  1731;  Maria,  baptized  June  3,  1734;  Joost,  baptized  May 
19,  1737,  and  Tunis,  baptized  November  19,  1738. 

Peter  had  a  son  William,  baptized  ISTovember  23,  1715;  a  son 
Samuel,  April  16, 1717.  Simon  and  Maria  Adams  had  a  son  Peter, 
baptized  May  23,  1749,  and  a  daughter,  April  18,  1743.  John  (An- 
thony's) son  and  Susanna  Latourette,  his  wife,  had  Joost,  bap- 
tized April  4, 1736,  and  Anthony,  baptized  April  30,  1733.  This 
Anthony  married  Janneke  Simonson,  and  had  a  daughter,  bap- 
tized June  11,  1760.  Peter  and  Barber  Houlton  had  a  daughter, 
baptized  April  18,  1743,  and  a  son  David,  baptized  October  12, 
1755.  Jan  and  Maria  Bouman  had  a  daughter,  baptized  September 
14, 1742.  Jan,  Jr.,  and  Catrina  Bouman  had  a  daughter,  baptized 
May  6, 1745.  John  had  a  daughter,  baptized  October  29,  1787. 
Samuel,  son  of  Peter,  mentioned  above,  and  Maria  Falkenburg 
had  a  son  Pieter,  baptized  July  19,  1748.  Aart  and  Christina 
Immet,  daughter  Maria,  baptized  December  10,  1721.  John  and 
Margaret,  his  wife,  had  the  following  children:  Tunis,  born  Au- 
gust 8,  1760;  John,  born  February  10,  1765;  James,  born  May 
13,  1761,  and  Peter,  born  November  13,  1769.  Peter  and  Phebe 
had  a  son  Tunis,  born  June  6,  1768.  Anthony  and  Susanna  had 
a  daughter  Susanna,  born  May  10,  1766,  and  a  son  George,  born 
March  1,  1769. 

Joseph  and  Elizabeth  had  a  son  James,  born  August  5,  1767, 
and  a  son  Tunis,  born  December  2,  1771.  John  and  Catharine 
Lawrence  had  a  daughter  Mary,  baptized  March  8,  1772.  Jacob 
and  Elizabeth  had  a  daughter  Mary,  born  March  11,  1768. 
Peter,  son  of  John  and  Margaret,  above,  married  Mary  Colon, 
December  5.  1797.  David  and  Hannah  Wright  married  June 
21,  1801.  He  was  born  in  February,  1779,  and  died  March  30, 
1838. 

Wandel.— The  first  of  the  name  in  our  county  records  is 

John,  who,  with  his  wife  Letitia,  executed  a  mortgage  to 

Groom,  May  1,  1767,  and  cancelled  it  by  payment  the  next 
year.  He  was  a  cordwainer  by  trade,  and  carried  on  the  tan- 
ning business  on  Todt  hill.  John  and  Letitia  had  a  son  Peter, 
born[January  10, 1766.  Peter  married  Sarah  Van  Clief  in  March, 
1789,  and  died  May  17,  1857,  over  91  years  of  age.     His  sons 


// 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  611 

were  Matthew,  Daniel,  John,  Peter  S.  and  Walter  I.,  the  latter 
only  still  living,  April,  1876. 

Hon.  Albert  Ward.— The  late  Hon.  Albert  Ward,  first 
judge  of  the  Richmond  county  court  of  common  pleas,  was  a 
descendant  of  the  Ward  family  of  Westchester  county,  N.Y., 
a  family  of  such  distinction  and  patriotism  during  the  war 
of  independence  as  to  win  extended  notice  from  its  local  his 
torians.* 

The  family  was  originaly  English.  Its  first  representative  in 
this  country,  Andrew  Ward  of  Watertown,  Mass.,  freeman, 
1634,  came  with  the  first  settlers  to  Connecticut,  was  elected  a 
magistrate  in  1636,  removed  to  Long  Island  in  1643,  and  became 
a  resident  of  Fairfield,  Conn.,  in  1649.  His  eldest  son,  Edmund, 
removed  to  East  Chester  in  Westchester  county,  I^.  Y.,  where 
Edmund's  eldest  son,  also  named  Edmund,  was  brought  up 
and  afterward  distinguished  himself  as  a  member  of  the 
'•Colonial  Assembly."  Hon.  Stephen  Ward,  second  son  of 
the  latter,  was  judge  of  the  county  of  Westchester  and  the 
owner  of  the  famous  "  Ward  Mansion  "  in  East  Chester,  which 
became  the  headquarters  of  the  American  troops  and  the  scene 
of  many  bloody  engagements.  He  was  proscribed  by  the  loyal- 
ists, and  a  bounty  was  set  upon  his  head,  because  of  his  pat- 
riotism and  devotion  to  the  colonial  cause.  Stephen  Ward  was 
the  father  of  James  Ward  who  married  Phoebe,  sister  of  Daniel 
D.  Tompkins,  governor  of  New  York  state,  and  afterward  vice- 
president  of  the  United  States.  Caleb  T.  Ward  was  a  son  of 
James  and  Phoebe  (Tompkins)  Ward  and  the  father  of  Judge 
Ward  of  whom  we  write. 

Caleb  T.  Ward  was  a  man  of  careful  business  habits  and  a 
worthy  representative  of  the  noble  and  self-denying  family 
from  which  he  came.  His  only  son,  Albert,  was  born  in  the  city 
of  New  York  November  27,  1816;  and  a  few  years  later  Caleb 
and  his  family  removed  to  Staten  Island,  where  he  built  the 
"  Ward  Mansion"  on  the  hill  now  called  by  the  same  name, 
and  commanding  one  of  the  most  striking  and  beautiful  views 
on  the  Atlantic  coast.  At  his  death  he  left  two  children  :  Al- 
bert, just  mentioned;  and  Mary  Mann,  to  the  memory  of  whom 
St.  Paul's  Memorial  church  was  built. 

*  The  genealogy  of  the  Ward  family  is  given  in  full  in  Bolton's  "  History  of 
Westchester  County  ;  "  and  many  interesting  facts  in  regard  to  the  family  are 
contained  in  the  recently  published  history  of  the  county  by  L.  E.  Preston  &  Co. 


612  HISTOEY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

In  his  youth  Albert  Wai'd  received  a  careful  training,  and 
choosing  the  law  as  his  profession,  was  admitted  to  the  bar, 
November  1,  1839.  Subsequently,  he  divided  his  time  and  at- 
tention between  his  practice  and  the  care  of  the  large  estate 
left  him  by  his  father,  and  which  he  largely  increased  by  skill- 
ful management  and  tireless  industry.  March  16,  1844,  he  was 
appointed  by  the  governor  of  New  York  state,  first  judge  of  the 
court  of  common  pleas  for  Richmond  county;  and  during  the 
two  years  in  which  he  held  that  office  he  distinguished  himself 
for  his  ability  and  foresight.  In  1846,  the  new  constitution  of 
the  state  made  the  office  which  he  held,  elective,  and  not  caring 
to  mix  in  the  politics  of  the  county  he  gave  up  the  position. 

His  large  private  interests  made  Judge  Ward  a  man  of  influ- 
ence, not  only  on  Staten  Island,  where  he  owned  a  large  proper- 
ty, but  in  the  financial  circles  of  New  York  city.  He  was  a  stock, 
holder  in  the  Fulton  Bank,  National  Park  Bank,  Bank  of  Com- 
merce, Shoe  and  Leather  Bank,  Mechanic's  Bank,  Metropolitan 
Bank,  Bank  of  America,  Bank  of  New  York,  Gallatin  National 
Bank,  United  States  Trust  Company,  Union  Trust  Company, 
New  York  Life  Insurance  and  Trust  Company,  and  of  the 
Greenwich,  Hope,  Hoffman,  and  the  Arctic  fire  insurance  com- 
panies. He  was  president  of  the  Arctic  Insurance  Company, 
and  a  director  in  a  number  of  the  corporations  above  named.    ; 

His  many  business  associates  found  in  him  a  staunch  friend, 
a  man  whose  experience  taught  him  how  to  give  good  advice, 
and  one  to  be  always  and  implicitly  trusted.  But  the  chief  charm 
of  his  character  was  the  deep  religious  feeling  which  pervaded 
his  whole  life  and  manifested  itself  in  all  his  acts.  For  many 
years  it  had  been  his  desire  to  devote  to  the  service  of  the  Lord 
enough  of  his  means  to  erect  a  church  for  the  parish  in  which 
he  had  given  much  of  his  energy  and  thought.  His  gift  to  St. 
Paul's  parish  of  the  St.  Paul's  Memorial  church,  a  beautiful  and 
substantial  edifice  built  of  native  granite,  was  the  flowering  of 
this  generous  desire.  It  was  presented,  as  he  says  in  a  letter  to 
the  rector,  dated  April  28,  1866,  as  a  "  memorial  to  an  only  and 
dearly  beloved  sister."  From  a  sermon  delivered  in  this  church 
in  memory  of  Judge  Ward,  by  the  rector.  Reverend  Albert  U. 
Stanley,  Advent  Sunday,  1878,  we  quote  the  following  : 

"His  donation  of  this  church  edifice  was  consistent  with  his 
life-long  interest  and  devotion  to  the  parochial  jirosberity. 
The  old  records  show  that  his  father,  his  mother,  his  sister  and 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  613 

himself  were  together  baptized  by  the  Reverend  Francis  H. 
Cuming  the  tenth  of  November,  1833,  and  that  these  were  the 
first  baptisms  in  this  parish,  then  known  as  St.  Paul's  church, 
Castleton.  His  father,  Caleb  T.  Ward,  was  one  of  the  first 
vestrymen  appointed  when  the  parish  was  organized,  the  11th 
of  March,  1833.  He  himself  was  elected  a  vestryman  Easter, 
1841.  In  1853  he  was  appointed  warden,  an  office  which  he 
held  till  the  day  of  his  death,  making  more  than  twenty-five 
years  of  service  as  warden.  It  would  be  impossible  for  me  to 
relate  in  full  the  obligations  of  this  parish  to  his  wise  judg- 
ment and  sturdy  churchly  sense.  But  I  know  that  once  he 
stood  alone  in  the  gap,  saved  by  his  own  unaided  effort  the 
parish  from  extinction,  and  then  helped  to  restore  the  life  to 
what  was  almost  a  body  inanimate  and  motionless." 

Judge  Ward  was  married  in  early  life  to  Miss  Catharine  U. 
Parker,  a  woman  of  sweetness  and  beauty  of  character,  as 
shown  by  her  zeal  in  all  works  of  charily  and  benevolence. 
She  was  always  interested  in  relieving  the  distress  and  suffer- 
ing of  the  poor,  and  many  will  remember  the  help  she  carried 
so  quietly  to  the  homes  that  came  to  know  her  as  an  ever-ready 
messenger  of  peace  and  mercy.  Sustained  so  amply  by  the 
liberal  spirit  of  her  husband  she  was  enabled  to  accomplish  her 
good  work  effectively,  and  to  gratify  her  own  kind  and  sympa- 
thetic nature. 

Toward  the  latter  part  of  their  married  life  a  gradual  decline 
in  health  left  her  at  the  last  a  complete  invalid,  and  not  only 
stopped  her  own  great  usefulness,  but  shadowed  the  declining 
years  of  her  honored  husband.  Four  children  were  born  of 
this  union :  Elizabeth  Parker,  wife  of  Amos  Booth ;  Mary 
Ward,  Kate  Kearney  Ward,  and  Sarah  Bonnett,  wife  of  Ed- 
ward Wanty,  all  of  whom,  with  the  widow,  survive  and  reside 
on  Staten  Island. 

Judge  Ward  died  at  his  residence  in  Edge  water,  October  28, 
1878,  and  was  buried  beside  his  illustrious  ancestors  in  the 
churchyard  at  East  Chester.  He  left  a  very  large  estate  in  the 
village  of  Edgewater,  consisting  of  land  beautifully  situated  on 
the  hills  overlooking  the  bay  and  embracing  the  most  desirable 
sites  on  the  island.  The  whole  estate  is  ably  managed  by 
George  H.  Daley,  Esq.,  who  has  been  its  trustee  since  1883. 

The  death  of  Judge  Ward  closed  a  life,  the  value  of  which  to 
the  business  and  religious  community  cannot  be  over-estimated. 


614  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

It  was  a  life  unusually  fruitful  of  good  deeds  and  good  results, 
and  his  liberal  nature  found  expression  in  practical  and  attrac- 
tive forms,  which  endear  his  memory  and  ensure  for  him  a 
lasting  place  in  the  history  of  the  island. 

Captain  Stephen  Whitman,  for  more  than  ten  years  trus- 
tee of  the  village  of  Port  Richmond,  and  one  whose  foresight 
and  business  ability  have  done  much  for  the  promotion  of  its 
welfare,  was  born  in  Boston,  Mass.,  March  18,  1825.  He  early 
contracted  a  fondness  for  the  sea,  which  he  followed  from  his 
fourteenth  year  till  he  entered,  in  1861,  upon  his  present  sphere 
of  usefulness  as  a  stowage  and  cargo  inspector  in  New  York 
city.  He  is  at  present  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Whit- 
man &  Fisher,  doing  business  at  99  Pearl  street. 

Captain  Whitman's  talents  as  a  seaman  raised  him  rapidly 
from  a  position  before  the  mast  to  one  of  command,  and  he  had 
charge  in  his  day  of  several  famous  packet  ships  in  the  New  York 
and  Liverpool  trade  and  one  of  the  smartest  of  the  California 
clippers.  He  was  also  intrusted  with  the  important  command 
of  one  of  the  steamers  of  the  old  New  York  Mail  Steamship 
Company,  and  later  of  steamers  of  the  Cromwell  line  to  New 
Orleans.  A  master  seaman  and  officer,  he  made  a  reputation 
for  the  safety  and  rapidity  of  his  trips  and  obtained  for  himself 
a  popularity  among  passengers  seldom  enjoyed  by  seafaring 
men.  During  the  war  of  the  rebellion  Captain  Whitman  saw 
much  active  service,  and  while  in  the  old  "Escort"  he  tells  of 
a  lively  chase  by  the  "Alabama,"  from  which  piratical  craft, 
by  good  management,  they  contrived  to  escape. 

The  captain  has  been  an  active  member  of  the  "  Produce  Ex- 
change" for  the  last  thirteen  years,  also  of  the  "Maritime  Ex- 
change" and  the  "Marine  Society,"  the  latter  the  oldest  in 
America.  In  1861  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Port  Richmond, 
where  he  still  remains.  Shortly  after  his  arrival  on  Staten 
Island  he  purchased  the  property  which  he  occupies  at  the 
present  time,  and  where  it  is  his  delight  to  meet  and  entertain 
his  many  friends.  He  is  married,  and  has  two  children  still  liv- 
ing. His  genial  and  gentlemanly  qualities,  together  with  his 
extensive  business  relations,  have  made  him  well  known  and 
widely  respected  both  on  Staten  Island  and  in  New  York  city. 

Winant. — This  is  one  of  the  oldest  families  on  the  island, 
and  is  so  ramified  that  it  is  impossible  to  trace  all  its  branches 
to  their  sources.     We  select  that  branch  which  is  probably  best 


c^^^^W^LX, 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  615 

known,  and  is  represented  by  Abraham  and  his  brother  Jacob 
G.,  both  of  whom  have  been  sheriffs  of  the  county.  They  are 
the  sons  of  Hon.  Bornt  Parlee  Winant,  of  Rossville.  His 
parents  were  Abraham  Winant  and  Mary  Parlee,  who  were 
married  August  1,  1807.  The  father  of  Abraham  was  Winant 
Winant,  who  made  his  will  July  5,  1804,  which  was  proved 
August  11,  1804,  between  which  dates  he  must  have  died.  In 
that  instrument  he  mentions  his  wife  Mary,  and  his  children 
Abraham,  John  &.,  Jacob  G.,  Mary,  Prances  and  Ann.  The 
father  of  Winant  Winant  was  Abraham,  who  was  the  son  of 
the  elder  Winant  Winant,  who  was  the  son  of  Peter  Winant, 
the  progenitor  of  the  family.  The  following  is  the  inscription 
upon  his  tombstone  : 

"  Here  lies  the  body  of  Peter  Winant,  born  in  the  year  1654, 
who  departed  this  life  August  6th,  1758,  aged  104  years." 

He  was  a  native  of  Holland,  but  the  date  of  his  emigration 
and  settlement  on  the  island,  which  are  identical,  has  been 
lost.  As  his  family  was  the  only  one  of  the  name  then  in  the 
county,  the  following  must  have  been  his  sons,  viz.:  Peter, 
who  had  a  son  Peter,  baptized  April  23,  1707.  Winant  (men- 
tioned above),  whose  wife  was  Ann  Cole,  who  had  the  fol- 
lowing sons  baptized  :  Peter,  March  27,  1720;  Abraham,  March 
24,  1725;  Jacob,  October  9,  1726,  and  Daniel,  April  22,  1728. 
John,  whose  wife  was  Lena  Bird,  had  a  son  Peter  baptized 
March  19,  1732;  and  Cornelius,  whose  wife  was  Maria  Cole,  had 
a  son  Cornelius  baptized  February  28,  1728. 

The  following  are  other  members  of  the  family,  whose  names 
we  find  in  the  county  and  church  records  :  Captain  Peter,  born 
December  4,  1784;  he  was  captain  of  the  schooner  "Thames," 
which  was  wrecked  on  Absecora  beach,  November  4,  1823,  when 
he  lost  his  life.  Peter,  born  October  5,  1802,  died  February  8, 
1867.  Abraham  and  Mary  his  wife  had  a  daughter  Ann,  born 
September  30,  1758,  and  a  daughter  Elizabeth,  born  March  3, 
1770.  Daniel  and  Rachel  his  wife  had  a  son  Daniel,  born  May 
10,  1760.  Daniel  and  Susannah  his  wife  had  a  daughter  Ann, 
born  June  27,  1762.  Daniel  and  Elizabeth  his  wife  had  a 
daughter  Rachel,  born  October  4,  1765.  Peter  and  Christiana 
his  wife  had  a  son  George,  born  September  6,  1770;  this  George 
married  Eliza  Winant  November  15,  1794.  John  and  Hannah 
(or  Johanna)  his  wife  had  a  daughter  Elizabeth,  born  July  29, 
1774,  and  a  son  Jacob,  May  15,  1776.     Peter  and  Charity  his 


616  HISTOEy  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTZ. 

wife  had  a  son  Isaac,  born  February  1,  1775;  this  Isaac  married 
Patty  Winant  January  16,  1796.  Peter  and  Ann  his  wife  had 
two  children,  Daniel  and  Ann,  baptized  November  20,  1785; 
Peter  Winant  made  his  will  May  9,  1793,  which  was  proved 
July  26,  1793,  in  which  he  mentions  his  wife  Ann,  his  father 
Daniel,  and  alludes  to  his  children  without  giving  their  names. 
Cornelius  and  Catharine  his  wife  had  a  daughter  Cornelia,  bap- 
tized November  21,  1790.  Peter  and  Mary  Winant  were  mar- 
ried July  14,  1790.  Moses  and  Catharine  Winant  were  married 
August  7, 1800.  Daniel  and  Eliza  Oakley  were  married  Decem- 
ber 19,  1801. 

There  are  four  ways  of  spelling  the  name  of  Winant,  some  of 
the  branches  have  dropped,  others  have  added  a  letter,  but  all 
trace  back  to  the  same  stock.  Jacob  Winants,  of  English  an- 
cestry, a  wealthy  farmer,  was  born  in  Westfield,  Staten  Island, 
in  1749,  and  feeling  himself  called  to  preach  the  Word,  gave 
his  life  service  to  the  Methodist  church  as  a  traveling  preacher, 
often  officiating  in  private  residences,  school  houses  and  other 
places  that  offered.  He  died  at  the  age  of  76  years.  He 
married  in  the  Lawrence  family,  who  claim  to  be  remotely  con- 
nected with  the  wealthy  Townley  family  of  England,  now  under 
investigation  as  to  who  are  the  rightful  heirs  to  inherit  that 
large  estate.  Jacob  Winants'  wife's  father,  Doctor  James  Law- 
rence, was  born  in  Newtown,  Long  Island,  in  1732,  and  after- 
ward lived  on  Staten  Island.  In  1753  he  married  Miss  Anne, 
daughter  of  Charles  Jandine,  a  French  Huguenot,  who  died  in 
New  York,  aged  72  years.  His  wife  died  in  1807;  they  left  two 
daughters.  Sarah  was  born  in  1759,  married  Joseph  Ridgway, 
and  died  in  1823,  leaving  five  children:  Anne,  Capt.  Joseph, 
Mary,  James  and  Elizabeth.  The  second  daughter,  Catherine, 
born  in  1763,  married  Jacob  Winants,  and  died  in  1820.  They 
left  five  children,  four  sons  and  one  daughter;  Elizabeth,  the 
oldest,  died  when  young.  His  oldest  son.  Captain  Peter,  was 
born  in  1784,  married  Miss  Fannie  Ellis,  daughter  of  Garret 
Ellis;  she  was  born  in  1785,  and  died  in  her  82d  year.  Captain 
Peter  was  an  officer  in  the  army,  and  served  his  country  through 
the  war  of  1812,  and  was  always  found  to  have  been  a  true  patriot 
and  ever  loyal  to  the  cause  of  liberty.  He  was  shipwrecked  at 
sea  in  1823.  By  this  disaster  he  lost  his  life  at  the  age  of  38 
years.  He  left  six  children,  four  daughters  and  two  sons: 
Mrs.  Mary  Cortelyou,  Mrs.    Catherine  Mills,   Garret  E.,  Mrs. 


HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  617 

Laney  Appleby,  Mrs.  Sarah  Ann  Grougti  and  Sebastian;  all 
deceased  except  Garret  E.  and  Mrs.  Appleby,  who  reside  at 
Bergen  Point,  New  Jersey.  Jacob  Winant's  second  son,  Daniel, 
married  Miss  Polly  Lat'orge;  they  had  three  children,  all  de- 
ceased. Jacob  Winant's  third  son.  Captain  Winant  Winants, 
married  Miss  Mary  Johnson,  of  Westfield;  he  died  in  1872,  aged 
83  years.  They  left  three  sons:  Captain  James  J.  Winants,  of 
Rossville,  S.  I. ;  Captain  Jacob,  of  Jersey  City,  and  Cornelias, 
of  Brooklyn,  all  living. 

Jacob  Winant's   fourth   son,  Jacob,  died  in  1867,  aged  67 
years,  without  issue. 

Gaeeet  Ellis  Winants,  a  self-made  man,  was  born  on  Staten 
Island,  state  of  New  York.  He  is  of  Dutch,  English  and  French 
ancestry,  his  progenitors  having  emigrated  to  this  country  at 
an  early  date.  The  family  name  on  Staten  Island,  where  most 
are  to  be  found,  is  spelled  Winant;  in  the  south,  Winans;  in 
the  west  and  north,  Winan.  His  father,  Capt.  Peter  Winants, 
was  lost  at  sea  when  young  Winants  was  about  9  years  of  age, 
being  shipwrecked  when  on  a  homeward  voyage;  the  vessel  and 
cargo  being  lost,  and  all  the  passengers  and  crew,  except  the 
mate  and  two  sailors,  finding  a  watery  grave.  By  the  loss  of  this 
vessel  and  cargo,  of  which  Captain  Winants  was  part  owner, 
and  upon  which  there  was  no  insurance,  his  widow  and  six 
orphans  were  left  in  comparatively  indigent  circumstances,  there 
remaining  only  the  farm  or  homestead,  and  a  few  thousand  dol- 
lars invested.  Shortly  after  his  decease  this  money  was  called 
in,  reinvested  by  his  widow,  and  subsequently  lost.  Through 
such  a  chain  of  disadvantageous  circumstances  our  youthful 
subject  was  deprived  of  an  early  education  from  books.  At 
that  period  the  farmers  were  in  the  habit  of  employing  a  teacher 
only  through  the  winter  season,  for  one  quarter,  or  more  fre- 
quently a  half  quarter,  keeping  their  children  on  the  farms  the 
residue  of  the  year,  claiming  it  to  be  more  profitable  to  keep 
their  boys  and  girls  at  work  during  planting  and  harvesting 
than  to  allow  them  the  privilege  of  education.  That  he  has 
largely  overcome  this  early  neglect  may  be  gathered  from  either 
one  of  his  entertaining  and  instructive  volumes,  "  Journal  of 
Travels  over  the  Continents  of  Europe,  Asia  and  Africa,  and 
the  Islands  of  the  Sea,"  published  in  1872,  "Around  the  World," 
published  in  1877,  and  other  works  not  yet  in  print.     He  is 


618  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

widely  known  throughout  New  Jersey  and  elsewhere  by  his 
writings  on  travel. 

As  he  approached  manhood  his  first  choice  was  to  follow  the 
sea— a  desire  strongly  opposed  by  his  excellent  mother,  who 
did  not  wish  to  expose  her  only  son  to  the  possible  fate  of  his 
father.  At  the  age  of  18  he  left  the  parental  roof  to  seek  a 
livelihood  for  himself,  and  with  a  view  to  assist  his  mother, 
possessed  of  a  limited  education  and  less  than  a  dollar  in  money, 
with  not  a  friend  to  whom  he  could  apply,  if  need  be,  for  a  loan 
of  so  much  as  ten  dollars,  excepting  his  mother,  who  had  done 
her  all.  His  first  engagement  was  on  a  schooner  as  a  hand  be- 
fore the  mast,  at  eight  dollars  per  month.  In  the  hope  of  hav- 
ing a  nice  little  sum  to  aid  his  mother  in  running  the  farm,  he 
allowed  his  wages  to  remain  for  three  months,  and  was  at  that 
time  deprived  of  them  by  the  dishonesty  of  the  captain.  He 
next  procured  a  berth  at  twelve  dollars  a  month.  He  soon  made, 
by  his  activity  and  perseverance,  many  friends,  and  was  re- 
warded at  19  years  of  age  by  a  few  persons  joining  together  and 
building  for  him  a  freighting  schooner  of  forty  tons  burden, 
named  "  Gilletta,"  with  the  proviso  that  as  soon  as  young  Wi- 
nants  could  pay  for  any  part  thereof  he  should  have  an  interest 
therein.  After  some  three  years'  struggle  he  succeeded  in  pur- 
chasing this  vessel,  and  shortly  afterward  took  on  a  cargo  of 
plaster  of  Paris  and  was  shipwrecked  on  Long  Island  sound, 
nearly  losing  his  life  by  the  disaster,  which  swept  away  his  all. 
Thus  he  was  compelled  to  commence  the  world  anew;  yet,  with 
undaunted  courage,  somewhat  despondent,  the  young  captain 
after  a  time  succeeded  in  building  a  larger  vessel,  named  "  Ellis 
Amanda."  From  this  time  fortune  smiled  upon  his  efforts, 
and  he  continued  building  and  buying  vessels  until  his  fleet 
numbered  in  all  fifteen,  thus  enabling  him  to  conduct  a  much 
larger  maritime  trade,  some  being  engaged  in  bringing  pine 
wood  from  Virginia,  others  running  to  Albany  in  the  lumber 
trade,  and  still  others  in  the  transportation  of  street-sweepings 
and  coal-ashes  from  the  city  of  New  York. 

During  the  rebellion  Captain  Winants  built  and  equipped 
five  steamboats,  which  he  chartered  to  the  United  States  gov- 
ernment for  war  purposes,  one  being  placed  in  the  revenue 
department  of  the  port  of  New  York,  three  on  the  coast  of 
North  and  South  Carolina  and  the  James  river,  and  one  car- 


^^-^^^^ 


"'"^^Oo^i^ 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  619 

rying  the  United  States  military  mail  between  New  Orleans, 
Galveston  and  Brazos  de  Santiago. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  Captain  Winants  sold  out  his  fleet  of 
vessels  and  retired  from  active  business.  For  several  years 
previous  thereto^he  had  the  contract  from  New  York  city  for 
the  removal  of  coal-ashes  and  street-sweepings.  He  purchased 
some  forty  acres  of  water-front  in  Jersey  city,  formerly  known 
as  Harsimus  bay,  opposite  the  city  of  New  York,  paying  there- 
for over  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  About  nine-tenths 
or  more  of  this  land  was  covered  with  tide-water  of  the  Hudson 
river,  and  the  ordinary  class  of  vessels  sailed  over  it  in  the 
pursuit  of  commerce.  Here  he  deposited  the  street-sweepings 
and  ashes  gathered  under  his  contract  with  the  city  of  New 
York,  and  for  more  than  ten  years  he  was  engaged  filling  in 
this  land,  building  docks,  grading,  paving  and  sewering  the 
streets  rendered  necessary  by  the  improvement,  which  added 
largely  to  the  growth  and  revenue  of  Jersey  city  by  way  of 
taxes,  etc.  On  this  property  are  located  the  large  terminal 
depots  occupied  by  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company, 
steamship  piers,  and  now  there  is  in  course  of  construction  two 
first-class  ferries,  one  from  the  foot  of  Cortlandt,  and  one  from 
Debrosses  str<*et  to  ply  between  New  York  and  this  property 
in  Jersey  city;  besides  on  this  land  are  located  the  immense 
tobacco  factory  of  P.  Lorillard  &  Co.,  one  of  the  largest  in  the 
United  States,  and  other  factories  and  buildings  which  have 
added  much  to  the  growth  and  prosperity  both  of  Jersey  city 
and  Hudson  county. 

There  was  one  who,  while  living,  gave  impress  to  the  state, 
who  at  every  fitting  opportunity  testified  to  the  character  of 
Mr.  Winants,  and  was  his  warm  and  devoted  friend,  viz.,  "Hon. 
Dudley  S.  Gregory."  Mr.  Gregory  was  himself  a  self-made 
man,  and  his  sympathies  always  leaned  toward  such,  and  he 
was  also  a  large  land-holder  in  Jersey  city,  who  highly  com- 
mended the  matured  plans  and  enterprise  of  Mr.  Winants, 
which  gave  development  to  Jersey  city  and  attracted  to  its 
water  front  the  steamships  of  Europe  and  commerce  of  the  old 
world.  This  property,  once  covered  with  water,  comparatively 
worthless,  is  rapidly  increasing  in  value,  a  large  part  of  which 
Mr.  Winants  still  retains.  He  is  also  a  large  owner  of  real 
estate  in  the  city  of  New  York,  Plainfield  city,  Elizabeth  city, 
Hudson  city,  Hoboken  city,  and  Bergen  Point,  N.  J.,  to  which 


620  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

latter  place  he  came  in  May,  1872,  and  where  he  now  resides. 

He  married  February  10,  1841,  Miss  Amanda,  daughter  of 
James  Miller  and  Abigail  Birdge.  They  had  four  children;  one 
daughter,  Mary  Frances,  who  died  in  1872;  and  three  sons, 
James  M.,  Ellis  Sebastian,  and  John  Frederick,  the  two  latter  of 
whom  died  in  early  childhood.  Mary  Frances  married  George 
H.  Hillyer,  who  also  died  in  1877,  leaving  two  sons,  Clarence 
W.  and  Frank  Ellis  Hillyer. 

Upon  retiring  from  active  business  in  1862,  Mr.  Winants 
devoted  much  time  to  travelling,  and  in  company  with  his  wife 
made  several  lengthy  tours,  one  around  the  world,  traversing 
some  twenty-seven  thousand  five  hundred  miles  ;  another  over 
the  continents  of  Europe,  Asia,  Africa  and  the  islands  of  the 
sea,  embracing  some  twenty  thousand  miles;  still  another  tour 
through  Central  America,  and  along  the  border  of  South  Amer- 
ica, up  the  Pacific  coast  to  San  Francisco,  crossing  the  continent, 
covering  about  eleven  thousand  miles;  besides  travelling  in  and 
through  the  West  and  East  Tndia  islands,  Mexico,  Canada,  and 
have  seen  every  state  in  the  Union,  except  Kansas,  of  which  they 
made  the  circuit  twice,  and  passing  through  several  of  the  terri- 
tories, in  all  traversing  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  thousand 
miles,  seeing  many  of  the  wonders  and  glories  of  the  natural 
world.  On  his  extensive  tours  he  was  shipwrecked  twice  and 
railroad-wrecked  three  times,  and  escaped  without  any  bodily 
harm  having  befallen  him.  During  their  travels  Mr.  Winants 
kept  a  daily  record,  in  accordance  with  a  habit  of  some  forty 
years  past,  part  of  which  he  has  given  to  the  world  in  two  hand- 
some volumes,  elaborately  illustrated,  full  of  valuable  and 
instructive  information,  written  in  a  clear,  forcible  and  interest- 
ing manner. 

In  former  years,  while  a  resident  of  New  York  city,  Mr.  Wi- 
nants took  an  active  part  in  politics,  but  had  no  aspiration  to 
office,  and  on  two  occasions  was  tendered  by  the  democratic 
party  the  nomination  for  alderman,  and  could  have  held  other 
important  places  for  trust  had  he  desired,  but  all  of  these  he  re- 
fused to  accept  and  now  favors  men  in  preference  to  party.  As  a 
director  of  the  Union  Dime  Savings  Bank  of  New  York  for  thir- 
teen years  he  aided  largely  in  strengthening  that  successful  insti- 
tution. He  is  an  elder  in  the  Dutch  Reformed  church,  president 
of  the  board  of  the  American  Bible  Society  of  Hudson  county,  N". 
J.;  member  of  the  supervisory  board  of  trustees  of  the  theologi- 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  621 

cal  seminary  at  New  Brunswick;  also  trustee  in  the  board  of 
domestic  missions,  delegate  to  the  general  synod  and  one  of  the 
principal  financial  pillars  in  that  denomination. 

Mr.  Winants'  paternal  grandfather,  Jacob  Winants,  a  wealthy 
farmer  of  Staten  Island,  felt  himself  called  to  preach  the  Word, 
aud  gave  his  life  service  to  the  Methodist  church  as  a  travelling 
preacher,  refusing  to  accept  financial  aid,  but  only  souls  for 
his  hire,  and  from  him  our  subject  would  seem  to  have  inherited 
similar  desires.  He  has  given  largely  of  his  abundant  means 
to  the  church  and  kindred  associations,  irrespective  of  sect  or 
creed,  besides  educating  young  men  for  the  ministry.  The  ma- 
ternal grandfather  of  Mr.  Winants,  Captain  Garret  Ellis,  was 
one  of  the  heroes  of  the  war  of  1776,  always  an  uncom- 
promising patriot,  and  ever  loyal  to  the  cause  of  liberty.  Mr. 
Winants'  father,  Capt.  Peter  Winants,  was  of  similar  patriotic 
heart,  and  served  his  country  through  the  war  of  1812,  follow- 
ing in  the  steps  of  his  ancestors  with  unflinching  faith.  During 
our  last  war,  beginning  in  1861,  G.  E.  Winants,  though  not  go- 
ing to  the  war  himself,  when  the  nation  was  in  distress  and 
needed'  the  full  support  of  all  loyal  citizens,  gave  substantial 
aid  in  the  interests  of  the  Union  armies  by  his  means  and  coun- 
sel, and  thus  was  one  of  the  pillars  to  support  every  measure 
of  the  government  to  suppress  the  rebellion. 

The  writer  is  largely  indebted  to  Ex-Governor  Bedle  and 
Hon.  A.  A.  Hardenbergh,  of  New  Jersey,  for  the  material  facts 
of  this  sketch,  and  they  say  of  him,  "It  is  impossible  to  do 
justice  to  a  character  which  has  made  so  strong  an  impress  upon 
his  fellows."  Men  of  his  marked  characteristics  have  acquired 
fame,  and  their  names  have  been  repeated  by  history.  Bold, 
honest,  defiant  in  his  nature,  as  befits  his  physical  manhood, 
yet  kind  and  genial  in  his  disposition,  it  may  well  be  said  of 
him, 

"  None  know  him  but  to  love  him, 
None  name  him  but  to  praise." 

And  yet  why  is  this;  we  may  be  asked,  but  the  answer 
is  readily  found;  wealth  and  aflluence  have  detracted  nothing 
from  the  sincerity  of  his  character,  nor  have  circumstances  or 
position  palsied  any  energy  in  his  devotion  to  the  common  weal 
through  life.  Charity  never  fails  in  its  mission  when  Mr.  Wi- 
nants is  required  to  set  his  seal  upon  the  act,  and  the  young 
and  timid  in  the  race  of  life  gather  from   his  kindly  spoken 


622  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

words  at  once  a  benediction  and  blessing.  There  is  sometliing 
heroic  in  the  strong  and  stalwart  man  who  has  achieved  success 
on  the  battlefield  of  life,  still  more  so  when  such  success  has  been 
marked  by  devotion  to  principle,  when  its  honors  are  gathered 
beyond  the  voice  of  criticism,  and  its  monuments  are  found  in 
missions  of  public  benevolence,  and  the  daily  exercise  of  hid- 
den deeds  of  kindness.  Besides  being  devoted  to  his  family 
and  faithful  to  his  friends,  he  has  always  been  full  of  energy 
and  enterprise,  and  read^'  to  make  sacrifices  when  demanded  for 
the  public  good.  It  is  by  such  self-made  men  that  the  charac- 
ter of  the  community  is  conserved,  the  better  interest  of  the 
state  made  safe,  and  the  happiness  of  the  republic  assured;  if 
it  be  not  so.  we  may  have  but  limited  faith  in  our  republican 
institutions. 

WoGLOM. — This  name  was  originally  written  "  Yan  Woge- 
lum."  John  sold  land  in  1696;  this  is  the  earliest  mention  of 
the  name  in  the  local  records;  the  next  is  Grysie  Woggelum, 
who  was  witness  at  a  baptism  in  1698.  John  Van  Wogelum  had 
a  daughter  Chrystyntien,  baptised 22,  1707,  and  a  daugh- 
ter Suster,  baptized  July  26,  1711.  Ary  (Adrian)  and  Celia 
Pryer  had  the  following  children:  Jan,  baptized  May  21,  1716: 
Anna,  baptized  June  3,  1722;  An  dries,  baptized  June  27,  1725; 
Adrian,  baptized  July  27,  1729;  and  Abraham,  baptized  August 
8,  1731. 

There  was  a  Douwe  Van  Wogelum  residing  on  the  island  in 
1742. 

The  next  notice  of  any  members  of  the  familj'  are  from  the 
records  of  St.  Andrew's.  Abraham  and  Hannah  Parlee  were 
married  November  18, 1790;  Joshua  and  Martha  Cole  were  mar- 
ried February  10,  1796;  John  and  Lanah  Pryor  were  married 
December  24,  1808. 

Wood. — This  family  is  of  English  origin.  The  name  is  com- 
mon everywhere,  and  it  is  exceedingly  doubtful  whether  the 
Woods  on  the  island  have  descended  from  the  same  original. 
Samuel  B.  Wood,  Esq.,  of  Garrison's,  is  the  son  of  the  late 
John  B.,  who,  with  his  brother  Samuel  are  sons  of  Samuel. 
Samuel's  brothers  were  Joseph,  John,  Stephen  and  Jesse,  and 
they  were  the  sons  of  John,  the  great-grandfather  of  Samuel 
B.,  Esq.  It  is  impossible  to  trace  the  genealogy  of  any  other 
branch,  but  we  subjoin  the  names  of  such  as  are  to  be  found  in 
the  several  church  records.     Stephen  and  his  wife  G-eertje  (Ger- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  623 

trude)  Winter,  had  twins,  Stephen  and  Obadia,  baptized  De- 
cember 24,  1727.  Stephen  an.d  his  wife  Jemima  Mott  had  a  son 
Richard,  baptized  June  13,  1731. 

The  above  are  from  the  records  of  the  Dutch  church  ;  the 
following  are  from  those  of  St.  Andrew's  church  :  Stephen  and 
Mary,  his  wife,  had  a  daughter  Mary,  born  September  18,  1772; 
a  son  Stephen,  baptized  June  5,  1785.  John  and  Margaret,  his 
wife,  had  a  son  Stephen,  baptized  August  1,  1773,  who  married 
Damy  Housman,  February  3,  1794.  (This  Stephen  was  one  of 
the  five  brothers  mentioned  above  as  sons  of  John.)  Stephen 
and  Alice,  or  Elsy,  his  wife,  had  a  son  John,  baptized  June  15. 
1783  ;  he  married  Barbara  Van  Pelt,  Decenaber  23,  1804,  and 
another  son,  Abraham,  born  September  22,  1788.  Timothy  and 
Sarah  Rezeau  were  married  inJanuarj^,  1769.  Isaac  and  Susan 
Lewis  were  married  February  9,  1794.  John  and  Sarah  Lock- 
man  were  married  March  23,  1794.  Richard  and  Catharine 
Lockman  were  married  January  7, 1795.  James  and Els- 
ton  (Alston  ?)  were  married  June  1,  1799.  Charles  and  Joanna 
Dongan  were  married  December  11,  1806;  she  was  the  daughter 
of  the  late  Walter  Dongan,  of  the  Four  Corners,  and  the  mother 
of  Mr.  Walter  D.  Wood,  of  Mariners'  Harbor.  Jesse  and 
Catharine  Marshal  were  married  July  9,  1807.  James,  men- 
tioned above,  lived  at  Long  Neck,  or  Travisville,  and  his  sons 
were :  Charles,  mentioned  above,  John,  Peter  and  Abraham  ; 
Charles  was  well  known  in  his  day  as  a  local  preacher  in  the 
Methodist  church.  John,  brother  of  Charles,  married  Mary 
Jones,  and  was  the  father  of  James  and  Edward. 

Abraham  C.  Wood,  son  of  Benjamin  Wood,  was  born  in 
New  York  city,  March  1,  1819.  He  came  to  Staten  Island  with 
his  father  in  the  year  1821.  From  early  life  he  was  a  prominent 
and  useful  member  of  the  Reformed  church.  Port  Richmond. 
He  commenced  his  business  life  in  the  employ  of  the  New  York 
dyeing  and  printing  establishment  at  West  Brighton.  In  1851 
he  became  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Barrett,  Nephews  &  Co., 
Staten  Island  fancy  dyeing  establishment,  the  works  located  in 
Cherry  lane.  West  Brighton.  As  secretary  and  treasurer  he 
controlled  the  office  in  New  York  city.  In  this  position  he  con- 
tinued during  his  life.  He  was  for  many  years  trustee  of  pub- 
lic school  No.  2,  of  Castleton.  He  also  served  in  other  positions 
of  honor  on  the  island,  among  which  were  supervisor  and  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  police.  The  following  resolution  was  placed 


624  HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

on  file  by  his  associates  of   the  board  of  trustees  of   school 
No.  2: 

^'  Besolved,  That  this  board  of  trustees  feel  called  upon  to 
testify  its  appreciation  of  the  great  loss  the  people  of  this  dis- 
trict have  sustained  in  the  death  of  this  tried  and  faithful 
officer,  whose  integrity  and  purity  of  purpose  were  beyond  all 
question.  It  is  with  sorrow  not  wholly  unmixed  with  pride 
that  we  remember  our  worthy  colleague,  the  public  spirited 
citizen,  the  efficient  friend  and  laborer  for  public  schools,  the 
loving  husband  and  parent,  the  conscientious  Christian,  and 
record  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  come  after  us,  that  Abra- 
ham C.  Wood  lived  a  long  and  useful  life  amongst  us,  and  laid 
down  the  burden  of  life  generally  esteemed  as  one  of  the  most 
conscientious,  worthy  and  public  spirited  citizens  that  ever  lived 
among  us." 

He  died  April  30,  1884,  and  rests  in  the  Moravian  cemetery  at 
New  Dorp,  Staten  Island,  awaiting  the  call  to  a  blissful  immor- 
tality. 

Jacob  B.  Wood,  son  of  Benjamin  Wood,  was  born  in  New 
York  city,  August  22,  1811,  and  came  to  Staten  Island  with  his 
father  in  the  year  1821.  He  was,  during  his  life,  connected  in 
business  with  the  custom  house  in  New  York  city  for  a  number 
of  years  as  entry  clerk,  and  afterward  as  head  of  the  firm  of 
Wood,  Niebuhr  &  Co.,  custom  house  brokers,  which  last  posi- 
tion he  held  until  his  death.  He  was  also,  as  his  father,  con- 
nected with  the  Brighton  Heights  chiarch.  In  business  and  in 
church  relations  he  was  always  prominent.  In  nobility  of  char- 
acter and  loftiness  of  spirit  he  closely  resembled  his  father.  In 
the  minutest  particular  he  was  always  the  gentleman,  and  every- 
where courted  for  his  high  social  qualities.  He  was  a  great 
lover  of  books  and  works  of  art.  In  1851  he  visited  Europe. 
On  his  return  he  published  a  small  volume  entitled  "  Notes  of 
Foreign  Travel."  The  book  reveals  a  lively  appreciation  of 
every  sight  he  witnessed  and  of  all  the  incidents  that  marked 
his  tour.  He  had  a  mind  and  heart  of  very  high  order.  His 
home  was  on  Staten  Island  from  1821  until  1863.  He  served  as 
supervisor  a  number  of  years,  and  was  a  marked  and  prominent 
man  in  every  good  work  going  on  around  him,  and  esteemed  and 
beloved  by  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  He  died  at 
Piermont,  Rockland  county,  New  York,  August  1,  1885,  rest- 


En^nyAjiJPiii.<iv.e> 


HISTOUY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  623 

ing  in  faith  awaiting  the  trumpet  call  to  a  blessed  immortality. 
His  body  lies  beside  his  father  in  the  Rockland  cemetery. 

Abraham  J.  Wood. — Abraham  Wood,  the  grandfather  of 
the  subject  of  this  biography,  died  at  Spring^ille,  Staten  Island, 
September  20,  1796.  To  his  wife  Ruth  were  born  sons,  Moses 
Abraham,  James  C,  Walter;  and  daughters,  Nelly,  married  to 
David  Price,  and  Mary,  hiarried  first  to  Samuel  Baily,  and  a 
second  time  to  Isaac  Sprague.  James  C,  the  third  son  in 
order  of  birth,  was  a  native  of  Staten  Island  and  by  trade  a 
chairmaker  and  mechanic,  after  which  he  became  and  contin- 
ued for  many  years  a  merchant  at  Tottenville.  He  was  an  ex- 
emplary Christian,  zealous  in  the  cause  of  temperance,  and  an 
-honored  exhorter  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  with 
which  he  was  connected.  By  his  first  marriage  to  Catherine, 
daughter  of  Elias  Price,  were  born  Abraham  J.,  Esther  Ann, 
wife  of  Andrew  Sprague,  and  Elias  P.  His  second  wife  was 
Hettie,  also  a  daughter  of  Elias  Price,  whose  children  were 
Catherine  M.,  wife  of  Isaac  Bedell,  Alfred,  Emily,  wife  of  John 
T.  Winant;  Rachel,  married  to  Sebastian  Butler;  Brasilia,  wife 
of  James  Booth,  and  James. 

Abraham  J.,  the  eldest  son,  was  born  January  29,  1812,  in 
Hudson  county,  N.  J.,  from  whence  he  removed  when  but  5 
years  of  age  to  Staten  Island.  Receiving  but  limited  advant 
ages  of  education  at  Tottenville,  his  home,  at  the  early  age  of 
16  he  engaged  in  the  oyster  trade.  New  York  afforded  a  ready 
market,  and  his  regular  trips  were  rendered  more  profitable 
by  the  occasional  transportation  of  passengers.  At  the  age 
of  24  his  attention  was  turned  to  farming  and  butchering  for 
a  limited  time.  His  former  vocation  again  attracted  him, 
and  to  the  present  time  his  energies  have  been  chiefly  di- 
rected to  oyster  planting,  with  such,  successful  results  as  to 
have  placed  him  in  a  condition  of  independence.  He  now  re- 
sides on  his  attractive  farm  at  Prince's  Bay.  Mr.  Wood,  in 
1860,  opened  a  store  at  Prince's  Bay,  of  which  he  is  still  the 
owner.  As  a  citizen  he  is  enterprising  and  public  spirited.  As 
a  business  man,  clear  headed  and  thrifty,  his  ventures  have 
usually  been  crowned  with  success. 

An  early  democrat,  Mr.  Wood  on  its  formation  found  the 
principles  of  the  republican  party  to  harmonize  with  his  views, 
and  consequently  joined  its  ranks.  He  has  been  a  delegate  to 
state  conventions,  served  as  justice  of  the  peace,  held  for  six 

40 


626  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUKTT. 

terms  the  office  of  supervisor,  and  in  various  other  capacities 
served  his  township,  county  and  state.  In  all  these  relations 
he  has  won  respect  as  a  conscientious  and  able  public  officer. 
He  has  also  been  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  postmaster  of 
Prince's  Bay.  Mr.  Wood  was,  May  24,  1834,  married  to  Cath- 
erine, daughter  of  James  La  Forge.  Their  children  are  Abra- 
ham E.,  Catherine  E.,  Frances  A.  and  James  A. 

Besides  the  foregoing,  there  are  several  names  that  have  at 
one  time  or  another  been  prominent  in  the  county.  Some  of 
these  we  notice  in  the  following  paragraphs  : 
'  Areowsmith.— Of  this  name  there  were  two  on  the  island 
during  the  first  half  of  the  last  century — Thomas  and  Edmond. 
They  were  Englishmen,  and  appear  to  have  aspired  to  an  aris- 
tocratic position  in  society.  Their  public  services  were  chiefly 
of  a  military  character. 

BEATTY.^John,  and  his  son  Edward,  who  died  July  17,  1825, 
aged  over  eighty-one  years.  They  owned  the  property  lying 
between  the  Moravian  church  and  the  Patten  house,  and  were 
prominent  as  friends  and  supporters  of  that  church. 

BiLLOP. — The  name  is  introduced  here  only  to  notice  the  fact 
that  Colonel  Christopher,  so  eminently  notorious  during  the 
revolution,  had  a  son,  John  Willett,  baptized  June  11,  1769,  of 
whom  we  hear  nothing  more.  If  living  at  the  time  of  the 
evacuation  of  the  island  he  was  a  lad  of  fourteen  or  there- 
abouts, and  probably  accompanied  his  father  to  the  British  pos- 
sessions. 

Borland. — In  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  century  we 
meet  the  name  of  Lambert  Borland  frequently.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  colonial  assembly  in  1691,  and  therefore  must  have 
been  a  man  of  considerable  importance.  The  name  has  now  en- 
tirely disappeared  from  the  island. 

Dunn. — In  our  local  records,  church  or  county,  this  name  oc- 
curs only  in  connection  with  a  single  individual,  who  is  desig- 
nated as  John  Dunn,  Esq.  He  appears  to  have  been  a  man  of 
superior  acquirements,  and  was  twice  elected  member  of  assem- 
bly from  the  county,  1804  and  1805.  He  died  December  21, 1826, 
aged  fifty-seven  years.  Mrs.  Abraham  Housman,  of  Port  Rich- 
mond, is  his  only  surviving  child  in  the  county. 

GiFiroED. — This  name  also  occurs  in  the  records  only  with  ref- 
erence to  a  single  individual,  as  early  as  1770.     He  was  a  man  of 


HISTORY  OV  RICHMOND  COTJNTY.  627 

considerable  influence,  and  his  name  is  i^erpetuated  in  the  public 
road  called  from  him,  Gifford's  lane,  near  Richmond. 

Harrison.— John  Talbot  Harrison,   M.D.,  was  born  October 

2,  1785,  and  died  March  6,  18&3.  His  appointment  as  health  of- 
ficer of  the  port  introduced  him  to  the  island,  where  he  subse- 
quently took  up  his  residence.  He  was  a  member  of  assembly 
for  the  county  in  1830  and  1831,  presidential  elector  in  1840,  and 
member  of  the  state  constitutional  convention  in  1845.  He  was 
highly  respected  as  a  man  and  as  a  physician.  He  was  the  father 
of  H.  R.  Harrison,  M.D.,  Port  Richmond. 

Le  Count,  or  Le  Conte,  John.— Was  a  man  of  great  influence 
in  the  county  early  in  the  last  century;  he  was  a  member  of  the 
colonial  assembly  in  1726,  and  again  in  1756;  he  was  also  county 
judge  from  1739  to  1756. 

Marlet. — There  were  two  brothers  of  this  name,  Paul  and 
Abraham,  residing  in  the  county,  between  1680  and  1700  ;  they 
possessed  considerable  property,  but  the  name  has  become  ex- 
tinct. They  both  appear  to  have  been  highly  respected  in  their 
day  and  generation. 

MiCHEAir. — During  the  last  half  of  the  last  century,  and  the 
beginning  of  the  present,  there  were  several  families  of  this 
name  in  the  county,  some  of  whom  were  men  exceedingly 
popular.  The  first  of  the  name,  Paul,  was  sheriff  in  1736,  and 
member  of  the  colonial  assembly  from  1748  to  1751  ;  his  son 
Paul,  however,  appears  to  have  been  a  great  favorite  with  the 
people  of  the  county  ;  he  was  chosen  to  the  provincial  congress 
in  1775-6 ;  county  clerk  for  twenty  years  from  1761  ;  county 
judge  for  eleven  years  from  1786,  and  state  senator  from  1789  to 
1792.     His  son,  Paul  J.,  was  member  of  assembly  1798-9,  1802- 

3,  and  Benjamin,  county  treasurer  in  1787.  There  was  never  a 
more  popular  or  influential  family  in  the  county,  but  they  have 
all  disappeared.     They  were  residents  of  Westfield. 

Besides  the  above,  there  were  individuals  and  families  who 
once  exerted  a  powerful  influence  in  the  county,  who  have 
now  totally  disappeared  ;  among  them  are  the  names  of  Berge, 
Adriance,  Stoothofl,  Veghte,  Vanderbeck,  Staats,  Veltman, 
Clendening,  Garrabrantz,  Hoogland,  Ralph,  Jenners,  Van 
Wagenan,  Slecht,  Carenton,  Spier,  Hafte,  Swaim,  Nefius, 
Ryke,  Schouten,  Gray,  Zatphen,  Rykman,  Van  Engelen, 
Metzelaer,  Van  Tuyl,  Pryor,  Jurks,  De  Grammeaux,  Vander- 
hoven,  Richaud,  Wimmer,  Caspers,  Packer,  Van  Dyck,  Sim- 


628  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

senbach,   Brebant  Bosler,    Tillburgh,  Van  Brakel  De  Camp, 
Carhart,  Corbitt,  Tillou,  and  others. 

EMINENT  MEN   AND   WOMEN  OF   STATEN   ISLAND. 
By  Hamilton  Willcox. 

Forgotten  corner  of  the  world  though  most  strangers  deem 
Staten  Island,  it  has  been  the  home  of  as  many  famous  persons 
as  most  places  of  renown.  Since,  yes,  before,  the  time  when 
Grovernor  Dongan  built  his  residence  on  the  shore  of  Kill  Van 
Kull,  overlooking  the  scene  where  white  men  began  the  long 
record  of  outrage  and  murder  on  the  occupants  of  the  land, 
and  built  his  shooting  lodge  on  the  west  slope  of  the  hills, 
that  just  above  Castleton  Corners  look  toward  the  Orange 
mountains,  Staten  Island  has  been  the  abode  of  numerous  men 
and  women  whose  memories  are  historic. 

Lest  partiality  should  seem  to  be  shown,  the  writer  has  been 
unwilling  to  trust  to  his  own  knowledge  or  recollections.  No- 
tice of  the  preparation  of  this  chapter  has  been  furnished  to  the 
journals  of  Richmond  county,  with  a  request  for  memoranda 
regarding  those  who  could  properly  be  deemed  distinguished. 
If  any  who  should  be  included  here  are  left  out,  it  will  be  be- 
cause the  needful  information  has  not  been  supplied.  Our 
space  will  mainly  be  devoted  to  those  who  are  no  longer  living, 
or  now  dwell  elsewhere. 

Above  all  the  figures  of  its  past,  towers  that  of  Daniel  D. 
Tompkins,  whose  great  mansion  yet  stands  on  a  hill  overlook- 
ing the  first- village  incorporated  in  the  county,  and  named  for 
him.  Assemblyman,  judge  of  the  supreme  court,  representa- 
tive in  congress,  governor  of  New  York  state  ten  years,  includ- 
ing the  trying  time  of  the  war  with  Great  Britain,  and  by  his 
courage  and  patriotism,  when  his  state  was  invaded  on  the  St. 
Lawrence  river  and  Lake  Ontario,  and  his  own  home  was  in 
peril  from  British  ships,  distinguished  as  "New  York's  war 
governor  ;"  as  governor,  obtaining  the  passage  of  the  noble  law 
which  abolished  slavery  and  secured  freedom  to  ten  thousand 
human  beings  and  to  their  posterity  forever  ;  also  as  governor^ 
approving  the  various  acts  whereby  the  legislature  removed  the 
burden  of  disfranchisement  from  several  classes  of  people ; 
leaving  the  governor's  chair  to  become  vice-president  of  the 
United  States,  in  an  administration  which  had  the  glory  to 
allay  partisan  strife,  and  receiving  an  almost  unanimous  re- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  629 

election  ;  during  this  second  term  as  vice-president  almost 
elected  governor  again ;  presiding  over  the  convention  which 
revised  the  state  constitution,  and  serving  as  vice-president  al- 
most to  the  day  of  his  death ;  few  American  statesmen  have 
had  so  brilliant  and  honorable  a  career.  One  of  the  great  forts, 
which  at  the  Narrows  guard  New  York  on  the  Staten  Island 
shore,  fitly  bears  his  name,  and  is  his  lasting  monument. 

The  spirit  of  the  elder  Tompkins  was  transmitted  to  his  son, 
the  courtly,  scholarly,  brave,  genial  and  eloquent  Minthorne 
Tompkins,  who  resigned  his  seat  in  the  state  senate  in  1840, 
sacrificed  a  career  which  lay  before  him  probably  as  brilliant  as 
his  father's,  rather  than  withhold  his  hostility  to  slavery  in 
other  regions,  and  espoused  the  cause  of  liberty  when  it  was 
political  ruin  to  befriend  the  slave.  In  a  state  where  his  father 
was  so  long  governor  he  had  the  nerve  to  accept  a  nomination 
for  that  office  as  the  candidate  of  the  free  soil  party  (with  John 
P.  Hale  for  president  and  George  W.  Julian  for  vice-president), 
when  his  supporters  could  give  him  but  19,000  votes.  To  his 
generous  sympathy  hundreds  of  poor  families  on  the  island  owe 
their  houses,  for  he  it  was  who  broke  up  the  great  estate  his 
father  left  into  small  lots,  sold  these  lots  to  poor  families,  and 
allowed  them  to  pay  him  as  they  could — five  or  ten  dollars  at  a 
time.  The  people  of  the  county  remembered  this,  and  on  two 
occasions,  when  he  headed  the  county  ticket  of  his  party,  which 
was  in  a  hopeless  minority,  he  was  honored  by  a  vote  much 
beyond  the  strength  of  that  organization.  In  1855,  when  his 
party  (republican)  was  beaten  nearly  three  to  one,  Minthorne 
Tompkins  failed  of  election  to  the  assembly  by  only  seventy- 
five  votes.  Puring  the  war  of  the  rebellion  he  spent  much  time 
and  pains  in  raising  the  "  Staten  Island  Regiment,"  of  which  he 
was  made  colonel,  though  of  an  age  that  well  exempted  him 
from  military  service;  and  when  the  exigencies  of  war  obliged 
the  government  to  consolidate  the  regiment  with  others  before 
he  could  complete  its  numbers,  and  to  hurry  to  the  front  the 
men  he  had  recruited,  he  gave  up  his  command  without  a  mur- 
mur. For  many  years  he  served,  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life, 
as  a  member  and  president  of  the  board  of  port  wardens.  He 
died,  not  long  since,  beloved  and  regretted  by  friends  all  over 
the  state  and  country. 

Another    vice-president,    a    predecessor    of    Yice-President 
Tompkins,  and  a  man  of  a  very  different  career,  ended  his  days 


630 


HISTORY  OF  KIOHMOND  COUNTY. 


at  Port  Richmond.  Soldier  of  the  revolution,  leader  of  the  bar, 
attorney-general,  senator  of  the  United  States,  inventor  of  the 
methods  of  American  politics,  manager  of  the  tremendous 
struggle  of  1800  which  placed  Jefferson  and  the  party  of  the 
people  in  power  by  carrying  New  York  city,  hence  the  state, 
and  so  turning  the  scale;  while  vice-president  engineering  the 


ST.  JAMES  HOTEL,  POET  RICHMOND. — HOUSE  WHERE  AARON  BURR  DIED. 

act  of  1801,  by  which  the  legislature  relieved  tens  of  thousands 
from  disfranchisement,  and  presiding  over  the  first  convention 
which  revised  the  state  constitution;  missing  the  presidency 
only  by  want  of  generous  and  hearty  loyalty  to  Jefferson;  can- 
didate for  governor,  driven  from  the  state  by  a  combination  of 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  631 

politicians  who  used  the  death  of  Alexander  Hamilton  to  crush 
him,  would-be  emperor  of  Mexico — when  Aaron  Burr  came  to 
the  end  of  his  eventful  life,  it  was  on  Staten  Island,  where  he 
had  passed  much  time  at  intervals,  that  he  died. 

Jacob  Bolsen  Cox,  one  of  the  most  honored  of  living  Ameri- 
cans, who  has  filled  the  posts  of  major-general  of  volunteers 
in  the  civil  war,  governor  of  Ohio,  secretary  of  the  interior  in 
General  Grant's  first  cabinet,  representative  in  congress,  presi- 
dent of  the  Toledo,  Wabash  &  Western  railroad;  dean  of  Cin- 
cinati  law  school,  and  almost  senator  in  place  of  John  Sherman, 
was  in  his  youth  a  clerk  in  the  Wall  street  oiQce  of  Anthony 
Lane,  and  was  a  resident  of  Port  Richmond,  as  was  also  his 
brother,  Charles  F.  Cox,  secretary  of  the  Canada  Southern 
railroad. 

Some  of  the  leading  names  of  the  world  in  science  belong  to 
Staten  Island.  Dr.  John  William  Draper,  one  of  the  most  ma- 
jestic minds  the  world  has  known,  whose  researches  revolu- 
tionized many  departments  of  knowledge;  who  gave  to  man* 
kind  the  art  of  photography;  who  during  half  a  century's 
laborious  investigation  freely  gave  the  public,  without  seeking 
patent  or  other  monopoly,  the  fruits  of  his  toil  and  study;  who 
set  forth,  in  books  of  wide  circulation,  facts  commonly  deemed 
dry  with  language  that  fascinated  the  reader;  who  handled  the 
history  of  Europe  with  skill  that  from  an  adverse  critic  (the 
Westminster  ^^ Review'-'')  extorted  the  confession  that  "what 
Buckle  attempted  for  England,  Draper  has  done  for  Europe;" 
who  for  more  than  forty  j'^ears  daily  instructed  large  classes  in 
chemistry,  physiology,  botany,  geology  and  kindred  sciences; 
who  helped  to  found  the  New  York  University  Medical  College, 
and  as  its  secretary  and  president  built  it  up  to  a  great  institu- 
tion. Doctor  Draper,  while  making  the  discoveries  and  writing 
the  works  which  first  gave  him  European  as  well  as  American 
celebrity,  lived  in  a  modest  house  on  Cherry  lane,  not  far  from 
the  Hatfield  farm.  His  sons.  Dr.  John  C.  Draper,  successor  to 
his  father's  university  chairs,  in  that  father's  lifetime  professor 
of  chemistry  and  mineralogy  in  the  New  York  City  College,  and 
of  analytical  and  practical  chemistry  in  the  university,  author 
of  several  scientific  works;  and  Dr.  Henry  Draper,  also  author 
of  a  number  of  scientific  works,  builder  of  a  silvered  glass  re- 
flectory telescope  which  eclipsed  that  of  Lord  Rosse;  first  pho- 
tographer of  the  moon,  photographer  of  the  sun  through  the 


632  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

telescope,  surgeon  and  captain  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion, 
author  of  numerous  papers,  articles  and  books  on  scientific  sub- 
jects, resided  in  boyhood  in  the  Cherry  lane  house  with  their 
father. 

Alexander  Del  Mar,  author  of  "A  History  of  the  Precious 
Metals,"  a  "  History  of  Money  in  Ancient  Times,"  "The  Science 
of  Money,"  and  other  works,  probably  the  greatest  ever  written 
on  political  economy,  and  certainly  the  ablest  and  most  labor- 
ious ever  written  by  an  American,  lived  both  at  New  Brighton 
and  Stapleton.  At  one  time  he  was  financial  editor  of  eight 
different  journals,  and  founded  also  the  flourishing  "  Commer- 
cial and  Financial  Chronicle  and  New  YorTi  Daily  Bulletin.'''' 
As  director  of  the  bureau  of  statistics  he  reorganized  the  United 
States  commerce  and  navigation  returns  so  as  to  make  them  re- 
liable, which  was  a  herculean  task;  and  by  one  sharp  exposure 
he  prevented,  in  1868-9,  the  plunder  of  the  United  States  treas- 
ury to  the  extent  of  one  hundred  millions  of  dollars.  As  orig- 
inator and  officer  of  the  United  States  monetary  commission  of 
1876,  he  brought  the  country  back  to  the  use  of  both  silver  and 
gold  as  currency,  and  thus  greatly  aided  to  prevent  the  threat- 
ened disaster  of  a  vast  paper  inflation. 

Dr.  Samuel  Mackenzie  Elliott,  whose  discoveries  in  occulism 
largely  advanced  that  art  and  brought  him  an  income  of 
$30,000  a  year,  also  founded  the  settlement  along  Bard  avenue 
which  still  bears  his  name;  built,  and  for  years  maintained,  an 
astronomical  observatory,  whose  dome  may  still  be  seen  on  the 
roof  of  his  former  residence,  on  the  hill  above  Stapleton.  Under 
his  care  at  Elliottville,  among  many  remarkable  cures,  sight 
was  restored  to  Professor  Edward  L.  Youmans,  whose  enthusi- 
astic lectures  and  writings  on  chemistry  and  kindred  branches, 
delivered  to  audiences  all  through  the  country,  widely  spread 
the  knowledge  and  interest  on  these  subjects  which  are  now 
common.  'K%iowa.^%^\h% '■'•  Vopular  Science  Monthly,^''  made 
that  great  thinker,  Herbert  Spencer,  known  to  Americans,  and 
saved  his  wondrous  system  of  philosophy  from  suppression. 

Dr.  John  Swinburne,  too,  whose  discoveries  in  the  art  of 
healing  broken  bones  and  dislocated  joints,  and  whose  success- 
ful application  of  those  discoveries  to  thousands  of  sufferers  in 
civil  life,  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  and  in  the  siege  of  Paris 
(1870),  earned  for  him  unnumbered  blessings  and  amazed  the 
Skilled  surgeons  of  France;  who  as  health  officer  saved  New 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  633 

York  from  a  plague,  and  who  was  elected  mayor  and  congress- 
man in  Albany  by  large  majorities  in  a  community  strongly  op- 
posed to  him  politically,  was  long  a  resident  of  Tompkinsville. 

Dr.  Carl  C.  Schmidt,  publisher  of  the  "Leipsic  Medical  An- 
nual," and  other  valuable  publications,  a  scholar  and  physician 
of  unusual  attainments  and  singular  dignity  and  beauty  of 
person,  driven  from  Germany  in  the  revolution  Of  1848,  settled 
at  Willow  Brook  in  JSTorthfield,  and  there  ended  his  days. 

Dr.  Frederick  HoUick,  whose  books  and  lectures  on  physi- 
ology did  much  a  generation  since  to  spread  knowledge  of  that 
science  in  America,  has  long  been  a  resident  of  the  island,  as 
has  Dr.  A.  L.  Carroll,  formerly  editor  of  the  ''Medical 
Gazette,''''  translator  and  author  of  several  scientific  works, 
and  secretary  of  the  state  board  of  health. 

Prof.  N.  L.  Britton  of  Columbia  College,  a  native  of  West- 
field,  though  still  a  young  man,  has  made  a  name  among  scien- 
tists by  several  Works  on  topics  in  natural  history. 

Sir  Edward  Cunard,  American  manager  of  the  singularlj?- 
careful  and  successful  ocean  steamship  line  which  bears 
his  name,  long  lived  on  the  hill  overlooking  the  Narrows,  where 
he  could  see  from  his  window  every  vessel  of  his  line  come  in 
sight  of  New  York  and  disappear  thence. 

William  H.  Aspinwall,  long  a  leader  in  developing  trade  with 
California,  and  for  whom  the  city  of  Aspinwall  in  Panama  is 
named,  was  long  a  dweller  at  New  Dorp. 

M.  B.  Brady,  the  famous  photographer,  long_  dispensed  a 
generous  hospitality  to  distinguished  guests  from  many  climes, 
at  a  residence  on  Grymes  hill. 

Daniel  B.  Allen  and  Samuel  Barton,  agents  of  Commodore 
Vanderbilt's  steamship  lines;  Jeremiah  Simonson,  a  prominent 
shipbuilder;  Bernhard  Westermann,  the  leading  German  book- 
seller of  America,  have  also  been  residents  of  Staten  Island. 

George  Cabot  Ward,  American  agent  of  the  famous  banking 
house  of  Baring  Brothers  &  Co.,  dwelt  on  Bard  avenue,  as  did 
Robert  B.  Minturn  the  younger,  of  the  widely  known  house  of 
Grinnell,  Minturn  &  Co.,  and  president  of  the  American  Free 
Trade  League. 

At  Clifton  lived  John  A.  Appleton,  of  the  immense  publish- 
ing house  of  D.  Appleton  &  Co.,  and  Nathaniel  Marsh,  presi- 
dent of  the  Erie  railroad  ;  at  New  Brighton — Daniel  L.  Apple- 
ton,  of  the  celebrated  Waltham  "  American  Watch  Company," 


634  HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

and  at  different  times  president  of  the  Mercantile  Library  and 
of  the  New  England  Society  ;  at  West  Brighton— Hiram  H. 
Lamfort,  president  of  the  ubiquitous  Continental  Fire  Insur- 
ance Company  ;  on  Grymes  hill — George  Law,  who  succeeded 
Cornelius  Vanderbilt  as  the  leading  steamboat  owner  of  the  bar* 
bor,  and  after  Law's  death  John  J,  Cisco,  the  banker,  for  years 
United  States  assistant  treasurer ;  Hugh  J.  Jewett,  president  of 
the  Erie  Eailroad  ;  Roderick  W.  Cameron,  of  the  Australian 
steamship  line  ;  Erastus  Wiman,  head  of  the  original  mercan- 
tile agency,  which  reaches  all  over  the  country,  and  promoter 
of  other  business  enterprises  ;  William  T.  Garner,  head  of  the 
great  Cohoes  Mills,  and  commodore  of  the  New  York  Yacht 
Club.  The  list  of  Staten  Islanders  who  have  been  commercially 
distinguished  is  far  too  long  for  insertion  here. 

Gen.  Antonio  Lopez  Santa  Anna,  styled  the  ablest  of  Mexican 
generals,  and  the  wiliest  of  Mexican  politicians,  repeatedly 
president  and  dictator  of  Mexico,  and  as  often  expelled  from 
that  coiintry,  during  his  last  exile  lived  for  a  considerable  time 
at  West  Brighton,  on  the  Manor  road,  just  north  of  Cherry 
lane. 

Gen.  Richard  Delafield,  of  the  United  States  army,  was  long 
stationed  at  Fort  Tompkins,  and  as  colonel  of  engineers  had 
charge  of  the  construction  of  Fort  Wadsworth.  Gen.  Joseph 
G.  Totten,  chief  engineer  of  the  army,  is  said  to  have  been  a 
resident  of  Tottenville. 

To  the  navy  Staten  Island  has  contributed:  Alban  C.  Stimers, 
chief  engineer,  who  took  personal  charge  of  the  engines  of  the 
"Monitor,"  in  her  fight  with  the  "  Merrimac ;"  Commodore 
Stephen  Decatur,  the  younger,  who,  struck  with,  blindness 
through  the  terrible  blunder  of  a  physician  at  the  outset  of  a 
fine  career,  resided  long  at  EUiottville,  in  the  vain  hope  that 
Doctor  Elliott's  skill  might  succeed  in  undoing  the  injury;  and 
Commodore  A.  Colden  Rhind,  whose  daring  exploits  in  the  cap- 
ture of  New  Orleans,  and  the  ascent  of  the  Mississippi  by  Far- 
ragut  and  Porter,  made  him  renowned.  Commodore  James  Mc- 
intosh was  also  long  a  resident  of  Clifton.  William  W.  Win- 
throp,  judge  advocate,  general  of  the  army,  was  for  some  time 
a  resident  of  West  Brighton. 

To  the  revolutionary  volunteers  Northfield  contributed  Capt. 
Joseph  Mersereau  ;  to  the  tory  forces  Westfield  furnished  Col- 
onel Billop.     It  also  contributed  to  the  side  of  liberty  the  de- 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  635 

voted  patriot,  Mrs.  Disosway,  of  Tattenville,  who  refused  to 
urge  her  brother  to  cease  his  attacks  on  the  British,  though 
promised  the  release  of  her  husband  from  captivity  if  she 
would  do  so. 

To  the  war  of  1812  Richmond  county,  so  far  as  known,  did 
not  supply  many  prominent  actors;  butCapt.  Benjamin  Wood, 
who  raised  and  largely  equipped  a  company  for  the  defense  of 
New  York,  becoming  captain  in  the  Twenty-seventh  regiment. 
United  States  infantry,  as  such  boarded,  in  1815,  the  British 
frigate  (at  Sandy  Hook,  where  he  was  stationed)  that  brought 
the  news  of  peace,  being  the  first  American  to  receive  this  glad 
news  ;  who  mounted  and  fired  the  first  gun  placed  on  Fort  La- 
fayette at  the  Narrows  ;  was  twenty  years  (1821-41)  revenue 
boarding  officer  at  the  quarantine  station,  a  rejsident  of  Tomp- 
kinsville,  and  a  leader  in  county  affairs. 

To  the  volunteer  service  in  the  rebellion  the  island  contrib- 
uted, besides  those  heretofore  named :  Robert  Gould  Shaw,  of 
Bard  avenue,  colonel  of  the  Fifty-fourth  Massachusetts  colored 
regiment,  who  fell,  with  scores  of  his  command,  at  the  storming 
of  Fort  Wagner,  and  whose  remains  lie  with  those  of  the  dusky 
comrades  whom  he  led,  his  generous  parents  deeming  that  com- 
panionship their  fittest  sepulture ;  and  Major  Theodore  Win- 
throp,  the  explorer,  novelist  and  orator,  whose  country  saw  him 
last  by  the  flashes  of  musketry  against  the  black  night  of  a 
Virginian  forest,  standing  on  a  gun,  striving  to  rally  the  Union 
troops  whom  surprise  had  confused  and  disordered,  and  who, 
while  going  to  his  death,  wrote  to  a  companion  of  his  country 
walks,  "Ah,  me  !  in  these  sweet,  balmy  May  days  I  miss  my 
Staten  Island." 

When  the  Union  army  set  out  to  reach  Richmond,  Va.,  by 
way  of  the  James  river.  Mariners'  Harbor  furnished  a  hundred 
skilled  pilots,  who  knew  every  foot  of  the  way,  selected  from 
its  oyster  fleet  by  Capt.  John  J.  Housman.  Before  the  war  Gen. 
Francis  C.  Barlow,  said  to  be  the  bravest  man  in  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  afterward  attorney  general,  secretary  of  state  and 
United  States  marshal,  was  a  tutor  in  a  private  family  of  Staten 
Island. 

In  literature,  besides  those  heretofore  mentioned,  there  are 
many,  too  many  to  specify  all;  but  above  all  stands  George  Wil- 
liam Curtis,  author  of  the  "  Nile  Notes,"  which  soon  after  its 
publication  became  a  text  book  in  Oxford  for  students  of  a  pure 


636  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

English  style,  and  whom  Charles  Dickens  declared  to  be  much 
the  finest  speaker  he  had  ever  heard  ;  author  of  other  notable 
books,  such  as  "Prue  and  I,"  and  "Trumps."  As  orator, 
journalist  and  statesman,  ever  unselfishly  striving  to  lead  pub- 
lic sentiment  toward  justice  and  purity,  na  man  since  the  days 
of  Governor  Tompkins  has  so  won  the  hearts  or  aroused  the 
jiride  of  his  fellow  islanders.  In  this  connection,  too,  must  be 
remembered  the  scholarly,  eloquent  and  kindly  Erastus  Brooks, 
forty  years  editor  of  the  "iVew  Yorli  Express,^''  and  longer 
than  any  other  man  the  representative  of  Richmond  county  in 
the  state  legislature. 

Richard  Adams  Locke,  author  of  the  famous  "Moon  Hoax  '' 
in  the  '■'•New  York  Herald,''^  which,  before  the  days  of  transat- 
lantic steamers  and  cables,  led  Americans  to  believe  that  Sir 
John  Herschelj  peering  with  his  great  telescope  through  the 
clear  air  of  South  Africa,  had  discovered  men  and  women  in  the 
moon,  lived  long  at  Tompkinsville.  Mrs.  Laura  Winthrop  John- 
son, the  poet-sister  of  Theodore  and  William  Winthrop;  Chris- 
topher Pearse  Clanch,  one  of  the  most  exquisite  of  American 
poets  and  artists;  Gabriel  P.  Disosway,  author  (in  the  columns 
of  the  '■^  Staten  Island  Union'''')  of  the  first  history  of  the 
island,  and  of  other  historical  works;  his  daughter.  Miss  Ella 
Taylor  Disosway,  the  novelist;  and  many  others  mentioned  in 
other  connections,  form  an  army  of  literary  workers  of  which 
Richmond  county  may  well  be  proud. 

■  Charles  Mackaye,  the  well-known  English  poet,  was  for  some 
years  a  resident  of  Clifton,  and  of  Dr.  Elliott's  observatory  cot- 
tage on  Grymes  hill.  Mrs.  Catherine  N.  Sinclair,  long  a  prom- 
inent actress  under  the  name  of  Mrs.  Forrest,  lived  a  long  time 
in  the  opposite  cottage  with  her  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Henry 
Sedley,  of  the  Kew  York  "  Times.'''  Henry  D.  Thoreau,  author 
of  "  Walden,"  etc.,  an  uncommonly  able  writer  and  thinker, 
who  was  for  some  time  tutor  in  the  family  of  Judge  William 
Emerson,  brother  of  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson;  Clarence  Cook, 
the  author,  journalist  and  critic;  Maria  J.  Mcintosh,  the  novel- 
ist; Rev.  John  F.  Hurst,  since  president  of  Drew  Theological 
seminary  and  now  bishop  of  Iowa,  who  published  his  "  History 
of  Rationalism"  while  pastor  of  Trinity  Methodist  church. 
West  Brighton;  Richard  L.  Dugdale,  author  of  the  famous 
work  on  crime  and  pauperism  called  "The  Jukes,"  for  a  long 
time  assistant  secretary  of  the  Prison  Association,  also  secre- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  637 

tary  of  the  Society  for  Political  Education,  the  Civil  Service 
Kef orm  Association  and  the  Sociologic  Section  of  the  JSTew  York 
Association  for  Advancement  of  Science,  and  treasurer  of  the 
New  York  Liberal  Club,  much  of  whose  closing  years  were 
passed  on  Bard  avenue;  may  be  added  to  the  list.    . 

Among  painters  may  bp  mentioned  William  Page,  delineator 
of  "Venus"  and  many  other  skillful  pictures;  and  among 
musical  men.  Max  Maretzek,  the  effective  manager,  resided 
here.  Among  inventors  should  be  mentioned  William  F.  Gas- 
ton, deviser  of  the  "  Night  Signals"  system  used  by  the  gov- 
ernment ;  Prof.  John  M.  Hawkins,  contriver  of  vivid  and 
startling  optical  effects  of  the  "Thaumascope";  Horace  Board- 
man,  inventor  of  the  Boardman  boiler;  and  Antonio  Meucci, 
one  of  the  early  contrivers  of  the  telephone  and  the  host  of 
Garibaldi  in  that  hero's  exile. 

When  the  New  York  draft  rioters  of  1863  came  to  be  tried, 
the  foreman  of  the  jury  which  convicted  them,  Hugh  Auchin- 
closs,  was  a  former  Staten  Islander. 

Caleb  Lyon,  at  one  time  representative  in  congress  and  after- 
ward governor  of  Montana,  was  for  a  time  resident  of  Rossville. 
Judge  George  C.Barrett,  just  unanimously  re-elected  to  the  bench 
of  the  supreme  court  for  another  term  of  fourteen  years,  was 
for  a  time  a  resident  of  West  Brighton.  Frederick  Law  Olm- 
sted, whose  architectural  and  landscape  engineering  skill  trans- 
formed a  mass  of  shanties,  pigsties  and  rocks  into  the  resplen- 
dent beauty  of  the  Central  park,  and  also  turned  the  capitol 
grounds  at  Washington  into  charming  surroundings  instead  of 
the  eyesore  and  public  disgrace  they  had  been,  aiithor  of  "A 
Journey  Through  the  Seaboard  Slave  States,"  and  other  able 
works,  was  long  a  resident  of  the  south  shore.  Dr.  Bedell, 
Episcopal  bishop  of  New  Jersey,  was  a  native  of  Staten  Island. 
Besides  all  these,  there  is  a  class  of  Staten  Islanders  whom 
we  should  hold  especially  dear,  because  their  efforts  were  sig- 
nally directed  to  abolishing  oppression  and  wrong,  and  to  pro- 
moting virtue  and  freedom.  TheLatourettes,  Dupuys,  Freneaus 
and  other  Huguenots  and  Waldenses,  who  bore  imprisouT 
ment  for  conscience's  sake,  took  part  in  the  heroic  defense  of 
Rochelle  and  other  points  in  France,  more  than  two  centuries 
ago,  and  afterward  left  their  homes  forever,  rather  than  lose 
their  liberty,  should  always  have  a  place  in  our  hearts. 
As  the  writer  once  stood  on  the  walls  of  the  ancient  strong- 


638  HISTOEY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

hold  Perpigman,  with  the  Pyrenees  towering  behind  and  on 
either  hand,  while  before  stretched  away  the  sunny  plains  of 
France,  it  seemed  for  a  moment  the  world  had  rolled  back  two 
centuries,  and  from  those  plains  rose  the  sad  sound  of  the 
lament  of  many  exiles  who  afterward  became  Staten  Island's 
colonists  : — 

"  Alas  !  we  must  leave  thee. 

Dear,  desolate  home, 
To  the  spearmen  of  Uri, 

The  slavelings  of  Rome  ; 
To  the  serpent  of  Florence, 

The  vulture  of  Spain, 
To  the  pride  of  Anjou, 
And  the  guile  of  Lorraine. 

"One  look,  one  last  look, 

To  the  streams  and  the  bowers, 
To  the  fields  and  the  trees, 

To  the  cots  and  the  towers  ; 
To  the  church  where  the  bones 

Of  our  fathers  decayed. 
Where  we  fondly  had  hoped 

That  our  own  should  be  laid. 

' '  Farewell  to  thy  fountains, 

Farewell  to  thy  shades, 
To  the  song  of  thy  youths, 

And  the  dance  of  thy  maids; 
To  the  cool  of  thy  garden. 

The  hum  of  thy  bees, 
And  the  long,  waving  line 

Of  the  blue  Pyrenees. 

"  Farewell,  and  forever, 

The  priest  and  the  slave 
May  rule  in  the  halls 

Of  the  free  and  the  brave; 
Our  hearths  we  abandon; 

Our  lands  we  resign ; 
But,  Father,  we  kneel 

To  no  altar  but  thine." 

General  John  C.  Fremont,  who  saved  California  from  the 
curse  of  slavery,  was  one  of  its  first  senators,  and  in  1856  bore 
the  banner  of  free  soil  as  candidate  for  president,  was  at  the 
latter  time,  as  he  has  repeatedly  since  been,  a  resident  of 
Staten  Island. 

Joseph  Karge,  a  Polish  nobleman,  for  seeking  the  liberty  of 
his  country,  was  condemned  by  the  Russian  government  to 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  639 

death.  Escaping  to  America,  he  found  a  home  at  Elliottville; 
in  the  war  became  a  general  of  cavalry,  and  later  a  member  of 
the  faculty  of  Princeton  College. 

When  Louis  Kossuth,  driven  from  Hungary  for  defending 
his  country's  liberty,  found  a  refuge  in  America,  Staten  Island 
was  the  first  American  soil  he  trod,  and  a  Staten  Island  regi- 
ment gave  him  his  first  welcome.  Gustav  Struve,  the  colleague 
of  Frederick  Hecker  in  establishing  a  republic  in  Baden  in 
1848,  driven  from  Germany,  and  afterward  from  Switzerland, 
found  a  home,  and  opportunity  to  write  his  "  History  of  the 
World,"  on  the  Northfield  plankroad  near  Graniteville.  Many 
yet  living  recall  his  venerable  and  dignified  form,  and  the 
electric  eloquence  and  wonderful  mastery  of  English  where- 
with he  advocated  the  election  of  Lincoln.  Delia  Tudor  Stewart 
Parnell,  daughter  of  Admiral  Charles  Stewart  (commander  of 
the  famous  frigate  "Constitution,"  who  bore  the  name  of  "  the 
bravest  man  in  the  American  navy  "),  wife  of  an  Irish  country 
gentleman,  seeing  the  misery  of  the  people  of  her  adopted 
country,  trained  her  son  Charles  Stewart  Parnell  to  become  the 
leader  of  his  countrymen  in  peaceful,  legal  and  resistless  move- 
ment toward  self  government;  and  when  his  great  work  in  the 
house  of  commons  began,  she,  with  her  daughters,  whom  she 
had  reared  in  t"he  same  noble  spirit,  traveled,  spoke  and  per- 
formed enormous  labor  in  organizing  and  teaching  the  great 
Irish  population  of  America  to  co-operate  with  the  great  work 
which  her  son  was  guiding.  In  the  thick  of  this  work,  mother 
and  daughters  resided  for  some  time  at  New  Brighton. 

But  of  all  the  lofty  and  heroic  souls  who  have  hallowed  our 
island's  soil,  who  will  deny  the  first  place  to  him  who  for  his 
country's  weal  refused  a  crown,  and  gave  away  a  realm,  and 
whose  life  and  sword  were  ever  at  the  call  of  freedom,  in  his 
own  or  other  lands  ?  Forced  to  leave  his  native  soil  by  the 
pressure  of  organized  numbers  wielded  by  despotic  hands;  in 
exile  and  poverty,  the  house  of  a  compatriotaf  Clifton  afforded 
a  refuge  and  home  to  Joseph  Garibaldi.  In  the  dwelling  of 
that  friend,  the  faithful  Antonio  Meucci,  hangs  still  a  portrait 
painted  then;  and  the  worn,  weary  face,  the  sunken,  melan- 
choly eyes  and  the  well  nigh  despairing  expression,  tell  a 
touching  tale  of  the  sufferings  the  hero  had  borne,  and  of  his 
feelings  in  that  terrible  hour,  when  throughout  the  European 
continent  liberty  was  crushed  by  armed  hosts;  while  the  look  of 


640  HISTOKT  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

fearless  and  immovable  resolve  bespeaks  the  leader  who  within 
ten  years  returned  at  the  head  of  conquering  armies,  drove  out 
tyrants,  and  made  Italy  united  and  free.  When  Garibaldi  died, 
how  new  the  world  must  have  seemed  to  him,  with  justice  and 
self-government  everywhere  growing  up,  compared  to  what  it 
was  when  he  wandered  through  Clifton's  groves  beneath  our 
summer  skies. 

Truly,  "Freedom's  battle,  once  begun,  though  baffled  oft,  is 
ever  won."  America  may  be  proud  to  have  given  Garibaldi  an 
asylum,  and  for  ages  to  come  Italia' s  sons  and  daughters  shall 
revere  his  name  as  that  of  one  of  the  noblest  in  her  long  line  of 
heroes. 

The  truth  is  that  Staten  Island's  soil  has  been  trodden  by 
numbers  of  men  and  women  whose  lives  and  deeds  have  done 
them  honor,  and  made  this  ground  historic.  Our  air  is  full  of 
memories  of  worthy  souls  and  acts;  and  these  memories  should 
nerve  us  all  to  equal  and  outdo  the  characters  and  achievementa 
that  make  these  men  and  women  remembered  and  admired. 


w 


O 


CHAPTER   XIII. 


CHARITIES  AND  PUBLIC  WORKS. 


The  S.  R.  Smith  Infirmary.— The  Seamen's  Fund  and  Retreat.— Home  for  Desti- 
tute Children  of  Seamen.— Co^mty  Poor  House.— Staten  Island  Diet  Kitchen. 
— Cemeteries.- Staten  Island  Water  Supply  Company.— The  Crystal  Water 
Works. — The  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor.— The  Police  and  Fire  Department. 


BENEVOLENT  movements  of  all  kinds  have  ever  found 
hearty  supporters  on  Staten  Island.  Whether  in  time  of 
peace  to  provide  succor  for  the  unfortunate  or  distressed,  or  in 
time  of  war  to  provide  for  the  destitute,  and  supply  the  lan- 
guishing with  what  comforts  human  aid  can  provide,  the  people 
of  the  island  have  proved  themselves  ready  to  sympathize  with 
their  suffering  fellows,  and  to  take  a  hand  in  whatever  benevo- 
lent work  may  from  time  to  time  present  itself  for  their  atten- 
tion. 

In  this  connection  we  are  prompted  to  speak  of  an  item  which 
appears  in  a  number  of  an  old  paper,  printed  in  1828.  From 
that  we  learn  that  the  ladies  of  Tompkinsville  met  at  the  school 
house  on  Monday,  March  5,  1828,  "  to  purchase  and  make  up 
clothing  for  the  suffering  Greeks,"  and  a  few  weeks  later  the 
"  New  York  Greek  Committee"  acknowledged  the  receipt  of 
one  hundred  and  seventy -three  garments  from  the  inhabitants 
of  Tompkinsville.  But  it  is  more  particularly  of  the  home 
charities  that  we  wish  to  speak  in  this  chapter.  Some  of 
the  most  ijrominent  institutions  of  this  kind  we  shall  notice. 

The  S.  R.  Smith  Infirmary  grew  out  of  a  need  that  appeared 
at  the  outbreak  of  the  late  war,  in  a  then  prospective  increase 
of  the  call  for  means  and  facilities  for  the  care  of  the  sick  poor, 
and  for  the  reception  of  casualties,  which  it  was  anticipated 
would  follow  the  departure  of  so  many  heads  of  dependent 
families  to  the  defense  of  the  country. 

The  suggestion  came  from  the  Richmond  County  Medical  So- 
ciety in  April,  1861.     This  society  had  maintained  a  dispensary 

41 


642  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

for  the  relief  of  out-door  poor,  but  were  convinced  that  the 
charity  should  be  placed  on  a  broader  basis  in  order  to  meet 
the  increasing  demands  upon  it.  They  accordingly  placed  be- 
fore the  public  the  proposition  to  establish  an  infirmary  for  the 
reception  of  the  indigent  sick,  to  be  called  the  Samuel  R.  Smith 
Infirmary,  making  the  name  an  appropriate  tribute  to  the  mem- 
ory of  a  well  known  and  highly  esteemed  citizen  and  distin- 
guished physician,  whose  reputation  for  activity  in  the  line  of 
benevolence  which  the  proposed  institution  should  follow,  sug- 
gested his  name  for  this  honor.  The  constitution  provided  that 
the  payment  of  $5  should  make  any  one  a  member,  and  $25  a 
life  member.  The  affairs  of  the  infirmary  should  be  managed 
by  seven  trustees,  four  of  whom  should  be  members  of  the 
medical  society,  who  should  be  elected  at  the  annual  meetings 
of  the  members.  The  attendance  at  the  infirmary  was  to  be 
under  the  charge  of  the  medical  society. 

An  organization  was  more  perfectly  effected  at  a  meeting 
called  for  the  purpose,  at  the  Lyceum,  on  the  28th  of  April, 
1864,  when  the  following  directors  were  elected:  Messrs.  Shaw, 
Marsh  and  Despard,  and  Doctors  Anderson,  Lea,  Moffatt  and 
Eadie.  The  commissioners  of  quarantine  granted  the  use  of 
two  of  the  hospitals' on  the  late  quarantine  grounds  to  the  in- 
firmary until  such  time  as  the  grounds  should  be  sold. 

The  infirmary  was  formally  opened  in  this  building  on  Mon- 
day afternoon,  June  20,  1864.  Mr.  William  Shaw  presided, 
and  prayer  and  addresses  were  made.  Since  then  the  institu- 
tion has  gone  steadily  forward  with  its  work  of  benevolence, 
bringing  comfort  to  many  a  desponding  and  weary  heart.  The 
following  trustees  were  elected  at  the  annual  meeting,  June  11, 
1885 :  Livingston  Satterlee,  Erastus  Wiman,  C.  C.  Norvell, 
George  William  Curtis,  L.  H.  Meyer,  E.  C.  Delevan,  G.  S.  Sco- 
field,  Sr.,  Aquilla  Rich,  S.  M.  Davis,  De  Witt  C.  Stafford,  E.  C. 
Bridgman  and  T.  M.  Rianhard. 

An  organization  known  as  the  "Ladies'  Auxiliary  of  the  S. 
R.  Smith  Infirmary"  was  effected  November  20,  1863,  and  did 
noble  work  during  the  time  of  the  war  in  supplementing  and 
assisting  the  work  of  the  infirmary.  A  constitution  was 
adopted,  and  under  it  the  following  were  the  first  officers 
elected  :  Mrs.  H.  R.  Ball,  president;  Mrs.  Rev.  T.  Skinner,  vice- 
president;  Mrs.  S.  B.  Whitlock,  secretary;  and  Miss  C.  Ehn- 
niger,  treasurer.     It  was  a  part  of  the  plan  that  auxiliary  soci- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  *  643 

eties,  as  branches  of  this,  should  be  orgaDized  in  every  congre- 
gation on  the  island.  Meetings  were  held  monthly  and  a  lively 
interest  vpas  awakened  in  the  society's  work. 

The  ninth  monthly  meeting  was  held  in  the  building,  June  7, 
1864,  being  the  first  meeting  held  there.  The  building  was  then 
being  fitted  up  for  their  benevolent  work.  Subscriptions  to  de- 
fray the  current  expenses  of  the  society  then  amounted  to  a 
little  more  than  nine  hundred  dollars  per  annum,  and  the  com- 
mencement was  made  in  the  full  belief  that  the  one  thousand 
two  hundred  dollars  per  annum,  which  had  been  thought  neces- 
sary to  maintain  the  work  designed,  would  soon  be  registered 
on  the  treasurer's  book.  Beds,  bedding  and  articles  of  furni- 
ture had  been  purchased,  and  a  committee  was  then  appointed 
to  supervise  the  domestic  economy  of  the  institution  and  visit 
it  as  frequently  as  convenience  would  permit  or  expediency 
dictate. 

A  system  was  established  years  ago  by  which  all  foreign  sail- 
ors entering  the  port  of  New  York  paid  a  certain  fee  for  each 
voyage.  The  accumulation  of  these  fees  became  a  fund  in  the 
state  treasury  known  as  the  "  Seamen's  Retreat  and  Hospital 
Fund,"  the  object  of  which  was  to  care  for  and  maintain  such 
seamen  when  they  were  sick.  For  tliis  purpose  this  "  Retreat  " 
was  established.  A  large  sum  was  afterward  diverted  from  this 
fund  to  other  charitable  uses,  amounting  to  three  hundred  and 
forty  thousand  dollars.  Subsequently  financial  embarrassments 
came  upon  the  retreat,  and  to  recover  from  them  it  became 
necessary  to  place  mortgages  upon  the  property,  which  mort- 
gages amounted  to  fifty-five  thousand  dollars.  The  state  after- 
ward liquidated  those  mortgages,  and  in  1879  made  a  further 
restoration  for  what  had  really  been  a  misappropriation  of 
funds,  by  approjjriating  fifteen  thousand  dollars  to  the  retreat. 
In  1881  the  institution  asked  for  sixteen  thousand  dollars  more 
of  its  money,  in  reply  to  which  the  state  gave  eight  thousand, 
and  appointed  the  governor  and  comptroller  a  commission  to 
investigate  the  matter  and  report  what  was  best  to  be  done  with 
the  institution. 

On  the  22d  of  April,  1831,  the  legislature  of  the  state  of  New 
York  enacted  a  law  which  directs  that  the  moneys  levied  and  col- 
lected by  law  upon  masters,  mates,  mariners  and  seamen  arriv- 
ing at  the  port  of  New  York,  be  paid  to  the  trustees  of  the 
"  Seamen's  Fund  and  Retreat,"  in^the  city  of  New  York.    These 


644  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

trustees  were  to  consist  of  the  mayor,  collector  of  customs, 
president  of  the  Seamen's  Savings  Bank,  president  of  the 
Marine  Society,  the  health  officer  of  the  city  of  New  York, 
together  with  five  shipmasters  of  the  city  of  New  York,  to  be 
chosen  annually.  The  second  section  of  the  act  directs  that 
convenient  and  suitable  buildings  be  erected  in  either  New  York, 
Kings  or  Richmond  counties.  This  act  received  various  modi- 
fications subsequently,  and  was  the  authority  for  establishing 
the  present  "  Seamen's  Fund  and  Retreat." 

A  tract  of  forty  acres  was  purchased  of  Cornelius  Corseii  the 
same  year  for  $10,000.  This  was  located  on  the  east  side  of 
Staten  Island,  fronting  on  New  York  bay.  In  addition  to  the 
buildings  upon  the  land  when  it  was  purchased,  others  were 
immediately  erected,  and  the  institution  was  opened  on  the 
first  day  of  October,  1831,  when  thirty-four  patients  were  re- 
ceived from  the  marine  hospital  at  the  quarantine.  The  report 
for  that  month  states  that  seventy- three  patients  had  been  re- 
ceived and  thirty- two  discharged. 

Dr.  Peter  S.  Townsend  was  the  first  resident  physician. 
Rev.  John  E.  Miller,  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  church  at  Tomp- 
kinsville,  was  the  first  chaplain,  which  office  he  retained  until 
his  death  in  1847.  Captain  James  Morgan  was  appointed 
superintendent  in  July,  1832,  but  in  October  following  Captain 
Henry  Russell  was  appointed  at  a  salary  of  $1,000  with  house 
and  subsistence. 

By  an  act  passed  in  1847  the  trustees  of  the  Seamen's  Retreat 
were  directed  to  provide  for  the  support  of  destitute,  sick  or 
infirm  mothers,  widows,  wives,  sisters  and  daughters  of  seamen, 
and  the  sum  of  $10,000  was  applied  to  the  erection  of  suitable 
buildings.  An  association  of  ladies,  styled  "The  Mariners' 
Family  Industrial  Society,"  was  incorporated  May  9, 1849,  hav- 
ing for  its  object  the  relief  of  the  destitute  families  of  seamen. 
The  building  was  completed  in  December,  1853,  opened  in  May, 
1855,  and  dedicated  June  9th  of  the  same  year. 

The  retreat  is,  in  many  respects,  unlike  any  other  hospital  in 
the  world.  It  is  a  retreat  indeed.  The  sailor  who  has  been 
from  one  United  States  hospital  to  another,  and  spent  in  each 
the  allotted  period  of  four  months,  at  the  end  of  which  he  must 
seek  for  quarters  elsewhere,  finds  a  home  here  where,  if  dis- 
eased beyond  the  reach  of  medical  or  surgical  art  to  restore 
him,  he  is  provided  for  for  the  remainder  of  his  days.    If  worn 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  645 

out  in  the  hard  service  of  the  sea,  hopelessly  crippled  or  super- 
annuated, he  is  transferred,  if  entitled,  and  he  desires  it,  to  the 
Sailor's  Snug  Harbor,  or  sent,  at  the  expense  of  the  board  of 
trustees,  to  his  home  and  friends,  however  distant. 

The  cemetery  of  the  retreat  is  located  upon  a  knoll  at  the 
western  end  of  the  grounds,  overlooking  the  bay  and  city  of 
New  York.  Here  poor  Jack  finds  a  quiet  resting  place  by  the 
side  of  his  comrades,  when  his  life  of  hardship,  privations  and 
peril  is  ended. 

The  "Home  for  Destitute  Children  of  Seamen"  was  estab- 
lished in  1846  by  a  society  of  ladies  who  took  a  small  house  at 
Port  Richmond,  for  the  purpose  of  rescuing  from  misery  a  few 
children  whose  fathers  had  gone  to  sea  and  whose  mothers 
could  not  support  them.  It  was  decided  that  Staten  Island 
afforded  the  best  location  on  account  of  its  healthfulness  as 
well  as  from  the  standpoint  of  economy,  and  also  for  its  vicinity 
to  New  York,  where  many  of  the  managers  resided. 

When,  with  the  growth  of  the  family  to  be  cared  for,  the 
house  became  too  small,  another  was  taken  at  Stapleton,  where 
the  children  were  domiciled  until  1852,  when  they  were  re- 
moved to  the  new  building  which  had  been  erected. 

Ground  for  the  site  of  this  building  was  leased  of  the  trustees 
of  the  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor,  and  a  building  was  erected  speci- 
ally for  the  purpose.  This  building  was  partly  paid  for  by  the 
donations  of  the  managers  at  the  time,  and  the  balance,  advanced 
by  the  Snug  Harbor  trustees,  was  secured  to  them  by  a  mort- 
gage on  the  premises.  In  1857  the  "Home"  was  so  much  in 
debt,  that  it  was  thought  best  to  sell  the  house  to  the  mort- 
gagee, so  as  to  get  rid  of  the  mortgage.  In  the  following  year 
such  a  sale  was  effected,  and  the  building  passed  into  the  pos- 
session of  the  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor,  the  privilege  being  re- 
served to  the  "Home,"  however,  of  occupying  it,  rent  free, 
for  a  term  of  fourteen  years. 

The  parents  or  guardians  of  the  children  received  here  are 
expected  to  pay  fifty  cents  per  week  for  each  child,  for  which 
food,  clothing,  education,  and  in  case  of  sickness,  medical  care, 
are  furnished.  Children  placed  here  are  surrendered  to  the 
managers  at  least  for  one  year,  none  are  received  under  two 
or  over  ten  years  of  age,  and  if  they  remain  here  until 
they  have  attained  a  proper  age,  they  are  either  returned  to  their 
parents,  or  provided  with  respectable  places. 


646  HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTS'. 

The  institution  was  incorporated  in  1851.  An  annual  pay- 
ment of  two  dollars  constitutes  a  member,  and  a  single  pay- 
ment of  twenty-five  dollars  makes  one  a  life  member.  This  is 
chiefly  supported  by  ladies,  and  the  yearly  expenditure  is  about 
$7,000.  The  inmates  usually  have  numbered  about  one  hun- 
dred. 

Prior  to  the  establishment  of  a  county  poor-house,  the  desti- 
tute poor  were  provided  for  by  being  boarded  in  private  fam- 
ilies, and  sometimes  under  circumstances  such  as  now  would 
not  be  tolerated,  as  when  children  were  paid  for  taking  care  of 
their  helpless  parents,  of  which  there  were  several  instances. 

On  the  second  day  of  May,  1803,  Joseph  Barton,  Sr.,  car- 
penter, and  Mary,  his  wife,  sold  to  the  supervisors,  justices, 
and  overseers  of  the  poor  of  the  county,  for  the  sum  of  $262.50, 
two  acres  of  land,  on  the  road  leading  from  Richmond  to  New 
Dorp,  on  which  was  a  small  frame  house,  containing  two  or 
three  rooms.  This  property  was  purchased  for  the  purpose  of 
a  county  poor-house,  though  it  was  not  able  to  accommodate 
one-fourth  of  the  poor  of  the  county,  who  appear  to  have  been 
more  numerous  in  proportion  to  the  population  than  they  are 
at  present;  the  remainder  were  disposed  of  as  before  stated.  The 
public  charity  continued  to  be  dispensed  in  this  manner  for 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  after  the  purchase. 

In  January,  1829,  the  supervisors  called  a  public  meeting  of 
the  taxpayers  of  the  county,  to  devise  some  cheaper  method  of 
supporting  the  poor,  "as  the  taxes  were  becoming  burden- 
some." Whatever  methods  may  have  been  proposed  at  that 
meeting,  the  proposition  to  purchase  a  farm  large  enough  to 
enable  the  poor  to  earn  their  own  subsistence  by  their  own  labor 
was  adopted,  and  John  Guyon  and  Richard  D.  Littell  were  ap- 
pointed to  ascertain  what  farms  could  be  purchased,  and  at 
what  prices,  and  to  report  at  an  adjourned  meeting.  The  legis- 
lature in  the  mean  time  passed  an  act,  April  8,  1829,  author- 
izing the  supervisors  to  sell  the  house  and  ground  then  owned, 
and  to  appropriate  the  proceeds  to  the  purchase  of  a  new  one, 
and  to  raise  by  tax  a  sum  sufficient  to  meet  the  expense  of  such 
purchase,  but  not  to  exceed  the  amount  of  $4,000. 

The  farm  of  Stephen  Martineau,  located  in  the  town  of  North- 
field,  and  containing  about  one  hundred  acres,  was  purchased 
for  $3,000,  and  on  the  30th  of  April,  1830,  the  old  property  was 


ARROCHAR. 

RESIDENCE    OF    W.   W.  MAC  FA.RLA.ND. 
Clifton,    N.    Y. 


HISTORY  or  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  647 

sold  to  William  D.  Maltbie  for  $150.     This  lies  near  Richmond, 
opposite  the  parsonage  of  St.  Andrew's  church. 

On  the  18th  of  October,  1836,  the  supervisors  purchased  four- 
teen and  eight-tenths  acres  of  salt  meadow  from  John  Egbert 
for  $205.  On  the  7th  day  of  January,  1842,  the  supervisors 
purchased  five  acres  of  woodland  adjoining  the  county  farm  on 
the  west,  from  William  Decker,  for  $250. 

The  establishment  has  been  regularly  maintained,  new  build- 
ings have  been  erected  as  circumstances  developed  their  neces- 
sity, among  which  are  apartments  for  the  insane,  a  pest  house, 
and  a  respectable  school  house. 

The  "  Staten  Island  Diet  Kitchen,"  a  benevolent  association, 
having  for  its  object  the  supplying  of  wholesome,  nutritious 
food  to  the  sick  poor,  was  organized  at  the  parlor  of  the  Ger- 
man Club  rooms  at  New  Brighton,  Thursday  afternoon,  Decem- 
ber 8,  1881.  The  "kitchen"  was  opened  January  9,  1882,  and 
the  association  was  incorporated  June  21,  of  the  same  year. 
The  officers  then  elected  were :  Mrs.  W.  W.  Macfarland,  presi- 
dent ;  Mrs.  Lowery,  vice-president ;  Mrs.  F.  U.  Johnson,  secre- 
tary ;  Mrs.  L.  H.  Meyer,  treasurer.  The  charter  members  of 
the  association  were  :  S.  B.  Macfarland,  Eliza  Macdonald,  Mar- 
garet A.  Johnston,  Caroline  L.  Peniston,  A.  C.  H.  Meyer,  Eliz- 
abeth W.  Clark,  Clara  K.  Oehme,  Mary  T.  Bipley,  Reverend  J. 
C.  Eccleston,  L.  H.  Meyer.  The  first  officers  were  :  Mrs.  W. 
W.  Macfarland,  president ;  Mrs.  Francis  Macdonald  and  Mrs. 
Daniel  Low,  vice-presidents  ;  Miss  Peniston,  treasurer ;  Mrs. 
F.  U.  Johnston,  secretary ;  Mrs.  George  B.  Ripley,  assistant 
secretary;  Mrs.  W.  W.  Clark,  auditor;  Mrs.  F.  Q.  Oehme,  pur- 
chaser; Mrs.  L.  H.  Meyer,  bookkeeper. 

The  work  of  the  society  is  maintained  by  subscriptions,  dona- 
tions in  money,  and  contributions  of  various  articles  of  food, 
delicacies,  flowers,  etc.  The  treasurer's  report  for  the  first  year 
showed  the  sum  of  $1,084.77  received  in  cash,  and  $803.77  ex- 
pended. In  response  to  the  requisitions  of  the  physicians  du- 
ring the  year  2,756  orders  were  filled  to  540  patients,  in  2,115 
j)ints  of  beef  tea,  540  pints  of  mutton  broth,  69  pints  of  chicken 
broth,  2,901  pints  of  milk,  399  portions  of  farina,  191  of  rice, 
194  of  oat  meal,  183  of  hominy,  11  of  barley  and  grits,  and  1,210 
eggs.  There  had  also  been  substantial  donations  of  meats, 
fruits  and  luxuries  at  Thanksgiving    and  Christmas    times. 


648  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

which  the  "kitchen"  had  been  able  to  distribute  among  those 
who  would  appreciate  them. 

The  presiding  officers  have  been  the  same  from  the  begin- 
ning. The  treasurer  is  now  Mrs.  Edward  L.  Bridgman  (for- 
merly Miss  Low),  one  of  the  original  directresses.  The  meetings 
of  the  association  are  held  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  each  month 
at  the  "kitchen." 

The  corner-stone  of  a  new  building  for  the  purposes  of  the 
association  was  laid  January  9,  1886,  most  of  the  ceremonies 
connected  therewith  being  held  at  the  house  of  the  president, 
on  account  of  inclement  weather. 

There  are  several  cemeteries  on  the  island,  among  which  are 
the  Staten  Island  and  Fountain  cemeteries,  at  West  New 
Brighton  ,  the  cemetery  of  St.  Peter's  church,  on  th«  Clove 
road  ;  Silver  Mount  and  Woodlawn  cemeteries  on  Richmond 
turnpike,  in  Middletown  ;  Springville  and  Sylvan  cemeteries, 
in  Northfield  ;  St.  Mary's  cemetery  in  Southfield,  and  the  Mo- 
ravian cemetery  at  New  Dorp. 

The  latter,  containing  over  sixty  acres,  is  larger  than  all  the 
others  combined.  This  was  a  burial  ground  more  than  twenty 
years  before  the  Moravians  obtained  possession  of  the  land.  It 
is  a  site  of  great  natural  beauty,  and  this  has  been  greatly  im- 
proved by  the  hand  of  art,  in  regulating  the  grade,  clearing  the 
wild  growth  oflf,  constructing  a  pond,  planting  trees,  and  water- 
ing and  keeping  in  order  the  velvet-like  sward  with  which  the 
older  established  parts  of  the  ground  are  covered.  It  contains 
several  objects  of  special  interest.  One  of  these  is  the  tomb  of 
Commodore  Vanderbilt.  This  stands  on  the  elevated  ground, 
about  ten  rods  west  of  the  church.  The  tomb  is  a  granite 
structure,  rather  plain  in  design,  about  ten  by  twelve  feet  on 
the  ground  and  twelve  feet  high,  surmounted  by  a  pyramidal 
spire,  six  feet  square  at  the  base  and  twenty  feet  high.  The 
cemetery  also  contains  a  number  of  handsome  monuments, 
among  which  is  that  erected  to  the  memory  of  Colonel  Robert 
G.  Shaw.  In  this  cemetery  is  also  located  the  magnificent 
mausoleum  of  William  H.  Vanderbilt.  This  was  begun  during 
the  summer  of  1885,  and  was  several  months  in  process  of  con- 
struction. 

Besides  those  already  mentioned  there  are  numerous  other  re- 
positories of  the  dead,  of  smaller  size,  many  of  which  are  located 
around  or  near  some  of  the  churches  of  the  island.     In  that  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  649 

Dutch  Reformed  church  at  Port  Richmond  may  be  found  the 
family  names  of  Van  Pelt,  Cortelyou,  Haughwout,  Zeluff,  Cor- 
sen,  De  Hart,  Merrell,  De  Groot,  Kruser,  Mersereau,  Prall, 
Post,  Housman,  Crocheron,  Tysen,  Jaques,  Martling,  Vreeland 
and  Van  Name.  In  the  churchyard  of  St.  Andrew's  Episcopal 
church  at  Richmond  we  find  among  others  the  following  family 
names  :  Taylor,  Journeay,  Crocheron,  S^guine,  McQueen,  Lake, 
Barnes,  Parkinson,  Guyon,  Disosway,  Holmes,  Betts,  Moore, 
Blake,  Egbert,  Biddle,  Butler,  Silva,  Wandel,  Mersereau,  Prall, 
Seaman,  Mundy,  Poillon,  Van  Duzer,  Jones,  Lockman,  Perine, 
Bedell,  Van  Dyke,  Larzelere,  Latourette,  La  Forge,  Bowne, 
Robins,  Dongan,  Alston,  Hillyer,  Wood,  Braisted,  Simonson, 
Metcalfe  and  Johnson. 

The  works  of  the  Staten  Island  Water  Supply  Company  were 
begun  in  1880.  Steps  were  taken  to  provide  a  water  supply  for 
the  village  of  New  Brighton  as  early  as  1879.  A  contract  was 
entered  in  August  of  that  year,  but  nothing  was  done.  The 
contract  was  again  made  on  October  5,  1880,  and  work  was  be- 
gun. The  works  were  built  by  John  Lockwood  and  associates, 
under  a  contract  with  the  company,  for  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  in  cash  and  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  in  stock. 
The  works  progressed  during  the  season  of  1881,  and  by  the  end 
of  July  they  were  completed.  The  works  were  first  operated 
on  August  4,  1881.  The  formal  completion,  however,  was  dated 
September  29,  1881.  At  that  time  the  water  supply  was  at  the 
rate  of  one  million  gallons  a  day.  The  pumping  engine  had  a 
capacity  of  delivering  one  and  a  quarter  million  gallons  a  day 
into  a  reservoir  two  hundred  and  ten  feet  above  tide.  The  well 
from  which  water  is  taken  is  twenty-seven  feet  deep  and  thir- 
teen feet  in  diameter,  giving  an  exhaustless  supply  of  beautiful, 
clear  water.  Cast  iron  mains  to  the  extent  of  eighteen  thou- 
sand feet  in  length  were  laid  to  the  reservoir,  and  about  fifteen 
miles  of  delivery  pipes  through  the  streets  of  New  Brighton 
were  laid.  The  reservoir  on  Fort  hill  occupies  a  lot  of  land  one 
hundred  and  thirty  by  one  hundred  feet,  and  has  a  depth  of 
seventeen  feet.  It  is  estimated  to  hold  six  hundred  thousand 
gallons.  The  village  of  New  BrightQn  was  supplied  with  one 
hundred  and  fifty  hydrants. 

In   the  summer  of  1882  an  additional  plot  of  ground  was 
purchased  in  the  rear  of  the  engine  house,  and  a  new  pumping 


6o0  HISTORY  OF  KIOHMOND  COUNTY. 

engine  and  boiler  were  put  in,  having  a  capacity  of  one  and  a 
half  million  gallons  in  ten  hours. 

The  company  was  granted  permission,  by  the  town  board 
of  Northfield,  to  lay  their  pipes  in  that  town  July  25,  1881, 
to  leave  all  roads  in  as  good  condition  as  they  found  them, 
and  to  complete  their  contract  in  five  years. 

Some  preliminary  surveys  were  made  with  a  view  to  locating 
the  "  Crystal  Water  Works,"  at  the  deep  ravine  back  of  Eg- 
bertville,  in  July,  1883.  The  scheme  contemplated  the  con- 
struction of  a  large  reservoir,  which  would  have  an  elevation  of 
one  hundred  and  thirty -seven  feet  above  the  sea,  and  the  work 
was  to  be  done  by  November  following.  Another  site  was, 
however,  found  and  this  field  of  operations  was  abandoned. 
Works  were  erected  at  Bull's  head.  Water  was  led  thence  to 
New  Brighton,  and  a  reservoir  constructed  at  Castleton  corners. 
A  tank  was  erected  on  Grymes  hill,  which  has  a  capacity  of 
eighty  thousand  gallons.  The  pumping  station,  erected  at 
Bull's  head,  has  a  capacity  of  one  million  five  hundred  thou- 
sand gallons  a  day,  the  water  being  drawn  from  ten  wells.  A 
distributing  reservoir,  having  a  capacity  of  four  million  gallons, 
was  constructed,  and  a  pumping  station  at  the  junction  of  Clove 
and  Little  Clove  roads,  for  elevating  water  from  the  large  main 
to  the  tank  on  Grrymes  hill.  In  August,  1885,  the  company  had 
mains  extending  into  New  Brighton,  Northfield  and  Middle- 
town. 

The  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor. 

The  title  of  this  institution  was  given  by  its  founder.  The 
motto  is  that  of  its  seal,  which  was  adopted  July  7,  1806,  and 
signifies  that  those  who  are  disabled  by  the  toils  and  dangers 
of  the  sea  here  take  refuge  in  a  place  of  rest  and  safety.  Over 
the  main  entrance  stands  a  memorial  window  of  nautical  de- 
sign, rich  in  varied  and  brilliant  color,  containing  the  following 
synopsis  of  its  history. 

"  Sailors"  Snug  Harbor, 
for  aged,  decrepit  and  worn  out  Sailors, 
founded  by 
Robert  Richard  Randall. 
"  How  great,  how  plentiful,  how  rich  a  dower." 
"  Founded  1801.     Incorporated  1806.     Erected  1831.     Dedi- 
cated 1833." 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  651 

Though  comparatively  little  is  known  of  the  early  history  of 
its  founder,  no  stroke  of  doubtful  tradition,  or  touch  of  fiction 
is  needed  to  lead  us  to  a  view  of  his  character.  Stripped  of  the 
fog  of  unreliable  legend  and  tales  founded  on  surmise  or  mixed 
with  the  specious  pleadings  of  contestants  of  his  will,  we  have 
presented  the  fact  that  a  sea  captain,  actuated  by  sympathy 
for  the  unfortunate  of  his  own  profession,  carefully  and 
wisely  matured  a  plan  for  their  benefit  and  generously  devised 
for  its  establishment  and  permanence. 

By  deed  bearing  date  June  5,  1790.  Frederick  Charles  Hans 
Bruno  Paelintz — commonly  called  Baron  Paelintz — conveyed 
for  five  thousand  pounds  to  Robert  Richard  Randall  the  prop- 
erty known  as  the  "  Minto  farm,"  consisting  of  twenty-one 
acres  and  more  of  land  lying  in  the  (now)  Fifteenth  ward  of  New 
York  city,  the  southern  boundary  of  which  was  then  the  upper 
end  of  Broadway.  Fourteen  acres  of  this  land  was  under  the 
Stoutenburgh  patent,  from  Gov.  Petrus  Stuyvesant  to  Petrus 
Stoutenburgh  April  7,  1661,  and  about  seven  acres  from  the 
Perro  family;  both  tracts  having  been  in  the  years  1766  and 
1768  conveyed  to  Andrew  Elliot,  and  in  1785  conveyed  to  John 
Jay,  Isaac  Rosevelt  and  Alexander  Hamilton,  and  by  them 
July  8,  1787,  to  Baron  Paelintz. 

The  mansion  on  this  estate  was  built  of  brick  and  was  one  of 
the  most  notable  residences  of  the  city.  It  was  erected  by 
Lieut. -Gov.  Andrew  Elliot,  who  was  a  son  of  Sir  Gilbert  Elliot, 
lord  chief  justice,  clerk  of  Scotland.  In  1764  he  received  the 
appointment  of  collector  and  receiver-general  of  the  province 
of  New  York,  where  he  established  his  residence. 

In  1780  he  was  appointed  lieutenant-governor  of  the  province, 
performing  the  duties  of  governor  until  the  city  was  evacuated 
by  the  British.  His  daughter  was  married  here  to  Lord,  after- 
ward Earl  Cathcart,  then  a  major  in  the  British  army,  on  duty 
in  this  city.  In  this  house  Captain  Randall  resided  from  1790 
till  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  June  5,  1801,  and 
near  it  he  was  buried. 

In  the  early  corporation  manuals  of  the  city  Captain  Randall 
is  spoken  of  as  a  merchant  and  a  ship  master,  and  was  uniformly 
by  his  contemporaries  styled  "  Captain,"  both  historically  and 
in.  the  recorded  proceedings  of  the  trustees  by  him  appointed. 

In  1771  Captain  Randall,  then  a  young  man,  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  marine  society  of  New  York,  an  organization  for  the 


652  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

relief  of  indigent  and  distressed  masters  of  vessels,  their 
widows  and  orphan  children.  The  leaven  of  his  inspiration  to 
provide  an  asylum  for  the  needy  sailor  may  be  traceable  to  his 
long  connection  and  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  work  of 
this  society,  and  to  his  knowledge  of  the  fact  that  provision 
such  as  he  devised  would  so  far  relieve  the  society  as  to  enable 
it  the  better  to  provide  for  the  wants  of  widows  and  orphans; 
which  result  his  action  did  in  fact  accomplish.  Further  evi- 
dence of  this  design  as  well  as  of  his  confidence  in  the  society, 
is  shown  by  his  naming  as  trustees  under  the  will,  its  president 
and  vice-president.  In  1778  he  became  a  member  of  the  Cham- 
ber of  Commerce  of  New  York.  The  president  of  this  body  he 
also  named  as  a  trustee. 

The  property  left  by  Captain  Randall  for  the  Sailors'  Snug 
Harbor  consisted  of  the  "Mintofarm"  and  four  lots  in  the 
First  ward  of  the.  city,  together  with  stocks  valued  at  about  ten 
thousand  dollars.  The  four  lots  in  the  First  ward  he  inherited 
from  his  father,  Thomas  Randall,  a  merchant  of  New  York,  who 
died  in  1797,  leaving  two  other  children:  PaulE..  and  Catharine, 
wife  of  George  Brewerton,  and  appointing  Catharine  his  execu- 
trix.    Both  the  other  children  survived  Robert  Richard. 

In  his  will  Captain  Randall,  after  bequeathing  certain  specific 
legacies,  gave  the  residue  of  his  estate,  real  and  personal,  unto 
the  chancellor  of  the  state  of  New  York,  the  mayor  and  the 
recorder  of  the  city  of  New  York,  the  president  of  the  Chamber 
of  Commerce  of  New  York,  the  president  and  vice-president  of 
the  Marine  Society  of  New  York,  the  senior  minister  of  the 
Episcopal  church  in  said  city,  and  the  senior  minister  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  in  said  city,  for  the  time  being,  and  their 
respective  successors  in  the  said  offices,  forever  in  trust,  for  the 
purpose  of  maintaining  aged,  decrepit  and  worn  out  sailors. 
He  also  expressed  therein  his  desire  that  the  said  trustees 
should  apply  to  the  legislature  for  an  act  of  incorporation,  if 
his  intent  could  thereby  be  better  executed.  Such  an  act  of  in- 
corporation was  passed  February  6,  1806. 

It  was  Captain  Randall's  intention,  as  expressed  in  the  will, 
that  the  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor  should  be  located  on  the  estate 
conveyed;  but  with  the  delay  incident  to  a  sufficient  increase  of 
income  properly  to  conform  with  his  stipulation— that  the  pro- 
ceeds of  the  said  estate  should  be  sufficient  to  "support  fifty  of 
the  said  sailors  and  upwards"— the  changes   attending    the 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  653 

growth  of  the  city  and  other  "  impervious  circumstances,"  ren- 
dered it  advisable  in  the  judgment  of  the  trustees  to  address  a 
memorial  to  the  legislature  in  February,  1817,  for  authority  to 
locate  the  institution  elsewhere;  suggesting  a  site  at  the  entrance 
of  the  harbor  or  on  the  margin  of  the  bay,  and  representing 
that  they  were  tendered  gratuitously  for  such  purpose  a  lot  of 
land — not  less  than  ten  acres — situate  on  the  bay  between 
Fort  Diamond  and  the  quarantine  ground.  This  generous 
offer  was  made  by  his  excellency  Governor  Daniel  D.  Tomj)kins, 
who  aided  General  Hamilton  in  the  drawing  of  the  will  of  Cap- 
tain Randall.  Ifotwithstanding  repeated  applications  to  the 
same  effect,  amendment  to  the  act  of  incorporation  enabling 
the  accomplishment  of  this  design  was  not  obtained  until  April 
19,  1828.  The  death  of  Governor  Tompkins  in  the  meantime 
rendered  his  proffer  unavailable. 

In  March,  1830,  the  last  of  the  many  suits  which  had  been 
pressed  by  alleged  heirs  of  Captain  Randall  was  finally  settled 
by  the  supreme  court  of  the  United  States.  The  harass  and 
anxiety  to  which  the  trustees  had  for  a  quarter  of  a  century 
been  subjected  was  forever  ended,  and  the  legal  acumen  of  the 
great  lawyers  who  drew  the  will  was  demonstrated. 

After  visiting  many  proposed  sites  on  Long  Island  and  on 
Staten  Island,  Captains  John  Whetten  and  William  Whitlock, 
president  and  vice-president  of  the  Marine  Society,  having  been 
duly  authorized,  selected  the  present  location,  and  in  May,  1831, 
concluded  its  purchase.  Proposals  for  the  erection  of  buildings 
thereon  were  at  once  advertised  for,  and  the  work  of  construc- 
tion began.  October  21,  1831,  the  corner  stone  of  the  Sailors' 
Snug  Harbor  was  laid  with  appropriate  ceremonies,  Chancellor 
Walworth  delivering  the  address. 

August  1,  1833,  the  dedicatory  services  took  place  and  the 
institution  was  formally  opened.  Thirty  seamen  were  then 
installed  as  inmates,  and  addressed  by  Reverend  Doctor 
Phillips,  Captain  John  Whetten,  of  the  board  of  trustees,  then 
being  the  governor  in  charge. 

The  opening  by  the  city  authorities  of  Eighth  street  through 
the  Randall  property,  rendered  it  necessary  to  remove  Captain 
Randall's  remains  from  his  chosen  resting  place,  and  on  June 
21,  1825,  they  were  conveyed  by  the  trustees  to  St.  Mark's 
church  and  there  deposited  in  a  vault,  to  await  the  selection  of 
a  final  place  of  burial.     August  21,  1834,  they  were  removed 


654  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

thence  to  Staten  Island,  where  they  were  awaited  by  the  inmates 
of  the  "  Harbor,"  who,  uniformly  clad  in  blue  jackets  and  white 
trousers,  followed  them  in  silent  procession  to  the  marble  mon- 
ument erected  to  his  memory  in  front  of  the  center  building  of 
the  institution,  beneath  which  they  were  deposited  and  now  re- 
pose. The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  inscription  on  this  memorial 
stone,  which  was  added  in  the  following  year  : 

North  side. 

"  The  Trustees  of  the  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor  erected  this  monu- 
ment to  the  memory  of  Robert  Richard  Randall,  by  whose 
munificence  this  institution  was  founded." 

East  side. 

"  The  humane  institution  of  the  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor  con- 
ceived in  a  spirit  of  enlarged  benevolence  with  an  endowment 
which  time  has  proved  fully  adequate  to  the  objects  of  the  donor, 
and  organized  in  a  manner  which  shows  wisdom  and  foresight. 
The  founder  of  this  noble  charity  will  ever  be  held  in  grateful 
remembrance  by  the  partakers  of  his  bounty." 

South  side. 
"  Charity  never  faileth  ; 
Its  memory  is  immortal." 
West  side. 

"  The  Trustees  of  the  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor  have  caused  the 
remains  of  Robert  Richard  Randall  to  be  removed  from  the 
original  place  of  interment  and  deposited  beneath  this  monu- 
ment on  the  21st  of  August,  1834." 

Grreat  praise  is  due  for  the  excellent  judgment  evinced  in  the 
choice  of  the  site  for  the  institution.  It  is  a  situation  as  health- 
ful as  it  is  beautiful,  and  commands  by  day  a  constantly 
changing  view  of  the  waters  of  the  Kill  Von  KuU  and  the  har- 
bor, and  at  night  is  in  sight  of  the  lights  of  the  great  bridge, 
which,  like  a  string  of  ilashing  diamonds,  unites  the  two  great 
cities  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn  ;  while  that  of  the  adjoining 
country  affords  a  sense  of  peaceful  quiet  in  delightful  contrast. 

The  original  tract  contained  one  hundred  and  thirty  acres,  to 
which,  within  a  few  years,  thirty-five  acres  more  were  added, 
and  still  more  recent  acquisitions  have  increased  it  to  about  one 
hundred  and  eighty  acres,  furnishing  a  present  frontage  of 
nearly  two  thousand  feet.  Thirty  acres  on  the  front  are  en- 
closed by  a  substantial  iron  fence  with  granite  coping,  wfthin 
which  are  erected  the  buildings,    thirty-five  in  all.     There  are 


HISTORY  OP  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  655 

eight  large  dormitory  buildings,  capable  of  accommodating  one 
thousand  men,  a  hospital  with  beds  for  two  hundred  patients, 
which  compares  favorably  in  all  respects  with  the  best  in  the 
land,  a  church,  dwellings  of  officers  and  employees,  laundry 
and  clothesrooms,  machine  shop,  with  engine  room  attached, 
blacksmith  shop,  carpenter  shop,  with  steam  sawing  and  plan- 
ing machines,  paint  shop,  boiler  houses,  ice  house  of  six  hun- 
dred and  fifty  tons  capacity,  constructed  with  refrigerating 
and  meat  rooms,  kitchen  buildings,  morgue,  hot  houses,  lodges 
and  barns  ;  also  sheds  for  building  materials. 

In  the  central  building  are  located,  on  the  ground  floor,  the 
governor's  suite  of  offices,  the  reception  rooms,  library  and 
reading  rooms,  all  opening  out  of  the  grand  entrance  hall, 
which  rises  to  the  full  height  of  the  building  and  is  surmounted 
with  a  dome.  This  hall  and  the  principal  rooms  are  handsomely 
embellished  in  fresco  and  stained  glass ;  the  designs,  though 
varied  in  subject,  are  mainly  of  a  nautical  and  astronomical 
character.  Facing  you,  upon  entering,  stands  the  marble  bust  of 
the  founder.  In  the  reception  room  hang  the  portraits  in  oil  of 
the  former  governors  of  the  institution  and  other  paintings.  This 
hall,  about  fifty  feet  in  depth,  is  bisected  by  another,  which  ex- 
tends east  and  west  through  the  entire  chain  of  the  five  con- 
nected buildings;  about  five  hundred  feet  from  which  there  is 
an  entrance  to  the  c  Lapel  for  morning  and  evening  service.  This 
is  also  tastefully  and  appropriately  decorated. 

These  five  buildings  are  connected  by  two  wide  corridors  and 
a  covered  way  with  three  rear  main  buildings.  These  corridors, 
suitably  furnished,  serve  as  recreation  and  sitting  rooms.  The 
central  rear  building  contains  the  four  dining-rooms,  steward's 
office  and  store-rooms,  and  from  this  a  corridor  connects  with 
the  main  kitchen  below,  and  the  matron's  office  and  clothes- 
rooms  above.  The  face  of  the  five  front  edifices  is  of  marble 
with  massive  columns,  and  the  h(jspital  is  of  granite  of  similar 
style;  otherwise  the  buildings  are  of  brick  with  stone  or  iron 
trimmings.  The  yards  and  courtways  adjoining  the  buildings 
are  neatly  kept  and  pleasing  views  are  gained  from  the  win- 
dows. A  continuous  lawn,  elegant  in  the  wealth  of  its  grand 
elms,  extends  across  the  entire  front. 

About  fifty  thousand  gallons  of  water  per  day  are  furnished 
from  springs  at  the  rear  of  the  property,  and  a  reservoir  with 
a  capacity  of  five  hundred  thousand  gallons  is  available  in 


656  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

case  of  fire  or  other  emergency  and  also  serves  for  washing  pur- 
poses. 

On  May  30,  1884,  occurred  the  unveiling  of  a  heroic  statue 
in  bronze  of  the  founder,  by  Augustus  St.  Gaudens.  Addresses 
upon  the  occasion  were  made  by  the  Hon.  Algernon  S.  Sullivan 
and  Hon.  Erastus  Brooks.  It  is  erected  upon  a  pedestal  of 
polished  granite  and  located  upon  the  lawn  between  the  main 
buildings  and  the  governor's  residence,  upon  a  slight  elevation 
which  commands  a  pleasing  view  of  the  surrounding  and  ad- 
jacent lawns  and  the  park  beyond. 

Looking  southward  on  a  June  day  the  eye  traverses  a  plain  of 
beauty,  picturesque  and  rare.  Gravel  walks  intersect  the  green 
expanse,  the  limits  of  which,  rendered  deceptive  by  the  artistic 
grouping  of  varied  and  ornamental  shrubs,  and  serve  as  rambles 
past  beds  of  radiant  rhododendrons  and  fragrant  azaleas  to  the 
little  lake  beyond,  whose  glittering  surface  mirrors  shadows  of 
surrounding  beauty,  and  serves  as  the  arena  for  contesting 
miniature  yachts  constructed  and  sailed  by  the  inmates.  The 
lake  is  fed  by  an  artificial  brooklet  springing  from  a  rocky  bed, 
spanned  by  a  rustic  bridge,  which  forms  a  link  in  the  path 
which  encirles  the  lake  and  connects  with  the  driveways  from 
the  southern  and  western  gates.  But  perhaps  some  of  the 
loveliest  and  most  diversified  views  upon  this  beautiful  island 
are  obtained  from  the  upper  wards  and  balconies  of  the  hospital. 

Beyond  the  limits  of  the  grounds  proper,  the  land  of  the  in- 
stitution is  devoted  to  the  production  of  milk,  vegetables,  and 
supplies  for  the  inmates.  In  providing  for  their  other  numer- 
ous requirements,  it  may  be  said  that,  in  the  fullest  sense, 
everything  needful  for  their  comfort  is  furnished  in  a  liberal 
and  thoughtful  manner.  Suitable  workrooms  and  facilities  are 
available  to  such  inmates  as  desire  to  engage  in  light  employ- 
ments, like  the  manufacture  of  baskets,  useful  and  ornamental 
mats,  hammocks,  nets,  and  miniature  craft  of  all  rigs,  which 
are  disposed  of  for  their  own  benefit.  This  is  a  feature  of  the 
institution  interesting  to  visitors.  The  regular  religious  services 
are  conducted  in  the  Presbyteria;n  form,  but  Roman  Catholics 
are  permitted  to  attend  churches  of  that  faith.  Beneficiaries 
of  the  institution  must  be  of  the  class  denominated  by  the 
founder:  "aged,  decrepit  and  worn  out  sailors,"  who  have 
sailed  at  least  five  years  under  the  flag  of  the  United  States. 

Rules  and  regulations  tending  to  good  order  and  the  comfort 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUWTy.  657 

and  welfare  of  all  the  inmates,  are  assented  to  by  each  upon 
entering  the  institution,  as  conditions  of  enjoying  its  privi- 
leges. 

The  total  number  admitted  up  to  June  1,  1886,  is  3,175,  of 
whom  805  were  those  remaining,  including  twenty  in  asylums 
for  the  insane,  where  they  are  provided  for  at  the  expense  of 
this  institution.  The  mortality  of  the  inmates  is  about  ten  per 
cent,  per  annum. 

In  the  numerous  departments  necessary  to  the  proper  con- 
duct of  the  affairs  of  this  little  municipality  is  everywhere 
evidenced  that  systematic  and  harmonious  action  due  to  care- 
fully devised  method  and  wise  administration.  The  prudence, 
sagacity  and  fidelity  which  has  uniformly  characterized  the 
management  of  the  trustees,  which  is,  perhaps,  without  a 
parallel  in  the  history  of  public  charities,  is  forcibly  indicated 
by  the  fact  that  in  addition  to  the  vast  amount  expended  in 
bringing  this  institution  to  its  present  condition  of  excellence, 
and  in  fulfilling  every  requirement  of  thjs  trust,  the  annual  in- 
come, which,  in  1806,  was  $4,243,  is  now  increased  one  hun- 
dred fold. 

Men  sometimes  build  even  more  wisely  than  they  plan,  and 
the  marvelous  growth  of  New  York  has  made  Captain  Ran- 
dall's bequest  valuable  beyond  his  thinking;  yet  the  form  of 
his  bequest  displays  a  wisdom  commensurate  to  all  possible 
growth  and  contingency.  Familiar  with  the  characteristics  of 
seamen,  the  vicissitudes  of  their  lives,  knowing  their  helpless- 
ness as  a  class  when  deprived  of  their  accustomed  vocation, 
and  in  fullsymipathy  with  their  needs,  his  one  great  object  was 
to  provide  "for  aged,  decrepit  and  worn  out  sailors."  The 
elaboration  of  a  plan  for  the  f alfilment  of  this  purpose,  which 
circumstances  and  events  impossible  to  foresee  would  be  likely 
to  frustrate,  was  wisely  avoided;  but  with  his  purpose  clearly 
indicated  he  selected  representative  men,  who  by  their  posi- 
tions and  professions,  would  be  best  qualified  to  administer  the 
trust.  His  will  is  dominated  by  a  settled  idea;  it  is  not  the 
chance  disposal  of  a  fortune  he  knew  not  what  to  do  with,  or 
the  mere  good-natured  befriending  of  the  sailor  in  response  to 
some  chance  suggestion.  No  man  was  in  a  better  position  than 
himself  to  know  the  desirability  of  such  a  charity.  The  man 
who  generously  dedicated  his  fortune  to  this  purpose,  and 
wisely  directed  its  husbanding  until  the  plan  could  be  applied 

43 


658  HISTORY  OF  KICHMOISTD  COUNTY. 

on  a  reasonably  large  scale,  had  the  CLualifcies  of  heart  and  head 
to  devise  it. 

The  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor  is  itself  the  most  appropriate 
monument  to  the  memory  of  a  man  who  de'serves  in  the  highest 
degree  the  gratitude  of  his  beneficiaries,  and  the  admiration 
of  the  world  at  large.  It  is  grander  and  larger,  perhaps,  than 
its  founder  dreamed  of,  yet  in  its  greatest  development  it  is 
but  the  culmination  and  completion  of  the  general  purpose  of 
Captain  Randall.  Had  the  property  not  increased  so  remark- 
ably in  value,  the  same  instruments  would  have  been  the  best 
to  conserve  and  administer  the  more  humble  estate.  But  great 
or  small,  the  gift  was  a  noble  one,  the  object  was  a  worthy  one, 
the  manner  was  wise,  and  with  all  credit  to  those  who  have  so 
well  fulfilled  the  trust  imposed  in  them,  the  man  who  is,  and 
will  be,  and  should  be  commemorated  by  this  unique  and  benefi- 
cent institution  is  Robert  Richard  Randall. 

The  ofiicers  and  managers  of  the  institution  in  1886  were  as 
follows  : 

Board  of  Trustees  .•*  William  R.  Grace,  mayor  of  the  city  of 
New  York;  Frederick  Smythe,  recorder  of  the  city  of  New 
York;  James  M.  Brown,  president  Chamber  of  Commerce; 
Ambrose  Snow,  president  Marine  Society  of  N.  Y. ;  Edward  G. 
Tinker,  vice-president  Marine  Society  of  N.  Y. ;  Rev.  Morgan 
Dix,  D.D.,  rector  of  Trinity  church;  Rev.  Richard  D.  Harlan, 
minister  First  Presbyterian  church. 

Officers  of  the  Board. — Ambrose  Snow,  president;  Thomas 
Greenleaf,  secretary  and  controller;  Richard  Luce,  agent. 

Resident  Officers :  G.  D.  S.  Trask,  governor;  Henry  D.  Joy, 
resident  physician;  S.  V.  R.  Bogert,  consulting  physician; 
Charles  J.  Jones,  chaplain;  Joseph  K.  Clark,  steward. 

Subordinates  :  Charles  A.  Decker,  builder;  J.  H.  Miles,  chief 
engineer;  Hugh  Clark,  farmer;  Mrs.  A.  G.  Hammond,  matron. 
'  The  governors  of  the  institution  have  been  since  its  establish- 
ment, Capt.  John  Whetten,  from  August,  1838,  to  September, 
1844;  Dr.  S.  V.  R.  Bogert  (acting),  from  September,  1844  to 
September,  1845;  Capt.  A.  F.  Depeyster,  from  September, 
1845,  to  November,  1867;  Capt.  Thomas  Melville,  from  Novem- 
ber, 1867,  to  March,  1884;  Capt.  G.  D.  S.  Trask,  from  March, 
1884,  the  present  incumbent. 

*  By  the  new  constitution  of  the  State  of  New  York,  adopted  November,  1846, 
the  oflSce  of  chancellor  was  abolished  from  and  after  the  first  Monday  of  July, 
1847. 


-  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  659 

The  general  arrangement  of  the  various  buildings  and  grounds 
at  the  "Harbor"  proves  conclusively  that,  from  its  conception 
to  the  present  moment,  its  destiny  has  been  guided  by  the  hand 
of  refinement  and  judgment.  Its  marble  and  granite  blocks, 
which  adorn  the  prominent  portions  of  the  main  buildings, 
stand  out  in  bold  relief,  and  aid  to  form  the  picture,  which  is 
completed  by  the  beautiful  surroundings.  Gracefully  curving 
walks  and  drives  wind  their  way  through  the  velvet  lawns, 
which  are  tastefully  dotted  by  rare  and  fragrant  flowers,  and 
shaded  by  broad  elms  that  have  become  a  pride  to  those  who 
look  upon  the  "Harbor"  only  in  the  light  of  home.  The  little 
silvery  lake,  whose  pure  and  silent  water  reflects  the  soft  green 
shadows  along  its  rugged  edge,  adds  a  dreamy  fascination  to 
the  scene,  and  furnishes  material  for  reflection  to  those  brave 
old  seamen  who  have  come  here  to  await  their  summons  to  em- 
bark upon  the  waters  of  eternity. 

It  is  while  contemplating  this  scene  that  one  can  appreciate 
the  hallowed  motive  of  him  whose  heart  and  mind  laid  the 
foundation  of  this  institution,  and  whose  beneficence  gave  a 
home  to  brave  men  that  will  live  on  through  the  generations  to 
come,  embalmed,  as  it  were,  with  their  prayers  and  gratitude 
and  thankfulness.  Growing,  as  it  does,  each  year,  in  import- 
ance and  usefulness;  fostered,  guarded  and  beloved  by  one 
faithful  trustee  after  another,  as  time  and  death  enter  their 
little  circle,  it  seems  impossible  to  contemplate  the  limit  of  its 
usefulness,  or  the  ending  of  its  power  to  alleviate  the  sufferings 
of  those  who  have  "gone  down  to  sea  in  ships,"  and  at  last, 
homeless  and  decrepit,  have  anchored  safely  in  this  protecting 
harbor. 

There  is  a  mystic  tradition  that  Michael  Angelo,  the  greatest 
of  artists,  at  one  time  determined  to  make  the  grandest  effort  of 
his  life — to  place  upon  canvas  a  painting  that  would  live  on  and 
on,  as  a  monument  to  his  memory.  But,  after  spending  a 
number  of  years  at  the  task,  death  came  to  him,  and  the  work 
was  left  unfinished.  More  than  one  artist  undertook  the  task 
of  completing  the  picture,  but  each  attempt  only  proved  a  fail- 
ure. It  requires  no  imaginary  effort  to  place  the  Sailors'  Snug 
Harbor  beside  the  great  painting  of  Michael  Angelo.  The  noble 
work  was  begun  by  Captain  Robert  Richard  Randall,  no  doubt 
with  equal  pride  and  ambition;  but  other  hands  were  called  to 
render  it  complete.      How  beautifully  have  their  efforts  been 


660  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

crowned  !     How  noble  and  grand  is  its  mission ;  for  it  stands 
to-day  without  a  peer — without  a  rival  in  the  world. 

Police  and  Fire  Departments. 

In  1867  the  law  placed  Staten  Island  within  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Metropolitan  police  force  of  New  York  city.  A  small 
force  of  men  were  enlisted  and  detailed  for  the  express  duty  of 
patrolling  the  island.  Criminals  arrested  by  those  officers  were 
taken  before  police  justices  within  the  limits  of  Edgewater  and 
New  Brighton,  and  throughout  the  remainder  of  the  county 
they  were  disposed  of  by  justices  of  the  peace. 

In  1870  a  law  was  enacted  by  the  legislature  which  made 
Richmond  county  a  separate  police  district,  and  gave  it  power 
to  establish  a  department  with  its  essential  duties  and  pow- 
ers. The  act  placed  the  control  of  the  department  under  three 
commissioners,  who  are  elected  by  an  appointing  board,  con- 
sisting of  the  county  judge  and  the  five  supervisors  of  the 
county.  These  commissioners  must  be  residents  of  the  county, 
and  are  elected  for  three  years,  the  term  of  office  of  one  of  the 
board  expiring  on  the  10th  of  May  annually;  but  shall  hold 
office  until  his  successor  is  appointed  and  duly  qualified.  The 
expenses  of  the  department  are  provided  for  in  the  county 
budget,  adopted  by  the  supervisors,  and  are  collected  from  all 
real  and  personal  property  subject  to  taxation. 

On  May  9,  1870,  Messrs.  William  C.  Denyse,  of  Middletown; 
Abram  C.  Wood,  of  Castleton,  and  Garrett  P.  Wright,  of 
Northfield,  having  been  elected  commissioners,  met  to  organ- 
ize. They  "drew  lots"  as  to  terms  with  the  following  result: 
Mr.  Wood,  one  year;  Mr.  Denyse,  two  years;  and  Mr.  Wright, 
three  years.  Mr.  Wood  was  elected  president;  George  H. 
Hitchcock,  chief  clerk;  John  Laforge,  captain;  Dr.  Isaac  Lea, 
surgeon;  James  J.  Esterbrook,  sergeant;  Daniel  Blake,  rounds- 
man; Edward  Roe,  Alexander  Mcllhargy,  Edward  Brice,  Robert 
Lyons,  James  E.  Brown,  Stephen  McEvoy,  Alexander  Young 
and  Edward  F.  Roy,  patrolmen. 

May  20th  the  various  incorporated  villages  made  a  demand 
upon  the  department  for  police  as  follows:  Port  Richmond,  7; 
New  Brighton,  7;  Edgewater,  14,  and  Tottenville  (which  was  an 
incorporated  village  for  about  ten  weeks),  2.  The  experiment 
of  having  mounted  police  was  made  during  the  first  month,  bat 
was  soon  abandoned.     One  of  the  first  general  orders  issued  at 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  661 

headquarters  was  the  careful  observance  of  the  excise  laws. 
On  the  28th  of  June  a  police  station  was  established  in  Port 
Richmond,  opposite  the  park,  in  a  building  belonging  to  ex- 
Chief  Engineer  Decker,  of  the  old  volunteer  fire  department  of 
New  York  city.  During  the  first  year  the  force  was  increased 
to  thirty  men. 

In  May,  1871,  the  appointing  board  unanimously  elected  one 
of  its  number,  George  W.  Ellis,  supervisor  from  Westfield. 
Mr.  Wood,  the  outgoing  commissioner,  earnestly  protested 
against  the  election;  nevertheless  Mr.  Ellis  took  his  seat  as 
commissioner  and  was  made  president  of  the  board.  The  mat- 
ter was  strenuously  fought  in  the  courts,  and  was  finally  set- 
tled, after  a  period  of  four  months,  in  the  court  of  appeals, 
against  Mr.  Ellis.  During  Mr.  Ellis'  incumbency,  however,  a 
number  of  changes  were  made  in  the  department.  Coitimis- 
sioner  Wright  refrained  from  attending  any  of  the  meetings  of 
the  board.  Captain  Laforge  refused  to  obey  the  orders  of  Presi- 
dent Ellis  and  was  suspended,  and  notwithstanding  an  effort 
was  made  by  his  friends  to  re-instate  him  at  a  later  period,  he 
was  unsuccessful,  and  Sergeant  M.  I.  Holbrook  was  appointed 
in  his  place.  Chief  Clerk  Hitchcock  also  refused  to  obey  orders, 
and  Peter  H.  Wandel  was  appointed  to  serve  in  his  place.  Mr. 
Isaac  M.  Marsh  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  Mr. 
Ellis'  departure,  and  besides  being  president  of  the  board  for  a 
number  of  years  was  repeatedly  re-elected  until  May,  1883,  when 
he  retired,  and  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Edward  P.  Barton.  Under 
the  reorganization  of  the  board  Mr.  Hitchcock  was  reappointed 
clerk. 

In  May,  1872,  Major  Clarence  T.  Barrett,  of  Castleton,  was 
elected  commissioner,  and  served  until  1878,  when  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Mr.  Philip  Wolff,  of  Middletown. 

At  the  October  term  of  the  court  of  oyer  and  terminer, 
Judge  Tappen  took  occasion  to  compliment  the  police  depart- 
ment of  the  island  in  very  flattering  terms  for  the  efficient  aid 
it  was  rendering  the  courts  in  detecting  and  aiding  to  punish 
criminals. 

Mr.  Wright  served  as  commissioner  until  1879,  when  he  was 
succeeded  by  Francis  McQuade.  In  1882,  Mr.  R.  B.  Whitte- 
more,  of  Castleton,  was  appointed. 

October  21,  1880,  chief  clerk  Hitchcock  resigned  and  Mr. 
George  W.  Ellis  was  appointed  to  succeed  him. 


662  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

The  organization  of  the  department  at  present  is  as  follows  : 
Commissioners — Richard  B.  Whittemore,  president;  Philip 
Wolflf,  treasurer;  Gaston  D.  L'Huillier,  purchasing  committee; 
George  W.  Ellis,  chief  clerk;  Isaac  Lea,  M.  D.,  surgeon;  Daniel 
Blake,  captain;  Joseph  Cobb  and  Paul  Cornell,  sergeants; 
Thomas  Drummond,  Philip  Shaurott,  John  H.  Cook  and  Henry 
Brand,  roundsmen,  acting  sergeants. 

There  are  forty-two  regular  patrolmen  and  about  the  same 
number  of  special  officers  serving  under  the  department  au- 
thority, but  not  drawing  pay  from  the  county. 

The  headquarters  of  the  department  is  at  Station  No.  1,  Bay 
street,  Edgewater.  Station  No.  2  is  a  handsome  new  building 
located  on  Richmond  terrace,  near  Broadway,  West  New 
Brighton.  The  stations  at  Port  Richmond  and  Tottenville  were 
long  ago  abandoned.  The  last  appropriation  made  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  department  was  $54,000. 

A  second  attempt  to  render  the  force  more  efficient  by  hav- 
ing mounted  patrolmen,  was  made  during  the  winter  of  1883-4, 
when  a  number  of  good  horses  and  necessary  accoutrements 
were  purchased.  The  men  selected  to  perform  that  branch  of 
the  service  unfortunately  were  not  used  to  the  saddle,  and  the 
experiment  was,  after  a  brief  trial,  given  up,  greatly  to  the 
regret  of  residents  in  retired  parts  of  the  island. 

The  force  is  a  credit  to  the  island,  and  is  composed  of  men 
who  are  directly  interested  in  its  progress  and  welfare,  being, 
probably,  without  an  exception,  real  estate  holders.  The 
strictest  discipline  is  enforced,  and  the  men  have  grown  to  look 
upon  their  routine  life  in  a  similar  light  to  that  of  regular 
soldiers  who  know  nothing  beyond  the  straight  lines  of  duty. 

The  Edgewater  Fire  Department  was  organized  in  1871,  with 
Benjamin  Brown  as  chief  engineer.  James  R.  Robinson  and 
James  Garvey  were  afterward  elected  chiefs.  The  department 
was  re-organized  in  1879,  with  William  Burbank  as  chief. 

The  following  companies  form  the  department :  Niagara  En- 
gine Company,  No.  5  (organized  in  1873  as  the  Neptune  Hose 
Company,  and  re-organized  in  1878  as  an  engine  company); 
Neptune  Engine  Company,  No.  6,  organized  1867;  Protective 
Engine  Company,  No.  7,  organized  October  16,  1858;  Clifton 
Engine  Company,  No.  8,  organized  June  2,  1863;  Rescue  En- 
gine Company,  No.  9,  organized  May  1,  1879;  Enterprise  Hook 
and  Ladder  Company,   No.    1,    organized  December  5,    1856; 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  668 

Columbia  Hook  and  Ladder  Company,  No.  5,  organized  March 
15,  1880;  Neptune  Hose  Company,  No.  1,  organized  March  16, 
1878;  Benjamin  Brown  Hose  Company,  No.  3,  organized  Jan- 
iiary  1,  1869;  Clifton  Hose  Company,  No.  6,  organized  Septem- 
ber 6,  1863;  Robinson  Hose  Company,  No.  9,  organized  Feb- 
ruary 17,  1880;  Excelsior  Backet  Company,  No.  1,  organized 
October  20,  1858;  Relief  Bucket  Company,  No.  2,  organized 
May  11,  1863,  also  has  a  chemical  engine  attached;  Tompkins- 
ville  Fire  Police  Company,  organized  1859. 

The  officers  of  the  department  at  present  are  as  follows  : 
Chief  engineer,  William  Schick;  assistants,  James  Lestrange 
and  Thomas  Willshaw. 

The  board  of  representatives,  which  is  composed  of  two  mem- 
bers for  each  company,  holds  regular  monthly  meetings  in  the 
village  hall.  The  officers  are  as  follows :  President,  N.  J. 
Macklin;  vice-president,  John  Potthoff ;  secretary,  Joseph 
Scott;  treasurer,  Robert  Goggln. 

Much  valuable  property  has  been  rescued  from  destruction 
by  the  efficiency  of  this  department.  The  men  receive  no 
compensation  for  their  services,  and  the  annual  appropriation, 
which  is  divided  among  the  various  companies,  am.ounts  to 
only  $2,500.  There  are  four  hundred  active  firemen  on  the 
rolls. 

The  North  Shore  Fire  Department,  which  is  composed  of  the 
companies  located  in  the  towns  of  Castleton  and  Northfield, 
was  organized  on  April  2,  1874,  and  was  chartered  on  March 
10,  1875.  The  first  meeting  of  the  board  of  representatives 
was  held  in  the  house  of  Zephyr  Hose  Company,  Port  Rich- 
mond, on  Monday,  May  18,  1874,  when  W.  M.  Washburne  was 
elected  president  and  Wilbur  F.  Disosway  secretary.  The 
following  companies  formed  the  department:  Washington  En- 
gine No.  1,  Port  Richmond;  Cataract  Engine  No.  2,  West 
Brighton;  Port  Richmond  Engine  No.  3;  New  Brighton  Engine 
No.  4;  Zephyr  Hose  Company  No.  4,  Port  Richmond,  and 
Medora  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  No.  3,  of  West  Brighton. 

Immediately  after  the  companies  were  drawn  together  as  one 
organization,  a  parade  was  held,  which  seemed  to  create  a  good 
feeling  throughout  the  department,  the  effect  of  which  is  quite 
visible  even  to-day.  Visiting  companies  and  distinguished 
guests  were  present,  and  it  was  a  gala  day  for  Staten 
Island. 


664  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Later,  a  movemen.t  was  made  to  create  the  office  of  fire 
marshal  for  the  county;  but  it  was  so  strenuously  opposed  by 
this  department  that  it  never  took  effect. 

At  times  two  or  three  companies  have  been  rendered  in- 
capable of  efficient  service  through  the  loss  of  members;  but 
during  the  past  two  or  three  years  special  efforts  were  made 
to  revive  the  old  time  spirit  of  the  department.  Credit  is  due 
to  Chief  Engineer  E.  A.  Bourne,  who  has  just  retired  from 
office,  for  materially  aiding  to  reorganize  the  department  and 
to  replace  it  upon  an  efficient  footing.  The  most  successful 
firemen's  parade  ever  witnessed  on  the  north  shore  was  under 
Chief  Bourne's  command  on  Thanksgiving  day,  1885.  Two 
great  conflagrations  will  ever  cause  this  officer's  memory  to  be 
honored  by  the  citizens  of  New  Brighton,  viz. :  the  burning  of 
the  cotton  warehouse  at  Tompkinsville,  on  January  20th, 
where  the  firemen  were  in  service  for  days;  and  the  burning  of 
Bodine  Brothers'  lumber  yard.  West  Brighton,  on  March  1, 
1886.  The  latter  occurred  during  the  severest  weather  of  the 
month,  and  continued  for  two  days  and  two  nights,  during  a 
heavy  wind  that  threatened  to  spread  the  flames  for  miles  along 
the  north  shore,  and  to  totally  destroy  atleiast  two-thirds  of 
New  Brighton.  The  department,  aided  by  friendly  companies 
from  Bergen  Point,  under  the  direction  of  Chief  Bourne,  re- 
mained at  the  posts  of  peril  until  there  was  no  longer  any 
danger.  A  single  mistake  on  the  part  of  the  chief  would  have 
lain  waste  the  most  valuable  part  of  the  village. 

The  department  now  is  composed  of  the  following  companies: 
Washington  Engine  Company  No.  1,  Port  B,ichmond,  organized 
October  7,  1853;  Cataract  Steam  Engine  Company  No.  2,  West 
New  Brighton,  organized  August  19,  1844;  Port  Richmond 
Steam  Engine  Company  No.  3,  organized  August  24,  1859; 
New  Brighton  Steam  Engine  Company  No.  4,  organized  Oc- 
tober 4,  1856;  Aquehonga  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  No.  1, 
Mariners'  Harbor,  organized  January  1,  1879;  Granite  Hook 
and  Ladder  Company  No.  2,  Graniteville,  organized  August  4, 
1881;  Medora  Hook  and  Ladder  Company  No.  3,  West  New 
Brighton,  organized  June  10,  1868;  Friendship  Hook  and 
Ladder  Company  No.  4,  New  Brighton,  organized  August  8, 
1876;  Zephyr  Hose  Company  No.  4,  Port  Richmond,  organized 
February  22, 1861;  Oceanic  Hook  and  Ladder  Company,  Travis- 
ville,    organized    1880;     Steady    Stream     Hose    and    Bucket 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  665 

Company  No.  2,  Port  Riclimond,  organized  November  14, 
1885;  Alert  Hose  Company  No.  1,  New  Brighton,  organized 
1885;  Lafayette  Hose  Company  No.  3,  New  Brighton,  organ- 
ized in  1885.  Starin  Hose  Company  No.  5,  West  New  Brighton, 
was  recently  organized. 

The  officers  of  the  department  are  as  follows:  Chief  engineer, 
Elijah  R.  Vanderbilt;  assistants,  W.  S.  Sheehan,  William 
James,  Robert  Brown,  Jr.,  and  Matthew  Porter. 

The  board  of  representatives  is  composed  of  two  members 
from  each  company.  The  officers  are:  President,  John  L.  Dob- 
son;  vice-president,  John  S.  Ward;  secretary,  Charles  M. 
Schwalbe;  treasurer,  D.  D.  Simonson. 


CHAPTER  Xiy. 


MUTUAL  ASSOCIATIONS. 


Staten  Island  Athletic  Club. — Clifton  Boat  Club. — Staten  Island  Rowing  Club. — 
Kill  Von  KuU  Rowing  Association. — Staten  Island  Cricket  and  Base  Ball 
Club. — German  Association. — Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. — Masonic  So- 
cieties.— Odd  Fellows  Lodges. — Miscellaneous  Organizations. 


THE  idea  of  starting  an  athletic  club  on  Staten  Island  was 
first  thought  of  in  1877,  by  an  old  athlete  named  William 
Iken.  He  was  joined  by  Messrs.  Oliver  T.  Johnson,  Robert  T. 
P.  Fiske,  Fred  and  Frank  Janssen,  John  W.  Edwards  and  W- 
J.  U.  Roberts.  These  gentlemen  soon  took  steps  toward  or- 
ganizing the  "  Staten  Island  Athletic  Club,"  which  was  accom- 
plished in  the  latter  part  of  that  year. 

The  officers  for  1878  were  as  follows:  William  K.  Soutter, 
president;  D.  J.  H.  Willcox,  recording  secretary;  H.  A.  Caesar, 
treasurer;  R.  T.  P.  Fiske,  corresponding  secretary;  O.  T.  John- 
son, captain;  C.  Thorp,  first  lieutenant;  D.  H.  Rowland,  second 
lieutenant;  John  D.  Vermeule,  John  W.  Edwards,  Louis  Hen- 
derson, D.  R.  Norvell,  Arthur  T.  Shand,  F.  L.  Rodewald, 
trustees. 

N'ot  until  the  fall  of  1878,  did  the  club  hold  its  first  success- 
ful games,  open  to  all  amateurs.  A  grand  stand  of  planks  and 
beams  had  been  built  for  the  occasion,  and  the  never- tiring  mem- 
bers, Johnson,  Chute,  Collins,  Hayward,  Wemple,  Dedrechsen, 
Shand  and  Charles  F.  True  could  be  seen  with  their  hats,  coats, 
vests,  collars  and  cuffs  all  off,  working  like  laborers,  with  the 
sun's  rays  pouring  down  upon  them,  stretching  an  old  lighter's 
mainsail  over  the  top  of  the  so-called  grand  stand,  to  keep  the 
fair  sex  from  being  burnt  brown.  But  the  games  proved  a  suc- 
cess, and  the  club  was  greatly  benefitted  by  them,  while,  during 
the  winter  months  plans  and  arrangements  were  being  made  for 
the  following  year's  work. 

The  new  boat  house  was  started  in  1880,  and  was  finished  far 
enough  for  habitation  the  following  season,  so  the  club  moved 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  667 

what  few  boats,  etc.,  it  had  to  its  new  quarters,  and  thus  boat- 
ing was  added  to  the  already  many  attractions  of  this  club. 
This  fine  house  started  a  boom  in  the  membership,  as  the  roll 
soon  ran  up  to  two  hundred  and  sixty,  while  a  year  before  but 
sixty  names  were  enrolled  in  all.  The  boat  house  is  one  of,  if 
not  the  finest  around  New  York,  and  the  members  are  always 
delighted  to  show  their  friends  and  visitors  around  at  any 
time. 

The  club  belongs  to  the  "  National  Association  of  Amateur 
Athletes,"  the  "  Kill  Von  Kull  Rowing  Association,"  and  some 
smaller  associations.  The  roll  stands  now  (1886)  at  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy,  including  eighteen  life  members. 

For  several  years  past  this  club  has  been  contemplating  buy- 
ing some  land  where  an  athletic  track,  grand  stands,  club  houses, 
etc.,  could  be  built,  in  keeping  with  its  elegant  boat  house. 
This  piece  of  land  has  now  been  obtained  on  Bement  avenue 
(the  same  street  the  present  grounds  are  now  located  on),  and  it 
is  intended  to  make  here  the  finest  track  and  grounds  in  Amer- 
ica. The  club  also  intends  taking  up  tennis,  base  ball,  foot 
ball  and  lacrosse,  in  addition  to  their  now  many  sports,  and  the 
members  will  take  part  in  all  these  games,  while  the  club  in- 
tends giving  matches,  tournaments  and  such  like  entertainments. 
The  new  grounds  are  four  hundred  and  twenty  by  four  hundred 
and  fifty  feet,  and  at  present  (in  its  rough  state)  the  field  has 
but  one  and  one-fourth  feet  grade  over  its  entire  surface.  The 
grounds  cost  $10,000  cash. 

The  present  officers  are  as  follows:  John  W.  Edwards,  presi- 
dent; Henry  O.  Bailey,  vice-president;  William  C.  Davis,  re- 
cording secretary;  George  M.  Mackellar,  treasurer;  Edgar  Hicks, 
corresponding  secretary;  William  C.  Rowland,  captain;  R.  T. 
P.  Fiske,  first  lieutenant;  Anson  L.  Carroll,  second  lieutenant. 
The  trustees  are:  Oliver  J.  Johnson,  William  A.  Lentilhon, 
Frank  G.  Jansseu,  J.  Eberhard  Faber,  W.  F.  Disosway,  A.  L. 
Faris,  Harvey  B.  Rich. 

The  "Clifton  Boat  Club"  was  organized  in  1881,  commencing 
with  a  membership  of  eight,  which  has  steadily  increased.  The 
club  house  is  charmingly  situated  at  Clifton,  and  is  a  delightful 
place  to  visit  during  the  boating  season.  The  house  is  sixty- 
six  feet  deep  by  thirty-five  feet  wide,  with  a  piazza  twelve  feet 
wide  on  two  sides,  facing  the  Narrows.  This  club  was  started 
as  a  social  organization,  and  until  last  year,  when  a  large  crew 


668  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

was  sent  to  compete  in  the  Kill  Von  Kull  regatta,  had  not  taken 
part  in  rowing  regattas  open  to  other  clubs.  In  September, 
1885,  the  Cliftons  held  a  fair  for  their  benefit  which  cleared  the 
handsome  sum  of  one  thousand  three  hundred  and  twenty-nine 
dollars  and  fifty  cents,  and  this,  together  with  good  manage- 
ment, has  placed  the  club  in  excellent  financial  condition.  The 
present  membership  is  seventy-fi\^e,  and  the  value  of  the  house 
and  other  property  is  about  six  thousand  dollars.  The  club 
has  purchased  some  new  boats,  and  now  owns  one  six-oared 
barge,  one  four-oared  gig,  one  paired-oared  gig,  twelve  singles, 
and  two  four-oared  barges.  The  following  comprised  the  officers 
for  the  year  1886  :  I.  K.  Martin,  president;  W.  Hodges,  vice- 
president;  Gregory  McKean,  secretary;  S.  Howard  Martin, 
treasurer;  George  A.  Post,  captain;  Arthur  D.  F.  Wright,  lieu- 
tenant. Board  of  trustees  :  N.  Marsh,  W.  B.  McKean,  B.  B. 
Hopkins,  C.  M.  Dodge,  C.  Barton. 

The  "Staten  Island  Rowing  Club"  was  established  at  New 
Brighton,  Staten  Island,  in  the  spring  of  1878,  with  a  member- 
ship of  fifty  and  the  following  officers:  A.  P.  Stokes,  president; 
H.  L.  Horton,  vice-president;  E.  Kelly,  captain;  G.  B.  West, 
secretary;  G.  S.  McCulloh,  treasurer;  C.  D.  Ingersoll,  lieu- 
tenant. 

The  club  has  not  participated  in  any  of  the  regattas  or  races 
with  other  clubs,  but  has  confined  itself  to  the  quieter  exercise 
of  steady  daily  pulls.  Every  year  the  circuit  of  Staten  Island 
(forty  miles)  is  made  four  or  five  times,  the  quickest  time  for 
the  distance  (five  hours  and  twenty  minutes)  having  been  made 
by  the  four-oared  barge  crew  in  1884.  In  1883  a  day  was  set 
aside  in  each  week  for  the  instruction  of  ladies  in  rowing  in  the 
boats  of  the  club,  and  a  large  number  of  ladies  are  now  enrolled 
as  members. 

The  officers  of  the  club  in  1885  were:  H.  R.  Kelly,  president; 
A.  B.  Boardman,  vice-president;  W.  Hodges,  treasurer;  J.  E. 
Bonner,  secretary;  E.  Plash,  Jr.,  captain;  B.  Leaward,  lieu- 
tenant. 

The  "Kill  Von  Kull  Rowing  Association,"  which  is  now  one 
of  the  best  known  organizations  of  oarsmen  in  the  country,  was 
organized  in  1880.  It  comprises  the  following  strong  boat  clubs: 
The  Argonauta  Rowing  Association,  Bayonne  Rowing  Associa- 
tion, and  Viking  Rowing  Association,  of  Bayonne  City;  the 
Staten  Island  Athletic  Club  and  Clifton  Boat  Club,  of  Staten 


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HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Island;  the  Alcyone  Rowing  Association  and  Arthur  Kill  Row- 
ing Association,  of  Elizabeth. 

At  the  first  three  annual  regattas  all  these  clubs  but  the  Clif- 
ton, were  represented,  and  in  the  last  two  regattas  every  club 
in  the  association  contested  one  or  more  of  the  races.  These  re- 
gattas have  always  excited  great  interest  among  oarsmen,  and 
the  official  record  of  the  time  made  has  invariably  been  accepted 
without  question  in  boating  circles  throughout  the  country,  a 
fact  which  speaks  volumes  as  to  the  standing  and  management 
of  the  association. 

The  regattas  have  usually  been  held  upon  the  kills,  but  as 
this  course  is  objectionable  for  many  reasons,  it  was  decided  at 
the  annual  meeting  of  the  association  in  1885,  to  hold  the  re- 
gattas thereafter  on  the  ]S"ewark  bay  course. 

The  officers  of  the  Kill  Von  Kull  Association  for  1886  were  : 
William  C.  Davis,  of  the  Staten  Island  Athletic  Club,  president; 
Pierson  Haviland,  of  the  Argonauta  Rowing  Association,  sec- 
retary and  treasurer. 

Regatta  committee :  R.  C.  Annett,  of  the  Argonautas;  W.  A. 
Lentilhon,  of  the  Statenlsland  Athletic  Club;  Joseph  Elsworth, 
of  the  Bayonnes;  George  A.  Squire,  of  the  Newark  Bay  Boat 
Club. 

The  "  Staten  Island  Cricket  and  Base  Ball  Club,"  which  is 
the  leading  amateur  cricket  and  base  ball  club  of  New  York 
state,  had  its  grounds  for  thirteen  years  near  the  present  ferry 
landing  of  St.  Greorge,  immediately  on  the  bay,  and  one  of  the 
most  picturesque  locations  imaginable. 

In  1886,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  railroad  company  pur- 
chased the  grounds  hitherto  used  by  it,  the  club  purchased  the 
Delafield  property,  at  the  foot  of  Bard  avenue,  New  Brighton, 
for  the  sum  of  $40,000. 

The  grounds  can  be  reached  within  thirty  minutes  from  the 
Battery,  the  nearest  station  being  Livingston  or  Cricket  station. 

The  club  has  over  five  hundred  members,  and  the  meetings 
are  held  monthly  during  the  summer  months.  The  officers  in 
1886  were  :  William  Krebs,  president  ;  George  S.  Scofield,  Jr., 
vice-president;  IS".  S.  Walker,  Jr.,  secretary  ;  E.  J.  Shriver, 
treasurer,  all  of  whom,  with  the  following,  comprised  the  board 
of  directors:  W.  M.  Donald,  W.  K.  Jewett,  I.  A.  Vyse,  G.  C. 
Allen,  W.  H.  Davidge,  James  W.  Pryor,  D.  R.  Norvell,  W.  H. 


670  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Clark  and  E.  H.  Outerbridge.     The  club  was  incorporated  in 
January,  1886. 

The  principal  games  played  by  the  members  are  cricket,  base 
ball  and  lawn  tennis.  Most  of  the  famous  cricket  matches 
which  have  taken  place  within  the  last  few  years  in  New  York 
state  have  been  arranged  by  this  club.  It  has  a  junior  member- 
ship of  one  hundred. 

Starting  in  1873  with  only  about  thirty  members,  each  year 
has  added  to  its  growth  until  to-day  it  has  a  membership  of  over 
five  hundred,  and  is  one  of  the  largest,  if  not  the  largest  club 
of  its  character  in  the  United  States.  Having  only  a  lease  year 
by  year  of  its  former  grounds,  it  was  never  able  to  erect  a  large 
club  house.  It  has  always  been  one  of  the  social  attractions  of 
the  island,  and  sets  aside  one  day  (Friday)  in  each  week  for 
the  ladies,  who  have  exclusive  use  of  the  grounds  on  that  day. 
The  Ladies'  Club  has  a  membership  of  over  three  hundred,  being 
known  as  the  Ladies'  Club  for  Out  Door  Sports.  The  cricket 
match  played  between  the  visiting  team  of  gentlemen  of  England 
and  the  Staten  Island  Cricket  Club,  which  took  place  on  the 
grounds  of  the  Staten  Island  club  in  September,  1885,  was  one 
of  the  most  important  events  in  the  annals  of  cricket  in  this 
country. 

The  "German  Association  Erheiterung"  of  Staten  Island 
has  for  its  object  the  social,  dramatic  and  musical  entertain- 
ment and  instruction  of  its  members,  who  are  among  the  best 
elements  of  our  German-American  citizens.  The  association 
was  organized  December  10,  1861,  and  incorporated  June  15, 
1865.  The  presidents  have  been  in  succession  the  following : 
John  C.  Cavelti,  M.  D.,  Charles  A.  Herpich,  A.  G.  Methfessel, 
Albert  Krohn,  Charles  H.  Graef,  Otto  Lindemann  and  Charles 
A.  Herpich. 

In  addition  to  the  German-American  portion  of  its  member- 
ship there  are  a  few  native  born  Americans  in  the  club.  The 
building  at  Stapleton,  the  seat  of  this  club,  formerly  known  as 
the  "Lyceum,"  was  in  1874  remodeled  and  rebuilt  by  this  asso- 
ciation at  an  expense  of  about  $40,000,  and  is  now  occupied  as 
their  club  rooms.  It  contains  the  finest  hall  on  the  island. 
The  club  is  in  a  flourishing  condition,  and  has  a  membership  of 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty. 

The  "Kobert  G.  Shaw  Post,  No.  112,  G.  A.  R.,"  was  named 
in  honor  of  Colonel  Robert  Gould  Shaw,  son  of  the  late  Francis 


HISTORY  OV  RICHMOND  COTINTY.  671 

G.  Shaw,  and  brother-in-law  of  our  distinguished  citizen,  George 
William  Curtis.  He  was  colonel  of  the  Fiftj'-fourfch  Massachu- 
setts regiment  (colored),  and  was  killed  while  leading  his  men 
at  the  storming  of  Fort  Wagner.  The  expression  of  the  rebel 
commander  is  now  historic.  It  was  :  "Bury  him  with  his  nig- 
gers." In  after  years,  his  father  was  requested  to  signify  his 
wish  to  have  the  remains  found  and  sent  to  Staten  Island, 
where,  in  the  Moravian  cemetery  at  New  Dorp,  there  is  a  beau- 
tiful granite  cenotaph  sacred  to  his  memory,  and  which  Post 
Shaw  decorates  every  year  with  garlands  and  other  costly  floral 
ornaments.  The  father  replied:  "He  led  a  despised  race  to 
freedom;  let  him  rest  with  his  soldiers." 

The  present  post  was  organized  in  1881,  the  first  officers 
elected  being  the  following  :  William  Wermerskirch,  0. ;  Stew- 
art C.  Allen,  S.  V.  C;  John  R.  Dodge,  J.  V.  C;  Dr.  H.  C. 
King,  S. ;  Henry  Holder,  Q.  M. ;  Henry  Gardiner,  Adj. ;  Henry 
Waugenstein,  O.  D.;  Thomas  MoAdams,  O.  G. ;  Alfred  S.  Nor- 
man, Chaplain. 

The  officers  in  1886  were:  H.  M.  Keyes,  M.D.,  C. ;  James  Burke, 
S.  V.  C;  Andrew  Featherston,  J.  V.  C;  Edward  F.  Vett,  Adj.; 
John  H.  Eadie,  Q.  M.;  Dr.Van  Hoevenberg,  S.;  Eugene  Burke, 
Chaplain;  Hermann  Schultze,  0.  D.;  James  Cuffrey,  O.  G. ;  John 
Herrel,  S.  M. ;  James  McCarthy,  Q.  M.  S. 

There  was  a  post  named  "Post  Shaw"  organized  in  1868,  but 
after  two  years'  existence  it  disbanded.  Its  officers  included 
the  late  Colonel  D.  Archie  Pell,  of  General  Burnside's  staff,  and 
other  able  and  efficient  veterans  of  the  war.  It  was  succeeded 
in  1871  by  Thomas  Francis  Meagher  Post,  Ko.  88,  of  which  the 
first  commander  was  Michael  T.  Burke,  and  the  first  adjutant 
James  Burke.  Rivalry  of  ambition  caused  the  downfall  of  this 
post.  It  is  hoped  that  the  green-eyed  monster  will  never  find 
a  dwelling  place  in  the  halls  of  "Post  Robert  G.  Shaw." 

"Lenhart  Post,  No.  163,  Department  of  New  York,  G.  A. 
R.,"  was  organized  on  the  twenty-second  of  May,  1880,  with 
the  following  charter  members  :  William  Tysen,  Jacob  Cougle, 
John  J.  Vaughn,  Jr.,  William  De  Waters,  D.  S.  Reckhow,  Da- 
vid Newberry,  Joseph  Morey,  H.  R.  Yetraan,  Andrew  Abrams, 
Wesley  Marshall,  Nathan  Reckhow,  William  Stewart,  John 
W.  Corson,  David  J.  Johnson,  John  W.  Gibbs  and  David  C. 
Johnson. 

The  first  officers  were:  D.  S.  Reckhow,  C. ;  William  De  Waters, 


672  HISTOEY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

S.  V.  C. ;  Jacob  Cougle,  J.  V.C. ;  David  C.  Johnson,  O.  D. ;  Andre w 
Abrams,  Q.  M.;  William  Stewart,  Adjt.;  David  Newberry,  O. 
G.  The  commanders  for  the  following  years  were  :  D.  S.  Reck- 
how,  1881-2-3;  Charles  Thrall,  1884;  J.  C.  Heney,  1885,  to  the 
present  time. 

The  officers  for  1886  were :  J.  C.  Heney,  C. ;  W.  Stewart,  S. 
V.  C;  W.  J.  Slaughter,  J.  V.  C;  William  De  Waters,  O.  D.; 
B.  H.  Warford,  S. ;  D.  S.  Reckhow,  Q.  M. ;  D.  S.  Johnson, 
Adjt.;  Nathan  Reckhow,  C;  Jacob  Stein,  O.  G.;  Jacob  Cougle, 
Q.  M.  S. ;  Charles  Thrall,  S.  M. 

The  post  was  named  after  Chaplain  Lenhart,  U.  S.  N.,  who 
went  down  with  his  vessel,  the  "Cumberland,"  in  Hampton 
Roads,  being,  as  we  understand,  the  first  Union  chaplain  that 
lost  his  life  in  the  rebellion.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  a 
respected  citizen  of  Tottenville.  The  post  is  small  in  numbers 
(having  only  at  the  present  time  thirty-nine  members)  but  is 
large  in  charity.  It  meets  on  the  first  and  third  Tuesday  eve- 
nings of  each  month,  in  G.  A.  R.  hall.  Main  street,  Tottenville 

"Richmond   Post,  No.  524,  Dept.  New    York,  G.  A.  R.,' 
was  organized  on  the  north  shore  of  Staten  Island,  and  was  in 
stituted  November  22,  1884,  at  Johnson's  hall,  Port  Richmond 
The  first  officers  were :  Moses  H.  Leman,  commander  and  aid 
de-camp  to  commander-in-chief ;   Alfred  G.  Kinsey,  S.  V.  C. 
John   Bronley,  J.  V.  C. ;   Benjamin  J.  Bodine,  O.  D.;   Garrett 
Van  Pelt,  0.  G. ;  James  Mullen,  Adjt.;  Samuel  Decker,  Q.  M. 
Bedell  Jones,  S.  M. ;  Richard  Johnson,  Q.  M.  S. ;  Reverend  Web- 
ster R.   Maixl,  C;    Edgar  E.   Coonley,  M.  D.,  surgeon;  John 
Leonard  and  Abram  Decker,  sentinels. 

The  officers  for  the  year  1886  were  the  same  as  above,  with 
the  exception  of  the  following:  Bernard  Muller,  J.  V.  C;   Al 
fred  Richards,  O.  G.;  Charles  H.  Dickenson,   S.  M.;  Captain 
H.  H,  Burnett,  Q.  M.  S.;  Thomas  Marsh,  outside  sentinel. 

The  rank  and  file  of  Richmond  Post  are  composed  of  soldiers 
and  sailors,  who  have  an  honorable  discharge  from  the  United 
States  government  for  services  rendered  in  upholding  the  ma- 
jesty of  our  laws  and  in  vindicating  the  honor  of  our  glorious 
flag  and  perpetuating  the  Union  of  our  fathers.  All  the  com- 
rades have  seen  active  service  and  smelt  powder.  Some  have 
been  inmates  of  Anderson  and  Libby  prisons,  and  have  suffered 
untold  misery  in  those  hells  of  inhumanity.     The  post  is  in  a 


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HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  673 

prosperous  condition,  and  numbers  in  its  ranks  some  of  Rich- 
mond county's  most  respected  citizens. 

"  Tompkins  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,"  was  instituted  in  1853.  On 
the  6th  day  of  December,  1853,  the  grand  lodge  of  the  state  of 
New  York  located  at  "  600  Broadway  "  (there  being  two  grand 
lodges  at  the  time),  issued  a  warrant  to  Isaac  Lea,  M.,  Jacob  B. 
Wood,  S.  W.,  and  James  Harcourt,  J.  W.,  authorizing  them 
to  open  a  lodge  at  Stapleton,  Richmond  county.  New  York,  to 
be  known  as  Tompkins  Lodge,  No.  145.  This  warrant  was  signed 
by  Mordecai  Meyers,  G.  M.,  Nathaniel  F.  Waring,  D.  G.  M., 
James  Jenkins,  S.  G.  W.,  Col.  O.  C.  Denslow,  J.  G.  W.,  and 
James  Herring,  G.  S. 

The  lodge  was  accordingly  opened,  and  its  meetings  were  held 
in  the  Tompkins  Lyceum  (now  known  as  the  German  Club 
rooms),  on  the  Richmond  road,  corner  of  Prospect  street.  The 
first  election  of  officers  was  held  December  28,  1853,  when  the 
following  were  elected  and  appointed,  and  installed  the  same 
evening:  Isaac  Lea,  M.;  Jacob  B.  Wood,  S.  W.;  James  Har- 
court, J.  W.;  John  F.  Raymond,  secretary;  George  Chambers 
treasurer;  G.  Scott,  S.  D.;  George  A.  Weaver,  J.  D. 

In  May,  1856,  the  lodge  room  was  located  on  the  upper  floor  of 
Masonic  hall,  Arietta  street,  Tompkinsville,  a  short  distance 
from  the  ferry  landing,  where  it  remained  until  the  building 
was  burned  down  (probably  in  1857).  The  furniture,  regalia 
and  books  of  the  lodge  were  all  destroyed,  and  there  is  no  evi- 
dence that  the  lodge  ever  met  again  under  its  warrant  No.  145. 

On  the  31st  day  of  March,  1859,  in  response  to  a  petition 
signed  by  Jacob  B.  Wood,  Philip  Bender,  John  McKee,  S. 
Herzka,  John  Mousley,  Philpot  Wolfe,  John  S.  Westervelt, 
James  Harcourt,  Henry  M.  Weed,  Thomas  C.  Burns,  Charles  S. 
Kuh,  Ray  Tompkins,  M.  Politzer,  Aaron  Vanderbilt  and  Rich- 
ard B.  Locke,  a  second  dispensation  was  granted  to  Tompkins 
Lodge  by  M.  W.  Brother  John  L.  Lewis,  who  appointed  Isaac 
Lea,  M.,  Henry  Crabtree,  S.  W.,  and  Mark  Cox,  J.  W.,  and 
authorized  them  to  open  the  lodge  in  Southtield  (now  Middle- 
town),  Richmond  county,  New  York. 

The  first  communication  under  this  dispensation  was  held  on 
the  evening  of  April  5,  1859,  in  the  Tompkins  Lyceum,  where 
the  lodge  had  first  organized  under  the  number  145. 

At  the  following  session  of  the  grand  lodge,  held  in  June  of 
the  same  year,  a  warrant  was  issued  to  Tompkins  Lodge,  No.  471i 

43 


674  HISTORY  OF  BICHMOND  COUNTY. 

signed  by  John  J.  Lewis,  G.  M.,  John  W.  Simons,  D.  G.  M., 
Finlay  M.  King,  S.  G.  W.,  Clinton  F.  Page,  J,  G.  W.,  and 
James  M.  Austin,  G.  S. 

The  lodge  continued  to  meet  in  the  Lyceum  until  February, 
1864,  when  rooms  were  secured  in  the  Weed  building,  on  the 
west  side  of  Griffin  street,  Tompkinsville,  a  few  doors  south  of 
the  old  Reformed  Dutch  church. 

In  May,  1866,  the  lodge  fitted  up  rooms  in  what  was  known 
as  Egbert  hall,  on  the  east  side  of  Griffin  street,  Tompkinsville, 
about  five  hundred  feet  south  of  the  Weed  building,  where  it 
continued  to  meet  for  ten  years. 

During  the  winter  of  1875-76  the  lodge  resolved  to  change  its 
place  of  meeting  from  Tompkinsville  to  Stapleton,  and  at  the 
expiration  of  the  lease  (May  1,  1876)  vacated  Egbert  hall.  A 
lease  was  taken  of  the  upper  floor  of  Tynan's  building,  then  in 
course  of  erection,  on  the  corner  of  Bay  and  Dock  streets, 
Stapleton.  The  floor  thus  secured  was  laid  out  suitable  for 
lodge  purposes,  and  the  rooms  were  newly  furnished.  The 
lodge  still  continues  to  meet  and  is  in  a  flourishing  condition, 
the  present  membership  being  about  one  hundred. 

The  successive  masters  of  the  lodge  have  been:  Isaac  Lea, 
1859-1867;  Francis  Hamilton,  1868;  John  L.  Feeney,  1869; 
Henry  Seguine,  1870;  George  F.  Hallock,  1871;  Isaac  Lea,  1872; 
Sylvanus  C.  Hall,  1873-1874;  Henry  Seymour,  1875-1876;  Syl- 
vanus  C.  Hall,  1877;  Peter  W.  Silvey,  1878-1879;  Charles 
Didler,  1880-1881 ;  John  Bale,  1882;  William  L.  Ludlum,  1883; 
H.  W.  Jewell,  1884;  S.  R.  Brick,  1885. 

The  officers  in  1886  were  :  Charles  Didler,  W.  M.  ;  Robert 
McDowell,  S.  W. ;  Charles  A.  Harreus,  J.  W. ;  J.  E.  Armstrong, 
treasurer;  James  A.  Ware,  secretary;  Barnett  Brisk,  S.  D.; 
Joseph  H.  White,  J.  D.;  Oliver  H.  Griffin,  S.  M.  C;  Frank  L 
Rieff,  J.  M.  C;  R.  G.  Summers,  organist;  George  L.  Troutt,  T. 

"  Richmond  Lodge,  No.  66,  F.  &  A.  M,"  is  the  oldest,  and 
numerically,  the  strongest  in  the  county;  and  from  this  other 
lodges  have  eminated.  Meetings  are  held  on  the  first,  third 
and  fifth  Monday  nights  of  each  month.  The  lodge  was  organ 
ized  A.  D.  1825.  The  first  master  and  wardens  were  :  Benjamin 
Wood,  master;  A.  S.  Lawrence,  senior  warden;  J.  S.  Wester- 
velt,  junior  warden.  Among  its  past  masters,  now  deceased, 
we  find  the  name  of  Hon.  Henry  B.  Metcalfe,  county  judge, 
and  at  one  time  member  of  congress.     The  past  masters  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  675 

lodge  have  been  as  follows  :  Edward  Steers,  Sr.,  1857,  1859, 
1860,  1862;  Lester  A.  Scofield,  1864;  Isaac  A.  Bunn,  1867-8-9 
James  Whitford,  1871;  James  Davis,  1872;  Edward  D.  Clark 
1873-4;  David  Muddell,  1875;  R.  Preston  Brown,  1877-8 
Thomas  J.  Butler,  1879;  M.  M.  Brill,  1880;  Thomas  W.  Butts 
1881;  ,John  Pelcher,  1882;  Reon  Barnes,  1883-4;  Frank  K 
Kohler,  1885.  The  officers  for  1886  are  :  William  C.  Carpenter, 
master;  George  H.  Tredwell,  S.  W.;  Lucius  Johnson,  J.  W 
James  Seaton,  treasurer;  George  P.  Hallock,  secretary;  Reon 
Barnes,  S.  D.;  Albert  F.  Dunton,  J.  D.;  E.  H.  Muddell,  S.  M.  C. 
A.  Applegate,  J.  M.  C. ;  William  A.  Devon,  chaplain ;  T.  R 
Farrell,  marshal;  H.  G.  Shutzendorf,  organist;  William  Foun 
tain,  tyler. 

"  Klopstock  Lodge,  ISTo.  760,  F.  &  A.  M,"  is  the  only  German 
lodge  of  this  order  on  the  island.  It  was  chartered  September 
27,  1875,  the  charter  members  being  F.  B.  Bardes,  Aug.  de 
Jonge,  Charles  J.  Prancke,  August  Horrmann,  E.  de  Planque, 
John  P.  de  Planque  and  Emil  Zesch.  It  meets  on  the  second 
and  fourth  Mondays  of  every  month,  at  the  building  of  the 
Staten  Island  Savings  Bank,  Stapleton.  The  present  member- 
ship is  thirty-eight.  The  presiding  officers  have  been  :  Emil 
Zesch,  August  Horrmann  and  Herman  Sterzing.  The  present 
officers  (1886)  are  the  last  named,  master;  W.  M.  Wermerskirch, 
and  P.  Bertuch,  wardens;  John  Bardes,  treasurer;  Henry  J. 
Lingg,  secretary;  H.  MuUer,  C,  Schabelitz  and  A.  Schwarzkopf, 
trustees;  P.  Ktihne,  J.  Kryszewski  and  H.  Methfessel,  financial 
committee;  P.  Kuhne,  S.  D.;  Daniel  Hess,  J.  D.;  J.  Kryszewski, 
S.  M.  of  C. ;  A.  Schuster,  J.  M.  of  C;  John  Schiefer,  organist; 
and  George  L.  Troutt,  tyler. 

"  Beacon  Light  Lodge,  No.  701,  P.  &  A.  M,"  meets  at  the 
Village  hall,  New  Brighton,  on  the  second  and  fourth  Mon- 
days of  every  month. 

"  Aquehonga  Lodge,  No.  685,  P.  &  A.  M.,"  meets  at  Rich- 
mond on  the  second  and  fourth  Tuesday  evenings  of  every 
month. 

"Neptune  Lodge,  No.  152,  I.  0.  O.  P.,"  meets  on  Thursday 
evenings  at  No.  219  and  221  Bay  street,  Stapleton. 

"John  Jacob  Astor,  Sr.,  Lodge,  No.  432,  I.  0.  0.  P.,"  meets 
at  No.  7  Broad  street,  Stapleton,  every  Tuesday  evening.  It 
was  first  recognized  in  the  order  August  20,  1875.  Ladies  are 
admitted  to  the  lodge  as  well  as  gentlemen.     The  present  mem- 


676  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

bership  is  fifty-two.     The  presiding  officer  at  present  is  Joseph 
Schindler,  and  the  next  in  power  is  Ludwig  Meier. 

"Richmond  County  Lodge,  No.  88,  I.  O.  O.  F.,"  meets  on 
Wednesday  evenings  in  Odd  Fellows  hall,  West  New  Brighton. 

"Salome  Lodge,  Daughters  of  Rebecca,  No.  46,  L  O.  O.  F.," 
meets  on  the  first  Thursday  of  every  month  at  No.  7  Broad 
street,  Stapleton.  It  admits  only  the  unmarried  sisters  and 
daughters  of  Odd  Fellows.  Its  work  is  carried  on  in  the  Q-er- 
man  language.  The  district  deputy  grand  master  for  Richmond 
county,  is  Reinhard  Kaltenmeier.  The  lodge  has  fourteen 
members. 

The  "German  Ladies'  Benevolent  Society  of  Staten  Island," 
has  for  its  object  the  care  of  the  distressed,  sick  and  needy,  and 
the  assistance  of  those  who  wish  to  help  themselves.  It  is  sus- 
tained by  payments  of  monthly  dues  by  the  membership,  do- 
nations and  various  public  festivals  and  entertainments.  It 
meets  on  the  last  Tuesday  of  every  month,  in  the  German  Club 
house.  The  president  is  Mrs.  M.  Herpich  ;  vice-president,  Mrs. 
E.  Schering ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  S.  Stake ;  and  secretary.  Miss  A. 
Garbe. 

The  "Dutch  American  Citizens'  Union,"  a  political  organi- 
zation, having  for  its  object  the  election  of  good  and  capable 
men  for  public  officers  on  Staten  Island,  without  regard  to  party 
lines,  was  organized  in  October,  1878,  and  re-organized  in  Sep- 
tember, 1884.  It  meets  at  Credo's  hotel  on  the  first  Wednes- 
day of  every  month,  and  has  about  one  hundred  members.  Its 
president  is  Charles  H.  Graef  ;  vice-president,  Augus't  Herr- 
mann ;  secretaries,  H.  Kunemund  and  John  F.  dePlanque;  and 
treasurer,  Edward  Meurer. 

The  "  Deutscher  Fraunen,  K.  U.  Verein,"  of  Staten  Island, 
was,  until  August  5,  1877,  a  branch  of  the  German  society,  un- 
der the  name  of  "  Louisen  Zweig,  No.  2."  At  the  date  men- 
tioned they  declared  themselves  independent  under  the  present 
name.  The  object  is  set  forth  in  the  title.  It  is  a  mutual  bene- 
fit association.  Meetings  are  held  on  the  first  Sunday  of  every 
month  at  Zorn's  Germania  hall,  Tompkinsville.  The  president, 
from  the  organization,  has  been  Mrs.  Julie  Zorn. 

The  "Staten  Island  Quartette  Club"  is  one  of  the  most 
prominent  and  respectable  of  the.  German  associations  of  the 
island.  It  was  founded  in  1861.  Its  ambition  is  to  emulate  the 
excellence  of  the  German  Msennergesang  and  to  stimulate  its 


HISTORY  OF  BICHMOND  COUNTY.  677 

members  to  higher  attainments  in  the  musical  art.  The  clab 
meets  at  Hotel  Credo,  Stapleton,  weekly,  and  has  now  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  members.  Mr.  H.  Sterzing  has  for  many 
years  been  the  musical  director  and  the  soul  of  the  organiza- 
tion. 

The  "Richmond  County  Lodge,  'No.  155,  Hamgari,"  was 
founded  February  16, 1868.  It  is  a  benefit  society  and  meets 
semi-monthly  at  Stapleton.  All  business  in  the  lodge  is  at  all 
times  done  in  the  German  language.  The  presiding  officer  is 
Philip  Bruchheuser. 

"  Der  Freundschafts-Yerein,  Ko.  1,"  of  Staten  Island,  also  a 
benefit  society,  was  founded  November  18,  1856.  They  own  a 
burial  plot  in  Woodlawn  cemetery,  worth  one  thousand  dollars. 
The  present  membership  is  thirty -six,  and  the  president  Michael 
Kofler. 

The  "  Staten  Island  Schutzen-Corps,"  a  sporting  club  for  the 
practice  of  niarksmanship,  was  formed  in  May,  1872,  by  F. 
Bachmann,  George  Bechtel,  C.  Bryner,  Julius  Credo,  Louis 
Gieser,  A.  Hageman,  A.  Hubner,  Charles  Meorlin,  Charles 
Schafer,  Jacob  Schoen,  F.  Winsch  and  Philip  Wolff.  Their 
headquarters  are  at  Credo's  hotel,  where  monthly  meetings  are 
held,  and  their  shooting  ground  is  at  Gebhardt's  park,  where  a 
shooting  festival  is  annually  held. 

"Atlantic  Lodge,  No.  55,"  of  the  Order  Germania,  a  mutual 
benefit  society,  was  started  March  20,  1880,  by  John  Glaser, 
Carl  Feist,  Peter  Otto,  Aug.  Tripke,  Chr.  Hetzel,  Fr.  Pankratz, 
Jak.  Schweikert,  R.  Lemperle,  R.  Hartmann,  A.  Giegeich, 
John  Litzenberger,  Theo.  Schiedemantel  and  Aug.  Wolf.  Its 
president  is  George  Bettke. 

The  "Staten  Island  Lodge,  No.  18,  Orden  der  Hermanns- 
sohne,"  was  founded  September  16,  1858,  and  has  at  present 
twenty  members.  Regular  semi-monthly  meetings  are  held  at 
No.  7  Broad  street,  Stapleton.  It  is  a  mutual  benefit  associa- 
tion, and  admits  both  men  and  women  to  membership. 

The  "  Staten  Islatid  Liederkranz,"  a  singing  society,  was  or- 
'  ganized  at  New  Brighton,  in  1882.   It  meets  weekly  at  Parabola 
hall.    The  society  now  has  forty  members,  and  is  in  a  prosperous 
condition.     Ernst  Haas  is  the  musical  leader. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


TRANSPORTATION  AND  TRAFFIC. 


The  Ferries. — Bridge  Across  the  Sound. — ^The  Staten  Island  Eailroad. — The  Shore 
Railroad. — North  and  South  Shore  Eailroad. — The  Richmond  County  Rail- 
road.— The  Staten  Island  Rapid  Transit  Railroad. — Lewis  Henry  Meyer. — 
Eckstein  Norton. — Roderick  W.  Cameron. — John  Frank  Emmons. — Harry  L. 
Horton. — Reon  Barnes. — Orlando  A.  Wood. 

BEGINNING- with  the  time  when  the  first  settler  established 
himself  upon  the  island,  the  necessity  existed  for  some 
form  of  a  ferry  to  facilitate  commerce  and  travel  between  it 
and  the  neighboring  settlements.  At  first,  of  course,  boats 
were  used  as  occasion  required  and  means  permitted,  without 
any  attempt  at  regularity  of  movement.  When  the  first  ferry, 
with  some  regard  for  regular  appointment  and  accommodation 
was  established,  we^  are  unable  to  learn.  The  custom  seemed 
to  grow  up  into  definite  form  so  gradually  and  imperceptibly, 
nourished  by  the  constantly  pressing  necessity,  that  it  is  no 
more  easy  to  say  when  the  ferry  system  began  to  exist  than  it 
is  to  say  at  what  hour  the  contents  of  an  egg  begins  to  be  a 
chicken. 

The  first  definite  statement  that  we  have  been  able  to  find, 
with  regard  to  the  existence  of  a  ferry  between  Staten  Island 
and  New  York,  is  to  the  effect  that  such  a  ferry  was  established 
in  1755.  Whether  any  other  had  been  in  operation  previous  to 
that  or  not  we  are  not  informed,  bat  the  language  of  the  fol- 
lowing advertisement,  which  appeared  in  the  '•'•New  York  Post 
Boy,''''  of  November  10, 1755,  leaves  room  for  the  suspicion  that 
such  a  ferry  had  been  in  operation  : 

"  Publick  Notice  is  hereby  given  to  all.  Gentlemen  Travellers 
and  others,  That  Martin  Ducket  has  rented  the  noted  Ferry 
House  on  Staten  Island,  lately  kept  by  John  Watson,  where 
he  intends  to  keep  the  best  Entertainment  for  Man  and  Horse, 
with  three  good  Boats  constantly  attending  said  Ferry  to  and 
from  New  York  and  Statten  Island,  in  company  with  Scotch 


HISTORY  OP  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  679 

Johnny  of  said  City,  Tavern-Keeper ;  as  also  a  oommodious 
Stable,  with  all  kinds  of  Provinder,  for  Horses,  &c.,  near  the 
White  Hall  Slip,  where  all  Gentlemen  Travellers  may  be  as- 
sured of  the  best  Entertainment  for  themselves  and  Horses ; 
with  the  most  careful  and  expeditious  Passages  across  the  Bay, 
or  to  Long- Island  (if  requir'd),  by  applying  to  said  Scotch 
Johnny,  near  the  White-hall  Ferry  stairs,  or  said  Ducket  on 
Staten  Island  aforesaid :  And  in  Case  a  Boat  show'd  be  wanted 
on  any  Emergency,  there  shall  be  one  in  Readiness,  on  Notice 
given  to  either  of  the  Persons  above  mentioned." 

The  ''New  TorJc  Gazette,''  of  December  13,  1756,  has  this 
item  : 

"Capt.  Ducket,  Keeper  of  one  of  the  Ferries  from  Staten- 
Island  to  this  Place,  was  found  dead  in  one  of  his  Passage 
Boats,  on  Monday  Evening  last,  soon  after  he  had  assisted  one 
of  his  Boats  to  go  from  the  Wharf  with  Passengers.  Verdict 
from  the  Jury,  Apoplexy." 

The  following  extract  from  the  ''New  York  Oazette"  of  March 
15,  1756,  touches  the  subject  of  the  early  ferries : 

"Thursday  last  about  12  o'Clock,  happen'd  a  very  melan- 
choly Accident  in  our  Bay,  when  one  of  the  Ferry  Boats  from 
Staten-Island,  being  cdming  over,  in  a  pretty  high  Wind,  with 
13  Men  and  3  Horses  on  board,  a  rough  Sea,  near  Oyster-Island, 
overwhelmed  the  Boat,  and  she  sank  down  directly:  by  which 
Means  11  of  the  Men  and  the  three  Horses  were  drowned  :  As 
it  happened  to  be  just  on  the  Edge  of  the  Flats,  about  three 
Feet  of  the  Boat's  M^st  continued  above  Water  after  she  sank, 
to  which  several  of  the  Men  clung  for  a  considerable  Time  : 
And  upon  its  being  discovered  from  this  City,  two  other  Boats 
immediately  put  ofP,  who,  tho'  upwards  of  four  Miles  distant 
happily  reached  them  Time  enough  to  save  two  of  the  Men,  the 
rest  being  quite  spent  with  cold  and  wet,  could  not  hold  out; 
and  those  saved  were  almost  ready  to  drop  like- 
wise :  Persons  saved  were  Capt.  Williams,  de- 
signed a  Battoe-Man,  and  one  of  his  Men  :  Those  drovrned  were 
Thomas  Harrison,  Israel  Rose,  Daniel  Fling,  and  James  Jones, 
designed  Battoemen  under  Capt.  Williams;  Mr.  Thomas  Alston 

of  Raway; Moore  of  Piscattaway;  Denyse  Van 

Tyle,  the  Boatman;  William  Smallpieroe,  a  Soldier  belonging 
to  Shirley's  Regiment;  and  three  Gentlemen  Strangers." 

The  same  paper  a  week  later  has  the  following : 


680  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

"  Monday  Morning  last  was  taken  up  on  the  Jersey  Shore, 
and  brought  into  the  White  Hall  Slip,  the  Ferry-Boat  in  which 
the  melancholy  Accident  happened  the  Thursday  before  in  our 
Bay.  Daniel  Fling,  one  of  the  Battoe-Men  drowned,  was  found 
in  the  Boat,  and  soon  after  buried;  and  the  Saddle-Bags  that 
were  still  in  the  Fore-Castle,  discovered  that  the  three  Strangers 
mentioned  in  our  last  to  be  likewise  drowned,  were,  William 
Lawrence,  of  Raway;  and  John  and  William  Miller,  of  Sotau- 
ket,  on  Long- Island." 

Besides  the  local  demand  for  a  ferry  to  New  York  the  island 
at  an  early  period  became  a  part  of  a  popular  route  of  travel 
between  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  This  route  was  by  way 
of  Amboy.  The  first  notice  of  it  that  we  have  seen  appeared 
in  1753,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy  : 

"  A  commodious  stage-boat  will  attend  at  the  City  Hall  slip, 
near  the  Half  Moon  battery,  to  receive  goods  and  passengers, 
on  Saturdays  and  Wednesdays,  and  on  Mondays  and  Thurs- 
days will  set  out  for  Perth  Amboy  Ferry;  .there  a  stage  wagon 
will  receive  them  and  set  out  on  Tuesdays  and  Fridays  in  the 
morning,  and  carry  them  to  Cranberry,  and  then  the  same  day, 
with  fi'esh  horses  to  Burlington,  where  a  stage-boat  receives 
them,  and  immediately  set  out  for  Philadelphia." 

The  stage-boats  of  those  days  were  the  periauguas,  or  piro- 
gues of  the  present;  they  were  vessels  without  keels,  heavy  lee- 
boards,  two  masts  and  two  large  sails;  the  improvement  con- 
sisted in  substituting  these  boats  for  the  small  sloops  used  be- 
fore. When  wind  and  weather  permitted,  the  "  outside  pass- 
age" was  made — that  is,  through  the  Narrows  and  around  the 
eastern  side  of  Staten  Island;  at  other  times  they  passed 
through  the  kills  and  sound.  But  the  passage  by  water  all  the 
way  was  perilous  and  tedious,  and  it  was  soon  found  that  an 
improvement  could  be  effected  by  bringing  in  a  stage  route 
across  Staten  Island  as  part  of  the  journey.  The  establishment 
of  this  is  seen  in  the  following  announcement,  which  appeared 
in  a  newspaper  of  January  31,  1757  : 

"Whereas  the  Subscriber  hath  been  instrumental  of  propa- 
gating a  Stage  between  Philadelphia  and  New  York,  and  by 
Experience,  finding  some  Difficulty  some  Times  to  pass  by 
Water  from  Amboy  Ferry  to  New  York;  Notice  is  hereby 
given,  That  a  Stage- Waggon  is  erected,  to  proceed  from  Mr. 
Isaac  Dote's,  opposite  to  Perth- Amboy,  on  Monday  the  17th 


HISTORY  OF  RIOHMONB  COUNTY.  681 

Instant,  January,  and  to  pass  through  Staten  Island,  Load  or 
no  Load,  to  Mr.  John  Watson's,  Mrs.  Ducket's,  and  Mr.  Van- 
tile's,  and  on  Tuesday  proceed  back  to  the  aforesaid  Bote's,  and 
so  in  like  Manner  every  Day  in  the  Week;  when  due  Attendance 
will  be  given,  and  Passengers  meet  with  the  best  of  Usage  by  me. 

"  Joseph  Eichards. 

"N.  B. — To  hinder  any  Disputes  or  Resentments  that  may 
arise  hereafter,  I  have  thought  fit  to  inform  the  Publick  of  my 
Price  and  Custom;  Each  Passenger  to  pay  Three  Shillings,  be- 
fore they  proceed  on  their  Journey,  and  in  Proportion  for  other 
Things,  (except  Letters,  which  are  to  be  carried  gratis.)  Hope- 
ing  therefore  that  all  Well-wisliers  of  such  an  Undertaking 
will  give  me  the  Encouragement  it  deserves,  I  remain 

"  Their  very  humble  Servant,  J.  Eichards." 

In  another  advertisement  of  this  Joseph  Eichards  he  states 
that  his  charge  of  three  shillings  is  the  same  whether  passen- 
gers take  the  stage  or  leave  it  at  either  Watson's,  Simonson'sor 
Van  tile's  ferries.  This.is  in  July,  1757,  when  Ducket's  seems 
to  be  occupied  by  Simonson.  Eichards  also  pledges  himself  to 
make  good  any  damage  caused  by  failing  to  take  passengers 
through  as  he  promises.  He  adds  that  he  lives  near  the  middle 
of  the  island,  "  at  the  sign  of  the  stage-waggon  and  horses." 
In  1761  he  was  still  running  the  stage,  and  in  a  newspaper  letter 
at  that  time  we  have  his  statement  that  his  was  the  only  "  Stage- 
Waggon  ' '  on  the  island.  The  ferry  on  the  west  end  of  the  route 
was  then  called  Bil lop's  ferry. 

Destruction  of  life  and  property  seems  to  have  been  of  quite 
frequent  occurrence  in  the  history  of  the  early  ferries.  We 
can  here  notice  but  a  few  of  the  most  notable  events  of  this 
kind.  The  account  given  below  is  from  a  New  York  paper  of 
August  18,  1763. 

"  We  have  just  received  the  melancholy  News  that  last  Night 
in  the  sudden  Squal,  which  came  up  about  Sun  Set,  Mr.  Wat- 
son's Ferry  Boat,  going  to  Staten  Island,  was  over-set  at  a  Place 
called  Eobin's  Eeef,  about  two  Miles  from  the  Shore,  and  im- 
mediately sunk,  so  every  Person  on  Board  was  drowned,  ex- 
cept the  Ferry  Man,  who,  with  much  Difficulty  swam  a-shore. 
The  Names  of  the  Persons  we  have  heard  of,  who  lost  their 
Lives  by  this  melancholy  Event,  are  Mr.  Eobert  Kennedy,  a 
Scotch  Gentleman.  Mr.  Chapman,  and  Mr.  Anderson,  of  Phila- 
delphia, M.  De  Loge,   of  Surinam,   and   his  Negro  Boy,  Mr. 


682  HISTORY  OP  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

David  Gammel,  Mrs.  Henderton  of  this  City,  and  Mrs.  Rey- 
nolds, Wife  of  Capt.  Reynold's,  now  at  Sea." 

The  perils  of  the  passage  from  the  "Blazing  Star"  (meaning 
the  sign  of  a  comet),  being  four  or  five  miles  from  the  ferry  at 
Staten  Island,  may  be  illustrated  by  the  fact  that  the  Baron 
De  K;.alb,  when  he  was  a  colonel  in  January,  1768,  was  the  only 
one  of  nine  persons  crossing  in  the  scow,  who  was  not  so  frozen 
as  to  lose  life  or  limb;  some  losing  toes,  others  feet,  fingers,  etc.; 
the  scow  sunk  on  a  sand  island,  leaving  them  out  all  nigM.  He 
alone  would  not  go  to  the  fire  when  rescued,  but  put  his  feet 
and  legs  in  cold  icy  water,  took  some  refreshments,  went  to  bed, 
and  got  up  unhurt.  A  Mr.  George  died  before  they  were  re- 
lieved. 

Another  route  to  Philadelphia  was  that  which  crossed  from 
New  York  to  Paulus  hook  (Jersey  City),  where  stages  started, 
running  down  to  Bergen  Point,  where  they  were  taken  across 
on  large  scows  to  the  "  Dutch  Church,"  now  Port  Richmond, 
whence  they  took  the  road  to  Blazing  Star,  near  Rossville,  where 
they  were  again  transported  by  scows  across  the  sound,  and  pur- 
sued thence  their  journey  to  Philadelphia.  Improved  accom- 
modations and  quicker  time  were  demanded  by  the  traveling 
public  of  those  days  as  well  as  at  the  present  time,  and  the  am- 
bition of  those  who  served  that  public  strove  to  answer  that  de- 
mand, as  will  be  seen  by  the  following  announcement.  John 
Mersereau  then  lived  at  the  new  Blazing  Star. 

"  This  is  to  give  Notice  to  the  Publick,  That  the  Stage- Wag- 
gons kept  by  John  Burrowhill  in  Elm-Street  in  Philadelphia, 
and  John  Mersereax  at  the  New  Blazing  Star,  near  New- York, 
intend  to  perform  the  journey  from  Philadelphia  to  New  York 
in  two  days  also — to  continue  seven  Months,  viz:  From  the  14th 
of  April  to  the  14th  of  Nov.  and  the  remaining  five  Months  of 
the  Year  in  three  Days — The  Waggons  to  be  kept  in  good 
order,  and  good  Horses,  with  sober  Drivers.  They  purpose  to 
set  off  from  Philadelphia  and  Powlas-Hook  on  Mondays  and 
Thursdays  punctually  at  Sunrise,  and  be  at  Prince-Town  the 
same  Nights,  and  change  Passengers,  and  return  to  New- York 
and  Philadelphia  the  following  days;  the  Passengers  are  de- 
sired to  cross  Powlas-Hook  Ferry  the  Evening  before;  the 
Waggon  is  not  to  stay  after  Sunrise  ;  Price  each  Passenger 
from  Powlas-Hook  to  Prince-Town,  Ten  shillings,  from  thence 
to  Philadelphia,  Ten  shillings  also;  Ferriage  fee.  Three  Pence 


HISTOKY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  683 

,  each  Mile  any  Distance  between.  Any  Gentlemen  or  Ladies 
that  wants  to  go  to  Philadelphia  can  go  in  the  stage  and  be  at 
home  in  five  Days  and  be  two  Nights  and  one  Day  in  Phila- 
deljihia  to  do  business,  or  see  the  Market  Days.  All  Grentle- 
men,  and  Ladies  who  are  pleased  to  favour  us  with  their  cus- 
tom, may  depend  on  due  Attendance  and  civil  Usage  by  those 
Humble  Servants 
"June  23,  1776. 

"  John  Mersereak, 
"John  Barkowhill." 

The  following  notices  of  ferries  and  stages  on  the  island 
during  the  time  of  the  revohition  will  throw  more  light  on  the 
subject  than  a  summary  of  their  contents  could,  hence  we  in- 
sert them  in  full : 

"  Staten-Island,  May  30,  1777. 

"  Next  Tuesday  being  the  third  day  of  June  instant,  a  Stage 
will  set  off  from  the  place  known  by  the  name  of  Doyle's 
Ferry,  rear  the  Watering  Place,  or  Staten-Island,  now  kept  by 
Capt.  William  Leake,  and  will  proceed  to  John  Stillwell's 
Ferry,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Island  opposite  Amboy,  and  con- 
tinue the  same  every  Tuesday,  Thursday  and  Saturday,  and 
carry  passengers  at  Eight  Shillings  each;  and  goods  as  low  as 
possible.  The  best  usage  will  be  given,  and  great  care  taken  of 
every  thing  sent  by  the  said  waggon.  The  waggon  will  set  off 
in  the  morning  as  soon  as  passengers  arrive,  agreeable  to  the 
tide." 

The  following  is  from  a  paper  of  February  16,  1779  : 
"To  be  sold,  the  noted  and  very  commodious  Ferry  known 
by  the  name  of  Ryerson's  ferry,  at  the  east  end  of  Staten- 
Island,  and  at  the  entrance  of  the  Kills,  it  is  a  pleasant  situa- 
tion, and  commands  a  great  deal  of  business;  there  is  one  hun- 
dred acres  of  good  land,  and  two  orchards,  a  dwelling  house 
with  5  rooms  on  the  first  floor,  and  4  rooms  on  the  second  storyj 
a  garret,  a  cellar  kitchen  and  cellar,  a  well  at  the  door,  two  new 
wharfs  which  form  an  exceeding  fine  harbor  for  ferry  and  other 
boats." 

"Staten  Island,  Jan.  12,  1779. 

"Complaint  having  been  made,  that  an  exorbitant  price  is 
exacted  by  the  different  proprietors  of  the  Ferry  Boats,  for  the 
fare   of   the  passengers   between   this  and  New- York.     It  is 


684  HISTOKy  OF  EICHMOWD  COUNTr. 

Brigadier  General  Leslie's  orders  that  the  boats  shall  ply  at  the 
following  prices,  viz. 

"Two  Shillings  currency  for  each  passeuget. 
(Sic)  Do    Six  Do.      for  each  Horse. 

"A  Boat  to  go  off  with  six  or  more  passengers,  and  oh  com- 
plaint being  made  of  noncompliance  with  the  above  regula- 
tions, the  offender  shall  forfeit  the  liberty  of  plying  with  his 
boat  to  or  from  this  island. 

"A.  Leslie,  Brig.  Gen." 

The  following  fragments  have  been  gleaned  from  various 
sources: 

Frederick  Simonson  owned  a  ferry  at  the  Narrows  in  1777, 
and  for  several  years  previous  to  that  date.  It  was  probably 
used  to  cross  to  Long  Island.  No  stated  ferry  has  been  main- 
tained there  since  the  first  few  years  of  the  present  century. 

A  ferry  was  established  across  the  Kill  Von  KuU  from  Staten 
Island  to  Bergen  Point  in  1764.  It  was  at  the  present  site  of 
Port  Richmond.  In  1777  it  was  known  as  Decker's  ferry;  after- 
ward it  was  called  Ryers',  and  still  later  Mersereau's. 

In  1774  the  New  Blazing  Star  ferry  was  occupied  by  Reuben 
Pitzrandolph.  In  the  following  year  it  was  occupied  by  John 
Mersereau.     It  was  occupied  by  Francis  B.  Fitch  in  1827. 

In  1761  James  Johnston  ran  a  ferry  at  Staten  Island.    / 

In  1762  Adoniah  Schuyler,  of  Elizabethtown  Point  owned  a 
ferry  to  Staten  Island,  together  with  the  road  or  causeway  from 
the  sound  to  the  uplands  on  the  island.  Schuyler  died  diiring 
the  year  mentioned.  The  ferry  was  spoken  of  by  a  writer  about 
1770  as  "  a  wretched,  half-rotten  ferry." 

The  Amboy  ferry,  sometimes  called  Doty's  and  sometimes 
Billop's,  was  kept  by  Isaac  Butler  for  forty  years,  beginning 
immediately  after  the  revolution  and  extending  to  the  time  of 
his  death,  about  1828. 

The  ferry  at  the  Narrows  was  known  at  different  times  as 
Watson's,  Ducket's,  Darby  Doyle's,  Cole's  and  Van  Duzer's.  It 
was  known  as  Cole's  ferry  in  1777.  In  1775  it  was  owned  by 
Darby  Doyle,  the  plant  including  barn,  storehouse,  barracks, 
dock,  garden  and  twenty  acres  of  land. 

There  were  two  ferries  plying  between  the  northeast  part  of 
the  island  and  New  York  from  the  middle  of  the  last  century. 
November  10,  1755,  the  ferry  was  "continued  to  be  kept  by 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  685 

Oths  Van  Tyle   at    Statten  Island  and  Abraham   Bockee  at 
Whitehall,"  they  having  three  boats  for  the  purpose. 

The  first  steam  ferry  boat  running  here  was  the  "  Nautilus." 
She  began  running  ]!^ovember  29,  1817.  The  following  an- 
nouncement was  made  in  the  newspapers  on  that  day: 

"The  new  Steam-Boat,  intended  to  ply  regularly  between 
this  city  and  Statten-Island,  commenced  running  this  morning. 
She  is  to  start  daily  from  White-Hall  Dock,  at  the  hours  of  7, 
10,  1,  and  5.  We  understand  that  she  carries  Passengers  this 
day  without  charge." 

Ten  years  later  two  steamboats  were  in  operation  on  tbe 
ferries  here,  during  a  part  of  the  year  at  least.  They  were  the 
"Nautilus,"  Captain  Robert  Hazard,  and  the  "Bolivar," 
Captain  Oliver  Vanderbilt.  They  advertised  to  leave  Staten 
Island  at  7,  8  and  10  A.  M.,  and  12.30,  2.30,4.30  and  6  P.  M. 
Returning  they  left  New  York  at  8  and  10  A.  M.,  and  12.30, 
2.30,  4.30,  5.30  and  7  P.  M.  The  fare  then  was  12J  cents.  During 
the  winter  season  trips  were  not  made  so  often  and  the  fare 
was  25  cents.  The  "  Marco  Bozzaris  "  was  then  a  new  steam- 
boat, and  she  plied  between  the  city  and  the  quarantine 
grounds  every  two  hours. 

One  after  another  during  the  following  years  improvements 
^ere  made,  and  facilities  for  comfortable,  rapid  and  frequent 
passage  between  the  island  and  the  city  augmented  as  the  de- 
mand seemed  to  increase.  In  1860  the  steamers  "  Thomas 
Hunt"  and  "Flora"  were  making  six  trips  daily,  on  the 
North  Shore  ferry,  the  fare  being  six  cents.  Boats  on  the 
East  Shore  ferry  were  making  trips  every  hour  during  the  day, 
from  7  A.  M.  to  5  P.  M.  The  Huguenot  line  was  running  be- 
tween Mariners'  Harbor  and  New  York  four  times  a  day,  the 
boats  employed  being  the  "  Red  Jacket"  and  the  "  Kill  Von 
Kull."  About  that  time  the  "  Westfield,"  "  Clifton,"  "  Thos. 
P.  Way,"  "Soathfield,"  "Hunchback,"  "Josephine"  and 
"Sylph"  were  also  employed  on  these  ferry  lines.  Some  of 
them  were  sold  to  the  government  in  1861,  to  be  used  as  trans- 
ports in  the  war. 

The  management  of  the  ferry  to  New  York  from  Castleton 
and  Northfield  had  been  unsatisfactory  to  the  people — fare  too 
high,  boats  old  and  slow,  number  of  daily  trips  insufficient,  of- 
ficers and  employees  rude  and  unaccommodating.  The  North 
Shore  Staten  Island  Ferry  Company  was  formed  in  the  spring 


686  HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

of  1860,  and  obtained  a  charter  as  a  stock  company.  The  peo- 
ple from  New  Brighton  to  Mariners'  Harbor  took  stock  in  the 
new  company,  and  manifested  a  lively  interest  in  its  success. 
Large  and  enthusiastic  meetings  were  held,  thirty  thousand 
dollars  were  subscribed,  the  steamboats  "Flora"  and  "Thomas 
Hunt"  were  purchased,  and  the  "  People's  Line"  was  placed 
in  successful  operation,  with  the  fare  at  six  cents.  The  capital 
stock  was  subsequently  increased  to  sixty  thousand  dollars,  the 
number  of  owners  holding  shares  being  something  over  three 
hundred.  The  steamer  "Pomona"  was  built  for  the  route  and  was 
at  the  time  the  pride  of  the  company.  On  the  organization  of  the 
new  company  the  old  management  reduced  its  fare  from  twelve 
cents  to  three  cents,  but  the  new  company  was  the  child  of  the 
people,  and  received  their  support.  In  1864  the  capital  stock 
was  raised  to  one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

Within  a  few  years  past  the  project  of  building  a  bridge  across 
the  sound  or  Arthur  kill  has  been  frequently  and  vigorously 
agitated.  It  has  been  argued  that  such  a  bridge  was  desirable 
to  afford  some  trunk  line  railroad  from  the  south  and  west  an 
outlet  to  tide  water  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York  city.  A  bill 
authorizing  the  construction  of  such  a  bridge  has  repeatedly 
been  before  Congress,  and  it  is  said  that  it  has  the  approval  of 
the  war  department.  The  senate  reached  a  vote  on  May  20, 
1886,  and  passed  the  bill  by  a  large  majority,  notwithstanding 
the  state  of  New  Jersey  and  the  Pennsylvania  railroad  were 
strongly  opposed  to  it. 

This  bridge  project  is  no  new  scheme.  As  long  ago  as  June 
10,  1812,  the  state  of  New  York,  by  its  act  of  legislature,  incor- 
porated a  company  for  the  object  of  building  a  bridge  across 
the  sound  from  New  Jersey  to  Staten  Island,  at  some  point  to 
be  decided  on  by  commissioners  appointed  for  the  purpose. 
The  act  named  Joseph  Ferine,  David  Mersereau,  Jacob  Croch- 
eron,  John  V.  D.  Jacobson,  Jesse  Oakley,  James  Guion,  Sr., 
Tunis  Egbert,  John  Garrison  and  John  Hilliker.  The  capital 
stock  was  to  consist  of  two  thousand  shares  of  fifty  dollars 
each,  and  the  commissioners  appointed  to  designate  the  site  of 
the  bridge  were  John  C.  Vanderveer,  William  Purraan  and 
John  Leflerts,  of  the  county  of  Kings,  and  Gabriel  Furman  and 
John  Vanderbilt,  Jr.,  of  the  city  and  county  of  New  York,  who 
were  to  act  with  an  equal  number  to  be  named  and  authorized 
for  the  purpose  by  or  on  the  part  of  New  Jersey.     The  bridge 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNT  Y.  687 

was  to  be  not  less  than  twenty-six  feet  wide,  and  to  have  a  draw 
of  not  less  than  thirty  feet  over  the  sound  to  allow  the  passage 
of  vessels.  The  toll  for  the  passage  of  two  horse  pleasure  car- 
riages over  the  bridge  was  seventy-five  cents,  business  wagons 
fifty  cents,  man  on  horseback  twenty-five  cents,  and  foot  pas- 
sengers six  cents. 

The  Staten  Island  Railroad,  extending  from  Vanderbilt's  land- 
ing to  Tottenville,  is  thirteen  miles  in  length,  and  its  original 
cost  was  about  $300,000.  The  first  meeting  of  citizens  to  discuss 
the  practicability  of  constructing  the  road,  was  held  in  the 
village  of  Richmond,  on  the  2d  day  of  August,  1851,'  at  which 
articles  of  association  were  submitted,  discussed  and  adopted, 
and  filed  in  the  office  of  the  secretary  of  state,  on  the  18th  day 
of  October,  1851.  On  that  day  an  election  was  held  for  the  first 
board  of  directors,  and  resulted  in  the  election  of  the  following 
gentlemen,  viz.:  Joseph  H.  Seguine,  Joel  Wolfe,  Edwin  R. 
Bennet,  Stephen  Seguine,  Henry  Cole,  Henry  I.  Seaman,  Henry 
Van  Hovenberg,  Peter  C.  Cortelyou,  John  G.  Seguine,  William 
Totten,  George  White,  William  King,  and  Cornelius  White. 

Joseph  H.  Seguine  was  elected  president,  Stephen  Seguine, 
treasurer,  and  George  White,  secretary.  The  first  annual  re- 
port was  made  to  the  state  engineer  and  surveyor  on  the  30th 
day  of  September,  1852.  Numerous  obstacles  presented  them- 
selves to  prevent  the  speedy  completion  of  the  road,  not  the 
least  of  which  was  the  difficulty  of  securing  a  right  of  way  over 
the  lands  of  several  landed  proprietors,  and  in  January,  1855, 
it  became  necessary  for  the  company  to  apply  to  the  legislature 
for  an  extension  of  time  to  construct  their  road.  The  first  re- 
ceipts from  passengers  were  on  the  32d  day  of  April,  1860, 
the  trains  running  only  a  part  of  the  way,  but  on  the  2d  day  of 
June,  of  that  year,  the  formal  opening  of  the  road  took  place. 
The  road  became  the  property  of  the  Staten  Island  Rapid 
Transit  Railroad  Company,  July  31,  1884,  and  its  destinies 
since  that  time  have  been  in  common  with  those  of  the  latter 
company. 

A  line  of  telegraph  was  erected  from  quarantine  grounds 
along  the  shore  to  the  railroad,  and  then  along  the  railroad  to 
Amboy  in  1863. 

A  horse  railroad  from  the  Narrows  around  the  shore  to 
Mariners'  Harbor  was  proposed  in  November,  1863,  and  it  was 
then  expected  to  be  running  by  the  early  part  of  the  following 


688  HISTORY  or  Richmond  oountt. 

spring.  A  company  was  formed  and  a  charter  obtained,  under 
the  title  of  the  Staten  Island  Shore  Railroad  Company,  with  a 
capital  of  $350,000.  The  following  were  the  first  directors 
chosen :  Minthorne  Tompkins,  S.  B.  Coles,  Henry  A.  Morrison, 
Greorge  Catlin,  Thomas  Colgan,  John  C.  Burling,  Cornelius  Mc- 
Ardell,  Alfred  Hornby,  Joseph  G.  Ward,  Earl  K.  Cooley, 
John  Ellard,  P.  H.  Ward,  and  George  Sexton.  The  first  offi- 
cers were  Joseph  G.  Ward,  president;  George  Catlin,  vice- 
president;  C.  McArdell,  secretary  and  treasurer.  While  it  was 
in  process  of  construction  (March,  1864)  various  opinions 
were  expressed  concerning  it,  as  to  whether  it  would  prove  a 
benefit  or  an  injury.  But  few  living  immediately  on  the  line 
were  disposed  to  favor  it,  but  those  residing  off  the  street 
through  which  it  was  laid  generally  advocated  it.  Its  general 
patronage  by  the  people  shows  it  to  be  a  thing  of  approved 
public  utility.  It  makes  hourly  trips.  Its  western  terminus  has 
not  as  yet  been  carried  over  the  causeway  to  Port  Richmond. 

The  ''Korth  and  South  Shore  Railroad"  was  projected  to 
run  from  Elm  Park,  in  the  town  of  Northfield,  to  Seguine's 
point,  in  the  town  of  Westfield.  The  company  was  organized 
in  1882,  with  W.  R.  Soutter  as  president  and  R.  Penn  Smith 
and  others  as  directors.  The  route  was  surveyed  under  the 
direction  of  the  company,  and  ground  was  broken  at  Elm  Park 
on  Tuesday,  November  28,  1882. 

The  plan  of  this  road  was  to  run  from  a  point  near  the  steam- 
boat landing  at  Elm  Park  to  Graniteville;  thence  through  the 
lands  of  James  Bennett,  John  Hall,  Charles  E.  Racy,  John  M. 
Perine,  Nicholas  D.  Egbert,  Abram  P.  Tyson,  Samuel  White, 
Isaac  Winant,    estate  of    C.    Merrill,    James  Davidson,  Mrs 

Thomas  Lisk, Quinlan,  Charles  Simonson,  John  Blake, 

Decker  B.  Merrill  and  Jacob  Honsman,  at  Bull's  tlead,  where  a 
depot  was  to  be  located;  thence  passing  on  through  lands  of 
the  heirs  of  Joseph  Simonson,  deceased,  John  Blake,  John 
Hatfield,  Mrs.  Hiram  J.  Corson,  John  H.  Garretson,  Hiram 
J.  Corson  and  Arthur  Prall,  it  reached  Springville,  where 
another  station  was  to  be  located.  Its  course  thence 
lay  through  lands  of  Harriet  Whitney,  Jacob  Simonson, 
David  Simonson,  Mrs.  Daniel  Blake,  Matthias  Simonson,  Sam- 
uel Decker,  Barnet  Depuy,  Peter  Van  Buskirk,  Richard  La- 
tourette  and  the  heirs  of  Harriet  Wheatley,  at  Richmond. 
Here  the  course  of  the  road  described  a  horseshoe,  approaching 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  689 

the  village  from  under  the  hill  on  which  the  old  fort  stood,  and 
turning  at  a  point  about  ten  minutes'  walk  from  the  court  house. 
On  this  bend  it  was  intended  to  locate  a  depot,  and  thence  a 
street  was  to  be  opened  to  the  village.  From  this  point  the 
road  lay  in  the  direction  of  Green  ridge,  through  the  lands  of 
Cyrus  McVeigh,  Douglass  Turner,  James  Lake,  Herbert  B. 
Brewer,  H.  S.  Samuels,  Mary  Metcalfe,  Byron  H.  Beal,  the 
heirs  of  T.  C.  Benham,  Lawrence  H.  Cortelyou,  George  White, 

Mrs.  Edward  Bancker,  and  heirs  of Stuyvesant,  where  it 

crossed  the  Staten  island  Railroad,  and  took  a  direct  line  for 
the  shore,  passing  through  the  lands  of  John  Dempsey,  B. 
Kreischer  and  Henry  T.  JSiles  to  the  farm  owned  by  the  com- 
pany, where  a  large  hotel  was  intended  to  be  built  and  other 
improvements  applied  Tor  making  a  seaside  resort. 

Work  upon  it  continued  till  late  in  the  summer  of  1883,  when 
the  grading  of  the  road  bed  was  nearly  completed,  and  ties 
were  purchased  and  on  their  way  to  the  island.  There  seemed 
to  be  some  mystery  connected  with  the  building  of  the  road. 
Added  to  this  the  rumor  gained  circulation  that  the  Standard 
Oil  Company  intended  to  erect  buildings  at  the  terminus  on  the 
Perkins  farm.     The  work  was  then  abandoned. 

The  "  Richmond  County  Railroad"  is  a  street  railroad,  run- 
ning from  West  New  Brighton  steamboat  landing  to  Castleton 
Corners.  Its  charter  was  granted  by  the  state  legislature  in 
March,  1885,  and  work  upon  it  began  May  11  following.  The 
road  was  completed,  and  the  formal  opening  took  place  July 
18,  1885.  The  route  lies  from  the  steamboat  landing  up  Broad- 
way, Castleton  avenue,  Columbia  street  and  Manor  road,  end- 
ing at  Eckstein's  brewery.  The  first  directors  were  John  Mc- 
Donald, Monroe  Eckstein,  Hiram  Dixon,  Robert  Moore,  Clar- 
ence Delafield,  H.  D.  Leslie  and  E.  A.  Moore.  The  first  oflBcers 
were:  Hiram  Dixon,  president,  Monroe  Eckstein,  treasurer,  and 
H.  D.  Leslie,  secretary. 

The  scheme  of  concentrating  the  ferry  traffic  into  one  line  of 
boats  running  to  one  point  on  the  island,  that  point  being  the 
one  nearest  to  New  York  city,  and  connecting  with  arms  of 
railroad  which  should  reach  out  and  deliver  passengers  along 
either  shore,  was  for  some  time  in  process  of  development  be- 
fore it  assumed  definite  shape  and  tangible  existence.  A  com- 
pany was  organized  in  1883,  and  incorporated  under  the  general 
railroad  law  of  the  state,  having  a  capital  of  five  hundred  thou- 

44 


690  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

sand  dollars,  which  was  fully  paid.  Surveys  were  then  made 
for  the  prospective  line  along  the  eastern  and  northern  shores 
of  the  island.  Captain  A.  L.  King  was  for  a  time  jiresident  of 
the  company,  but  in  Setember,  1883,  he  resigned,  and  J.  Frank 
Emmons  was  elected  to  the  position.  Messrs.  C.  T.  Barrett, 
Horatio  Judah  and  T.  C.  Vermilye  were  appointed  commission- 
ers to  appraise  the  damages  caused  to  land  through  which  the 
road  was  to  pass.  They  began  their  work  in  the  latter  part  of 
September. 

The  work  of  grading  began,  and  during  the  spring  of  1884 
was  pushed  forward  with  such  energy  that  by  the  end  of  July 
the  road  was  graded  and  the  track  laid  between  Clifton  and 
Tompkinsville.  The  first  locomotive  and  train  passed  over  this 
section  of  the  road  on  July  31,  1884.  It  contained  the  man- 
agers and  officers  of  the  road,  a  few  invited  guests  and  several 
passengers  who  had  come  up  on  the  train  as  it  came  on  its  regu- 
lar time  from  Tottenville.  With  the  caution  necessary  to  a 
train  for  the  first  time  moving  over  a  new  road,  the  run  was 
made  from  Vanderbilt  landing  to  the  Tompkinsville  landing  in 
three  and  a  half  minutes. 

The  Staten  Island  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Company  now 
effected  a  ninety-nine  years'  lease  of  the  property  of  the  Staten 
Island  Railway,  and  under  this  arrangement  the  railroad  to 
Tottenville  and  all  its  appurtenances  became,  on  the  day  last 
mentioned  (July  81,  1884),  a  part  of  the  rapid  transit  system. 

Work  was  now  pushed  on  with  vigor  toward  the  completion 
of  the  road,  many  obstacles,  some  of  discouraging  magnitude, 
appearing  to  impede  its  progress.  Over  much  of  its  course  the 
line  followed  the  shore,  under  the  bluffs,  where  ground  had  to 
be  made  upon  which  to  build  the  road.  State  laws  were  not 
able  to  grant  the  right  to  run  a  railroad  through  the  property 
of  the  United  States;  hence  the  grounds  of  the  light  house  de- 
partment just  above  Tompkinsville,  presented  a  serious  barrier. 
The  company,  however,  secured  an  act  of  congress  permitting 
them  to  push  a  tunnel  through  the  hill  a  short  distance  back 
from  the  shore.  The  grant  was  surrounded  with  restrictions 
that  made  slow  progress  in  the  construction  of  the  tunnel  an 
unavoidable  sequence.  The  tunnel  is  about  five  hundred  and 
eighty-five  feet  long,  and  is  wide  enough  to  allow  the  passing  of 
two  trains  at  once.  It  is  protected  by  massive  walls  of  masonry 
on  the  sides,  and  an  arch  of  brick  two  feet  in  thickness  over- 


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HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  691 

head.  The  cost  of  building  it  was  about  oae  hundred  and 
ninety  thousand  dollars. 

Another  obstacle  which  offered  resistance  to  the  progress  of 
the  road  was  a  contest  in  litigation,  in  which  the  company  were 
involved,  in  gaining  a  passage  across  the  cove  at  the  mouth  of 
Palmer's  run.  Another  obstacle  was  found  in  passing  across  the 
front  of  the  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor,  where  it  was  necessary  to 
erect  a  heavy  stone  wall  at  a  cost  of  about  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars.  But  the  projectors  of  the  enterprise  were  encouraged 
by  seeing  these  obstacles,  one  after  another,  give  way  before  the 
steady  and  resolute  forces  which  they  brought  to  bear  upon 
them. 

At  St,  George,  the  northeast  point  of  the  island,  an  area  of 
several  acres  of  ground  has  been  made  out  from  the  shore  to 
afford  room  for  terminal  facilities.  Piers  have  been  erected, 
extending  some  six  hundred  feet  into  the  water,  and  terminat- 
ing in  two  large  ferry  slips.  The  expense  of  the  improvements 
at  this  point,  including  piers,  ferry  houses,  depots,  and  the 
like,  is  estimated  to  exceed  $100,000. 

The  history  of  this  enterprise  would  not  be  fairlj'  stated  if 
the  fact  were  omitted  that  Mr.  Erastus  Wiman  has  been,  from 
its  inception  to  its  consummation,  the  moving  spirit  of  the 
rapid  transit  railroad  and  ferry  scheme.  Without  consulting 
that  gentleman,  we  make  the  statement  here  that  the  future  of 
the  island  owes  a  lasting  debt  of  gratitude  to  him  for  the  per- 
severing energy  with  which  he  has  pushed  forward  an  under- 
taking which  promises  to  open  a  new  era  of  prosperity  to  the 
island,  against  many  discouraging  circumstances,  perhaps  not 
the  least  of  which  has  been  the  prejudice  with  which  those  who 
were  to  be  benefitted  by  the  scheme  opposed  it.  Should  the 
modesty  of  Mr.  Wiman  censure  us  for  this  expression,  our 
apology  is  that  the  truth  demands  it. 

The  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  was  opened  for  passenger  traffic 
February  23,  1886.  It  was  a  jubilee  day  along  the  north 
shore.  Trains  ran  as  far  as  Elm  Park,  making  the  time  be- 
tween that  point  and  the  city  thirty-nine  minutes,  instead  of 
about  an  hour  and  a  half,  as  had  been  common  under  the  old 
ferry  system.  The  usual  demonstrations  of  public  rejoicing  were 
made  in  the  display  of  the  national  colors  all  along  the  line, 
and  the  cheering  of  the  multitudes  who  gathered  at  the  sta- 
tions to  greet  the  coming  of  the  trains.     The  other  wing  of  the 


692  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

system  was  completed,  so  that  on  the  eighth  of  March  trains 
commenced  running  on  both  the  north  and  east  shores  of  the 
island  from  the  ferry  at  St.  George. 

A  few  statements,  showing  the  magnitude  of  this  improve- 
ment, are  compiled  from  a  city  newspaper  of  the  following 
day.  When  the  rapid  transit  scheme  was  first  agitated,  the 
ferries  made  only  twelve  trips  a  day  between  New  York  and 
Staten  Island.  The  number  of  trips  made  is  now  increased  to 
thirty-four.  A  decided  improvement  in  the  time  required  was 
also  apparent.  Port  Richmond  had  before  been  one  hour  dis- 
tant from  the  city,  with  only  hourly  boats.  To-day  it  can  be 
reached  in  thirty-six  minutes,  and  boats  run  three  times  in  an 
hour.  The  time  to  Clifton  had  previously  been  forty-seven 
minutes.  It  was  now  reduced  to  thirty  minutes,  with  trains 
every  twenty-five  minutes. 

Lewis  Henet  Meyer,  who  has  been  for  more  than  thirty 
years  a  resident  of  Staten  Island  and  who  is  widely  known  in 
business  and  social  circles  both  on  the  island  and  in  New  York 
city,  was  born  in  October,  1815,  at  Bremen.  He  was  the  son  of 
Theodore  Meyer,  a  prominent  ship  owner  of  New  York,  who  at 
the  time  of  his  son's  birth  was  engaged  in  the  operation  of  a 
line  of  packets  between  that  city  and  Bremen.  At  the  age  of 
five  months  Mr.  Meyer  came  to  America  on  a  ship  under  com- 
mand of  Captain,  afterward  Commodore  Perry,  then  in  his 
father's  employ.  The  passage  was  accomplished  in  the  extra- 
ordinary short  period  of  one  hundred  and  seven  days,  twenty - 
one  days  shorter  than  any  previous  voyage,  a  fact  which  the 
owner  at  the  time  attributed  to  reckless  sailing. 

Mr.  Meyer  attended  school  in  New  York  city  till  1828,  when 
he  again  crossed  the  ocean,remainingin  Bremen  till  1836.  While 
there  he  finished  his  student  life  and  spent  some  time  in  an  of- 
fice in  that  city.  In  1840  he  engaged  in  business  in  New  York, 
remaining  in  it  till  1857-8,  under  the  firm  names  of  Meyer,  Hupe- 
den  &  Co.,  Theodore  Meyer,  Sons  &  Co.,  Meyer,  Schoene&  Co., 
and  Meyer  &  Stucken. 

Having  between  1850  and  1857  sold  large  amounts  of  Ameri- 
can securities  in  European  markets  many  of  which  failed  to 
pay  interest,  Mr.  Meyer  turned  his  attention  in  1858  to  the  pro- 
tection of  European  friends.  Besides  bringing  numerous  suits 
against  repudiating  cities  and  counties  and  compelling  the 
same  to  respect  their  creditors,  he  succeeded  in  placing  several 


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HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  693 

railroads  in  the  hands  of  receivers  and  reorganizing  them  after 
foreclosure.  This  he  did  with  the  Milwaukee  &  Mississippi, 
later  Milwaukee  &  Prairie  Du  Chien  now  owned  by  the  Milwau- 
kee &  St.  Paul,  the  Pittsburgh,  Ft.  Wayne  &  Chicago  Railroad, 
now  Pittsburgh  &  Ft.  Wayne  Railway  Company,  and  the  Chi- 
cago &  Missisippi,  now  Chicago  &  Alton. 

He  also  represented  large  interests  in  the  Ohio  Central,  Scioto 
&  Hocking  Valley,  Alabama  &  Tennessee  River,  Atlantic  & 
Great  Western,  Kansas  Pacific,  Mississippi,  Kansas  &  Texas, 
Steubenville  &  Indiana,  New  Orleans  &  Mobile,  and  others,  most 
of  which  he  was  also  instrumental  in  foreclosing  and  reorgani- 
zing. He  is  now  president  of  the  Ft.  Wayne  Railway  Com- 
pany. 

Mr.  Meyer  was  the  organizer  of  the  Staten  Island  Savings 
Bank  and  was  for  ten  years  its  president.  He  takes  a  lively  in- 
terest in  all  Richmond  county  matters  and  was  formerly  presi- 
dent of  the  village  of  Edgewater.  His  residence,  of  which  this 
volume  furnishes  a  cut,  is  one  of  the  handsomest  on  Staten  Is- 
land. 

Mr.  Meyer  is  a  public  spirited  and  courteous  gentleman.  His 
immense  business  interests  and  frequent  travels  have  brought 
him  a  large  acquaintance  both  in  Europe  and  America,  and  he 
is  equally  respected  both  at  home  and  abroad. 

Eckstein  Norton,  one  of  the  most  influential  and  success- 
ful men  identified  with  the  vast  railroad  interests  of  the  country, 
is  the  son  of  William  Norton.  He  was  born  at  Russellville, 
Kentucky,  December  16,  1831,  and  educated  in  his  native 
place.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  entered  a  store  as  clerk,  receiv- 
ing a  dollar  and  a  half  per  week  for  his  services,  and  continued 
for  two  and  a  half  years  thus  employed,  when  he  embarked  in 
business  in  the  same  town.  In  the  fall  of  1851,  having  sold  his 
interest  to  a  partner,  he  removed  to  Paducah,  Kentucky,  and 
joined  his  brother,  W.  F.  Norton,  who  had  been  for  fifteen 
years  a  merchant  at  this  point,  in  mercantile  ventures.  In  1852 
Mr.  Norton  purchased  the  interest  of  his  brother,  and  continued 
with  success  until  1854,  when  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  hav- 
ing completed  its  line  to  Cairo,  began  the  construction  of  a  line 
to  Chicago,  which  was  finished  a  year  later.  Having  effected 
an  advantageous  contract  with  this  road,  Mr.  Norton  removed 
to  Cairo  as  the  receiving  and  forwarding  agent  for  all  its  freight. 
An  excellent  offer  for  the  business  and  good  will  thus  well  es- 


694  HISTORY  OP  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

tablished  induced  him  to  sell,  and  again  he  made  Paducah  his 
residence,  engaging  with  his  brother  in  the  banking  business, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Norton  Brothers.  Early  in  1864  he  re- 
moved to  New  York,  established  the  banking  and  commission 
house  of  Norton,  Slaughter  &  Co.,  and  later  that  of  Ex.  Nor- 
ton &  Co.,  of  which  he  is  sole  partner.  In  1868  Mr.  Norton 
purchased  the  Paducah  &  Gulf  Railroad,  afterward  consoli- 
dated with  the  Mississippi  River  Railroad,  the  two  forming  the 
Paducah  &  Memphis  Railroad,  of  which  he  became  president. 
He  also  participated  actively  in  the  construction  of  the  Eliza- 
bethtown  &  Paducah  Railroad,  these  two  roads  (Paducah  & 
Memphis  and  Elizabethtown  &  Paducah)  now  forming  the 
Chesapeake,  Ohio  &  Southwestern  Railroad. 

In  1884  it  was  discovered  that  a  large  amount  of  the  funds  of 
the  Louisville  &  Nashville  Railroad  Company  had  been  lost  in 
speculation  and  mismanagement  and  a  considerable  floating 
debt  created.  The  credit  of  the  company  was  impaired,  and 
grave  doubts  entertained  as  to  the  possibility  of  its  rescue  from 
bankruptcy.  A  large  majority  of  the  stock  was  held  in  Europe, 
and  the  foreign  stockholders,  on  discovering  the  irregularities 
in  1884,  sent  an  agent  to  the  United  States  to  reorganize  the 
company.  Many  of  the  directors  resigned,  the  board  was  re- 
organized, and  Mr.  Norton  asked  to  become  one  of  its  members. 
He  remained  a  director  until  the  annual  meeting  in  October, 
1884,  was  then  elected  vice-president,  and  assumed  charge  of 
the  company's  finances.  Less  expensive  offices  in  New  York 
city  were  secured,  and  an  economical  management  of  affairs  in- 
augurated, thus  saving  forty  thousand  dollars  per  annum  in 
the  New  York  ofiice.  As  a  result,  confidence  was  restored,  and 
the  credit  of  the  company  greatly  improved,  the  beneficial  re- 
sult being  apparent  on  the  whole  system.  In  1886  Mr.  Norton 
was  elected  president  of  the  Louisville  &  Nashville  Railroad, 
which,  by  lease  and  ownership,  controls  nearly  four  thousand 
miles  of  road  running  through  Illinois,  Kentucky,  Tennessee, 
Alabama,  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  Georgia  and  Florida,  and  is 
one  of  the  most  important  of  the  great  railroad  systems  of  the 
country.  The  remarkable  business  qualities  which  Mr.  Norton 
possesses,  embracing  sound  and  unerring  judgment,  keen  in- 
sight, and  a  firm  and  comprehensive  grasp  of  the  details  of  an 
enterprise,  have  all  been  brought  to  bear  in  his  management  of 
this  railroad,   and  placed  it  again  on  a  solid  financial  basis. 


■^yiaj  AHEturae 


ira 


^C^T^^r-iy^i-^-^.^     Ui5-*^>^i'^z::>^^''>T-? 


RESIDENCE    OF    R.     W.    CAMERON. 
Clifton,  Staten   Island. 


V%-\n-^>(?t^    t.    %\t%5^V^T.,    «     1. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  695 

Since  Mr.  Norton's  removal  to  Staten  Island,  in  1867,  he  has 
identified  himself  with  its  leading  interests.  He  is  a  director 
in  the  Staten  Island  Savings  Bank  and  the  Staten  Island  First 
National  Bank,  and  was  one  of  the  first  incorporators  and  a  di- 
rector in  the  Staten  Island  Rapid  Transit  Railroad.  His  inter- 
est in  the  cause  of  education  is  evinced  in  the  aid  he  extended 
to  the  Brighton  Heights  Seminary  for  Young  Ladies  and  the 
St.  Austin's  School  for  Boys,  of  both  of  which  organizations  he 
is  president.  Mr.  Norton  is  married  to  Lucy  M.,  daughter  of 
Mrs.  Mary  Peyton  Moore,  of  Hopkinsville,  Kentucky. 

Sir  Roderick  William  Cameron  was  born  at  Glen-Nevis, 
Canada,  on  the  25th  of  Jaly,1825,  and  was  educated  at  the  district 
schools  of  Cornwall  and  Kingston,  and  under  the  late  Dr.  John 
Rae  as  private  tutor.  His  youth  having  been  passed  in  Canada, 
he  came  to  New  York  in  1852  with  the  intention  of  taking 
passage  for  Australia.  Wiser  counsels  prevailed  and  he  was 
induced  to  invest  his  small  capital  in  the  charter  of  the  ship 
"  Revenue,"  which,  under  the  guidance  of  his  broker,  the  late 
John  Ogden,  was  dispatched  in  June,  1852,  as  the  pioneer  of 
the  line  that  has  existed  since  that  date.  The  business  of  this 
line  has  now  grown  to  large  proportions,  the  tonnage  employed 
in  the  direct  trade  between  New  York  and  the  Australasian 
colonies  during  the  past  year  being  not  less  than  one  hundred 
and  thirty  thousand  capacity,  carrying  American  productions 
solely,  of  several  millions  in  value.  Mr.  Cameron  represented 
the  colony  of  New  Sou tb  Wales  as  commissioner  at  the  cen- 
tennial exhibition  of  1876,  also  acted  as  honorary  commissioner  ^ 
at  the  Paris  exposition  in  1878,  and  passed  a  year  in  Australia 
representing  the  Dominion  of  Canada  at  the  exhibitions  of 
Melbourne  and  Sydney  in  1880  and  1881.  On  his  return  he 
prepared  a  report  on  the  trade  relations  between  the  continents 
of  Australia  and  America,  which  was  published  as  an  appendix 
to  the  report  of  the  minister  of  agriculture  in  1881,  and  largely 
quoted  from  by  the  press  of  Canada  and  by  those  interested 
in  the  subject  of  which  it  treats. 

For  his  valuable  services  in  promoting  trade  relations  be- 
tween Canada  and  the  Australasian  colonies,  the  honor  of 
knighthood  was  in  1883,  conferred  upon  hira  by  her  majesty 
Queen  Victoria. 

The  subject  of  this  biographical  sketch  is  an  enthusiastic 
sportsman,  and  in  his  efforts  to   improve   the  thoroughbred 


HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

horse  has  accomplished  more  than  any  other  breeder  of  the 
period.  He  in  1861  became  the  purchaser  of  Clifton-Berley, 
subsequently  the  home  of  the  imported  stallions  Leamington, 
Warminster,  Glen  Athol,  Hartington,  etc.,  while  such  famous 
thoroughbreds  as  Glenelg,  Reform,  Inverary  and  others  were 
bred  there  during  the  period  of  the  renowned  Clifton  stud. 
The  property  consists  of  about  three  hundred  acres  under  the 
highest  cultivation,  surpassing  in  the  beauty  of  its  park  like 
scenery  anything  to  be  f oilnd  on  the  island.  From  the  mansion  on 
the  central  hill,  built  of  stone,  brick  and  wood,  in  the  Queen  Anne 
style  of  architecture,  with  ample  halls  and  stately  rooms,  down 
the  slopes  of  the  shrubberied  lawn,  across  the  rich  meadows  and 
broad  fields  to  the  sea,  the  prospect  is  wide  and  beautiful  be- 
yond description.  Surely  art  has  here  vied  with  nature  in  her 
rich  contributions  to  this  charming  spot. 

Sir  Roderick  is  not  the  first  of  his  family  upon  whom  the 
honor  of  knighthood  has  been  conferred.  One  of  his  maternal 
ancestors.  Sir  Roderick  Macloud,  was  knighted  in  the  early 
part  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  known  as  "  Sir  Rory 
More  of  that  Ilk  in  Skye."  The  family  were  settled  in  Lochaber 
and  Skye  from  time  immemorial,  and  a  family  tree  examined 
by  the  editor  traces  the  genealogy  from  1342,  and  recalls  an 
ancestry  of  which  any  family  may  be  proud.  Malcolm,  son 
of  Taromade,  was  granted  a  charter  by  King  David  second,  in 
the  year  1342  of  part  of.  Glenelg  (see  record  called  the  Black 
Book,  folio  2,  register  oflBce,  Edinburgh). 

The  progenitor  of  the  branch  of  the  Cameron  family  to  which 
Sir  Roderick  belongs  was  Donald  Cameron,  of  Glen-Nevis,  who, 
according  to  tradition,  secured  the  lands  of  Morsheirlich  from 
Lochiel.  The  first  of  whom  there  is  authentic  record  is  Alex- 
ander Cameron,  born  at  Glenmoriston,  Inverness-shire,  in  1729, 
who  emigrated  to  the  colony  of  New  York  before  1776,  and 
ultimately  settled  in  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  He  married 
Margaret  Macdonell,  of  Glengarry,  about  1760,  and  had  chil- 
dren, Duncan  and  one  daughter.  Duncan  Cameron,  born  in 
1764,  was  one  of  the  founders  in  the  last  century  of  the  North- 
west Fur  Trading  Company,  afterward  merged  into  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company,  a  member  of  parliament  and  an  influential  citizen. 
He  married  Margaret,  daughter  of  Captain  William  Macleod, 
and  had  three  sons,  Duncan,  Alexander  Duncan  and  Roderick 
William,  the  subject  of  .this  biography.     The  latter  married  in 


PORTLEDGE.         RESIDENCE    OF    J.    F.    EMMONS. 
Clifton,    N.    Y. 


V%T"'\tSt^  ^     %\^%^'\v^ 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  097 

1860,  Anne  Fleming,  daughter  of  Nathan  Leavenworth,  of 
Puritan  descent,  and  Alice  Johnstone,  daughter  of  a  Scottish 
gentleman.  Mrs.  Cameron  died  July  2,  1879.  Their  children 
are :  Duncan  Ewen,  Roderick  Macleod,  Alice  Leavenworth 
(deceased),  Margaret  Selina  Erne,  Catherine  Nathalie,  Anne 
Fleming  and  Isabella  Dorothea,  all  but  Alice  having  been 
born  at  Clifton.  Duncan  Ewen  and  Roderick  Macleod  enjoy 
the  great  privilege  of  American  citizenship.  May  they  be  the 
progenitors  of  future  generations  as  loyal  to  the  great  republic 
as  were  their  forefathers  to  the  land  of  their  birth. 

John  Frank  Emmons,  well  known  in  Richmond  county  as 
president  of  the  Staten  Island  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Com- 
pany, and  one  of  the  most  active  and  energetic  business 
men  on  the  island,  was  born  in  Boston,  April  26,  1839.  His 
father,  Mr.  John  L.  Emmons,  a  prominent  Boston  merchant, 
married  Miss  Catharine  Draper  Vose,  and  of  their  four  chil- 
dren, Frank,  as  he  is  commonly  known,  is  the  eldest.  He  re- 
ceived his  education  at  the  private  school  conducted  by  Mr. 
Adams,  which  he  left  at  the  age  of  sixteen  to  enter  the  store  of 
his  father.  Here  by  his  industry  as  a  clerk  he  won  for  himself 
a  partnership  in  the  firm  of  J.  L.  Emmons  &  Co.,  which  for 
many  years  carried  on  an  extensive  business  in  the  wholesale 
grocery  line.  Drawn  by  the  life  and  business  prominence  of 
the  metropolis,  Mr.  Emmons  in  1866  gave  up  his  interest  in 
that  firm  and  removed  to  New  York  city,  where  he  secured  a 
partnership  in  the  firm  of  G-eorge  E.  Cook  &  Co.,  dealers  in 
miscellaneous  securities.  In  1878  he  severed  his  connection 
with  the  house  just  mentioned  and  accepted  the  membership  in 
the  banking  firm  of  H.  L.  Horton  &  Co.  which  he  still  retains. 

Mr.  Emmons  is  characterized  by  quickness  and  decision.  In 
the  "  Stock  Exchange,"  of  which  he  is  a  member,  and  in  finan- 
cial circles  generally,  his  advice  and  judgment  are  widely 
sought  and  accepted.  His  connection  with  the  Rapid  Transit 
Railroad  Company  and  his  constant  and  daily  presence  in  the 
most  exciting  and  busiest  financial  center  of  the  world  tend 
constantly  toward  bringing  him  into  notice  and  give  him  an 
intimate  acquaintance  with  all  that  is  of  value  in  modern  finan- 
ciering. 

Since  his  removal  to  Staten  Island  in  1866  he  has  interested 
himself  in  the  introduction  and  maintenance  of  the  present 
water  sujjply  and  in   the  building  and  improvement  of  the 


698  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

schools  and  educational  institutions  of  the  island.  He  was  also 
prominent  in  the  establishment  of  the  recently  organized  "First 
National  Bank  of  Staten  Island."  Mr.  Emmons  built  the  first 
sewer  for  drainage  purposes  in  the  village  of  New  Brighton, 
and  soon  after  the  organization  of  the  board  of  health  of  that 
village  was  chosen  a  member,  acting  as  its  president  till  1886, 
when  he  removed  to  Clifton.  In  June  of  the  same  year  in 
which  he  came  to  Staten  Island,  he  married  Miss  Mary  Win- 
throp  Cook. 

Mr.  Emmons  is  among  the  foremost  in  social  life  both  in 
New  York  city  and  on  Staten  Island.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Union  League  Club  and  many  of  the  social  clubs  of  Richmond 
county.  Though  he  has  interested  himself  in.  politics  he  has 
never  held  political  ofiice  and  he  owes  no  allegiance  to  any 
party,  though  he  leans  toward  republicanism.  During  por- 
tions of  1863-64  Mr.  Emmons  served  as  lieutenant  of  "Company 
E,  Forty-fifth  Massachusetts  Infantry,"  then  under  command 
of  General  Foster  in  North  Carolina.  He  still  retains  his  in- 
terest in  military  affairs  and  is  a  member  of  the  "  Loyal 
Legion."  His  residence  on  Staten  Island  has  contributed  in 
many  ways  to  its  prosperity,  and  his  connection  with  the 
procuring  of  rajjid  transit  for  Richmond  county  has  earned 
him  a  place  in  its  history. 

Harry  L.  Horton,  formerly  president  of  the  village  of  New 
Brighton,  and  for  many  years  one  of  Staten  Island's  most  ag- 
gressive citizens,  was  born  in  Bradford  county,  Penn.,  July  17, 
1832.  His  youth  gave  promise  of  more  than  average  business 
capacity,  and  at  the  age  of  17  he  left  his  father's  farm  to  en- 
gage as  clerk  in  a  mercantile  concern  at  Towanda,  in  his  native 
state.  Here,  by  faithfulness  to  their  interests,  he  won  the  con- 
fidence of  his  employers,  and  developed  many  of  the  sterling 
qualities  which  have  rendered  his  subsequent  business  career  a 
success. 

At  the  age  of  22  Mr.  Horton  left  Towanda  for  Milwaukee, 
where  he  engaged  in  the  produce  commission  business  on  his 
own  account.  For  nine  years  he  continued  to  conduct  it,  but 
at  the  end  of  that  time,  in  1865,  various  interests  dictating  the 
step,  he  concluded  to  leave  the  West  for  New  York.  Immedi- 
ately after  his  arrival  in  the  metropolis  he  connected  himself 
with  its  stock  and  other  exchanges,  and  has  since  conducted 
one  of  the  most  successful  banking  and  broking  establishments 


'^ ^ 


HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  699 

in  the  city.  He  is  at  present  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of 
H.  L.  Horton  &  Company,  No.  56  Broadway,  one  of  the  few 
houses  which  have  honorably  weathered  the  financial  storms  of 
the  last  twenty  years. 

Soon  after  engaging  in  business  in  New  York,  Mr.  Horton 
took  up  his  residence  at  New  Brighton,  where  he  is  now  in  pos- 
session of  a  handsome  property.  He  early  became  impressed 
with  the  thought  that  Staten  Island  had  a  brilliant  future  be- 
fore it,  an  idea  which  recent  events  have  in  a  remarkable  man- 
ner confirmed.  In  accordance  with  this  view  he  has  prom- 
inently connected  himself  with  every  aggressive  work  in  Rich- 
mond county,  and  is  especially  entitled  to  credit  for  his  energy 
.  in  promoting  the  interests  of  the  Staten  Island  Water  Supply 
and  the  Rapid  Transit  Companies. 

Mr.  Horton  has  been  twice  married  and  has  two  children. 
Cordial  in  his  social  life,  useful  as  a  citizen,  of  sound  judgment 
as  a  business  man,  his  friendship,  influence  and  advice  are  widely 
sought  and,  if  deserved,  are  freely  given.  He  has  and  is  con- 
stantly making  for  himself  a  host  of  warm  and  valuable  friends, 
to  whose  esteem  he  is  in  the  highest  degree  entitled  and  will 
long  retain. 

Reon  Barnes. — One  of  the  most  noticeable  men  in  Rich- 
mond county  and  one  whose  foresight  and  energy  have,  per- 
haps, done  more  for  its  development  than  any  other,  is  Mr. 
Reon  Barnes.  During  fifteen  years  he  has  been  a  resident  of 
Staten  Island,  and  his  face  has  become  a  familiar  one  to  the 
majority  of  its  inhabitants.  Like  most  of  our  prominent  Ameri- 
can business  men  he  owes  his  success  entirely  to  his  own  genius, 
industry,  perseverance  and  pluck.  His  childhood  was  spent  in 
New  England,  and  the  qualities  which  he  acquired  there,  to- 
gether with  native  ambition  and  bold  maneuvering,  have  slowly 
but  surely  led  him  to  the  front. 

The  family  from  which  Mr.  Barnes  is  descended  was  origin- 
ally English.  Its  first  members  in  America  were  three  brothers, 
professional  men,  who  came  to  Sag  Harbor,  Long  Island,  in 
1652.  A  branch  of  their  descendants  found  their  way  up  the 
Connecticut  river  to  Middletown,  where  Duane  Barnes,  father 
of  Reon,  was  born,  and  where  he  married  Miss  Cynthia  Turner. 
.  Eleven  children  were  the  result  of  this  union,  of  which  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  was  the  sixth. 

He  was  born  at  Middtetown  December  9,   1845,  and  during 


700  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

his  youth  attended  the  public  school  at  that  place.  He  also 
spent  much  of  his  time  about  the  publishing  establishment  then 
conducted  by  his  father,  leaving  it  in  his  fifteenth  year  for 
New  York  city.  Since  that  time  his  .life  has  been  a  busy  one 
and  has  been  attended  by  a  variety  of  fortune  in  which  he 
has  gained  a  vast  amount  of  practical  experience.  After  a  few 
years  spent  in  gaining  a  foothold  in  the  business  world,  during 
which  he  traveled  in  various  interests  through  every  state  and 
territory  in  the  Union,  he  embarked  in  the  general  contract 
business  which  he  still  continues. 

The  numerous  and  extensive  operations  which  Mr.  Barnes  has 
carried  on  have  made  him  a  well  known  man  in  business  and 
financial  circles,  not  only  in  New  York  city  but  throughout  the 
whole  country.  Among  his  works  are  many  of  the  piers  and 
bulkheads  at  Constable's  hook,  the  South  Penn  Railroad,  and 
the  Wheeling  &  Harrisburg  Railway  of  West  Virginia.  He  pro- 
cured the  local,  state  and  government  franchises  for  the  bridge 
over  the  Ohio,  at  Wheeling,  now  in  course  of  construction,  and 
is  at  present  engaged  in  the  erection  of  extensive  stock  yards 
at  St.  Louis,  to  be  opened  in  connection  with  the  Belt  Line 
Railroad  of  that  city.  He  also  has  under  way  a  project  for 
illuminating  the  streets  and  buildings  on  the  north  and  south 
shores  of  Staten  Island  with  incandescent  electric  lights,  which 
it  is  hoped  will  be  in  operation  by  the  time  this  book  is  pub- 
lished. 

In  1876,  four  years  after  his  removal  to  Staten  Islandj  Mr. 
Barnes  procured  the  sale  of  the  Garner  ferry  to  Mr.  Starin,  and 
thus  secured  for  Richmond  county  its  first  comfortable  means  of 
communication  with  New  York  city,  which,  together  with  re- 
cent developments  in  rapid  transit,  have  been  of  so  much  benefit 
to  its  people.  He  has  since  secured  a  large  amount  of  real 
estate  on  the  island  consisting  mostly  of  water  front. 

In  person  Mr.  Barnes  is  tall  and  portly,  with  features  well 
defined,  indicating  the  thorough  man  of  affairs.  The  large  ex- 
perience he  has  enjoyed  enables  him  to  arrive  at  conclusions 
rapidly,  and  these  are  seldom  found  to  be  at  fault.  Few  per- 
sons who  approach  him  fail  to  notice  his  rare  conversational 
ability  or  to  be  struck  by  the  facility  with  which  he  decides  on 
the  practicability  or  impossibility  of  the  projects  submitted  to 
his  judgment.  He  is  also  possessed  of  a  most  retentive  memory. 
Persons  come  constantly  to  his  office  with  schemes,  the  scenes 


(TT^^^/^" 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  701 

of  which  are  located  in  all  parts  of  the  country  and  even  of  the 
world,  and  he  decides  on  them  immediately,  calling  upon  his 
past  reading  or  experience  for  a  knowledge  of  the  locality  in 
which  they  are  situated. 

Mr.  Barnes'  genial  nature,  the  great  advantage  he  has  derived 
from  intimacy  with  the  most  enterprising  men  of  the  times,  and 
the  constant  liberality  he  displays  in  all  worthy  causes  have 
made  him  a  power  in  the  social  life  of  the  community,  especially 
among  the  younger  people. 

Orlando  A.  Wood,  who  is  ol  Scotch  ancestry,  was  born  Jan- 
uary 30,  1803,  in  Tolland  county,  Conn.  After  a  period  of  early 
youth  spent  in  study  he,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  removed  to  Sa- 
vannah, Ga.,  and  engaged  in  the  ship  chandlery  and  grocery 
business.  He  found  a  congenial  field  in  the  South  and  re- 
mained until  1852,  when,  determining  to  retire  from  commercial 
life,^he  disposed  of  his  interest,  returned  to  the  north  and  located 
on  Staten  Island,  where  he  purchased  a  desirable  site  with  at- 
tractive siirroundings,  rebuilt  the  residence  and  has  since  led 
the  life  of  a  retired  gentlemen.  In  1834  he  abandoned  business 
sufficiently  long  to  make  an  extended  European  tour.  Mr. 
Wood  is,  in  his  political  preferences,  a  conservative  and  votes  for 
men  of  character  and  ability  irrespective  of  party.  Independent 
in  thought  and  action,  he  is  not  bound  to  any  platform  or  party. 
He  served  as  alderman  of  the  city  of  Savannah  and  also  partici- 
pated in  the  Seminole  war.  Mr.  Wood  espouses  the  faith  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  church  and  is  a  vestryman  of  St. 
Luke's  church  of  Rossville. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 


INDUSTRIES. 


Agriculture. — Shipbuilding. — The  Oyster  Interests. — John  Scott. — Silas  N.Havens. 
— Edward  Lowrey  Woodruff.— Barrett,  Nephews  &  Co.— The  New  York  Dye- 
ing and  Printing  Eestablishment. — The  Breweries. — George  Bechtel. — Monroe 
Eckstein. — B.  Kreischer  &  Sons. — Jewett  White  Lead  Company. — Silk  Mill. 
— John  Irving. — Linoleum  Works. — Paper  Mill. — Plaster  Mill. — Dental  Sup- 
plies.— Other  Industries. 


DURING  the  first  century  and  a  half  which  followed,  the 
settlement  of  the  island  the  leading  pursuit  of  its  inhab. 
itants  was  agriculture.  The  fisheries  about  the  shores  assumed 
a  rank  of  considerable  importance.  Shipbuilding  grew  to  be 
worthy  of  some  note,  and  manufacturing  then  came  in  for  its 
share  of  attention.  Since  the  introduction  of  steam  ferryboats 
the  latter  industry  has  greatly  increased.  The  manufacture  of 
various  earthen  products,  beer  and  dyeing  processes  are  largely 
carried  on. 

The  latest  agricultural  census  shows  the  following  figures: 
the  annual  product  was  773  bushels  buckwheat;  46,433  bushels 
Indian  corn;  17,358 bushels  oats;  2,420  bushels  rye;  2,906  bushels 
wheat;  $5,219  value  of  orchard  products;  6,391  tons  of  hay;  29,662 
bushels  Irish  potatoes;  2,725  bushels  sweet  potatoes;  272  pounds 
wool;  186,439  gallons  milk;  54,088  pounds  butter;  and  1,000 
pounds  cheese.  There  were  on  farms  751  horses;  26  mules  ;  54 
working  oxen;  901  milch  cows;  541  other  cattle;  49  sheep  and 
923  swine. 

There  was  once  considerable  activity  in  shipbuilding.  In  the 
early  years  of  the  settlement  there  were  but  few  ship  carpenters 
here.  Small  vessels  were  in  constant  demand,  but  facilities 
were  not  at  hand  for  constructing  them.  Such  work  was  done 
at  the  city.  But  during  the  last  century  the  practice  of  build- 
ing on  the  shores  of  the  island  grew.  Oak  and  chestnut  were 
plentiful  and  workmen  could  live  here  cheaper  thaii  in  the  city. 
"We  have  little  data  upon  which  to  found  any  statement  as  td 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  703 

the  extent  to  which  the  industry  prevailed.  A  newspaper  of 
June  1,  1775,  contains  an  item  to  the  effect  that  a  ship  of-  240 
tons  burthen  had  just  been  launched  from  the  yard  of  Mr. 
Richard  Lawrence.  The  ship  was  named  "  Patty,"  was  built 
for  Messrs.  Buchanan,  and  was  to  be  commanded  by  Capt. 
Alexander  Marquis. 

During  the  present  century  something  has  been  done.  A  few 
vessels  were  built  before  1861;  but  timber  is  now  scarce  and 
dear,  and  building  is  nearly  gone.  There  are  three  yards  on 
the  northern  part  of  the  island,  all  of  which  are  kept  alive  by 
repair  work.  At  one  of  them,  in  Staxjleton,  a  large  marine  rail- 
way was  constructed  in  1880  for  future  use.  On  the  southern 
end  of  the  island,  at  Tottenville,  there  are  eight  ship-yards, 
each  of  which  does  repairing  and  some  building.  There  are 
eight  marine  railways  in  these  yards,  all  worked  by  horse-power, 
which  take  out  from  four  to  five  hundred  small  vessels  yearly  for 
painting,  caulking,  and  repairing.  This  being  a  fishing  locality, 
with  the  coal  depots  of  New  Jersey  near,  the  work  is  largely 
frorn  smacks,  tugs,  coal  barges  and  oyster  boats.  The  new 
work  is  chiefly  in  the  way  of  steam  tugs  and  propeller  yachts. 

Mr.  James  M.  Rutan,  who  carries  on  the  shipbuilding  busi- 
ness at  Tottenville,  represents  a  family  that  has  long  been 
identified  with  this  industry.  His  grandfather,  Henry  Rutan, 
came  from  France  in  1770,  and  afterward  settled  in  Belleville, 
N.  J.  Thence  his  son,  H.  S.  Rutan,  father  of  James,  moved  to 
Staten  Island  in  1809,  and  engaged  in  shipbuilding  for  the  Se- 
guine  family.  In  1820  he  removed  to  Rossville,  and  there  en- 
gaged in  the  same  business.  He  died  in  August,  1833,  since 
which  time  the  business  has  been  carried  on  by  his  son,  James 
M.  Rutan,  now  located  at  Tottenville. 

Another  branch  of  business  is  that  pursued  by  the  Coast 
Wrecking  Company.  This  company  has  a  yard  and  a  wharf 
on  the  northeast  shore  of  the  island,  and  engages  in  the  spe- 
cial ty  of  saving  vessels  that  are  wrecked  on  the  coast,  or  have 
been  sunk  by  collision,  or  otherwise,  in  and  around  New  York 
harbor.  It  owns  two  steamers  and  two  schooners,  and  employs 
from  sixty  to  one  hundred  and  ten  men.  An  idea  of  the  nature 
of  its  work  may  be  gained  from  the  report  of  its  operations  in 
the  census  year,  1880.  The  company's  submarine  divers  exam- 
ined the  bottoms  of  five  ships,  pumped  out  four  ships,  and 
stripped  the  hulls  or  saved  the  cargoes  of-  twelve  large  vessels 


704  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

that  had  been  driven  ashore.  It  raised  one  steamer,  one  schooner 
and'  one  bark,  which  had  sunk  in  the  harbor,  and  rescued  the 
following  stranded  property:  two  schooners,  three  tugs,  one 
ship,  six  barks,  and  three  steamers.  For  doing  this  work  the 
company  received  from  ten  to  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  value  of 
property  saved,  but  even  then  it  is  said  its  work  was  conducted 
at  a  loss. 

The  extent  of  the  shipbuilding  in  this  county  for  the  census 
year  is  shown  in  the  following  figures  :  there  were  thirteen  new 
vessels  built ;  their  total  tonnage  was  one  thousand  five  hun- 
dred and  eighty-two ;  their  value  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  ;  twelve  boats  built  were  valued  at  one  thousand  four 
hundred  dollars  ;  the  value  of  repairing  done  amounted  to 
eighty-seven  thousand  four  hundred  dollars  ;  making  an  aggre- 
gate of  one  hundred  and  eighty-eight  thousand  eight  hundred 
dollars  as  the  gross  product  of  the  industry  in  this  county  for 
that  year.  During  the  two  years  following  the  industry  was 
reported  to  be  quite  brisk  at  Tottenville  and  Rossville. 

Among  the  prominent  men  engaged  in  shipbuilding  on  the 
island  may  be  mentioned ;  Jacob  Ellis  and  Son,  A.  C.  Brown, 
and  Messrs.  Conklin,  at  Tottenville ;  William  A.  H.  Mchols, 
at  Rossville  ;  Lewis  H.  St.  John  &  Co.,  and  William  Lissen- 
den,  at  Elm  Park ;  David  J.  Jones  and  James  Fisher,  at  Port 
Richmond  ;  and  Thomas  and  John  J.  Lawler,  at  Clifton. 

The  Staten  Island  Dry  Dock  Storage  and  Improvement  Com- 
pany was  incorporated  April  18,  1885,  for  the  purpose  of  dock- 
ing, loading  and  unloading,  raising,  building  and  repairing 
vessels,  storing  cargoes,  and  carrying  on  the  general  business 
of  a  dry -dock  and  warehouse  company,  and  its  operations  were 
to  be  carried  on  jointly  in  Richmond  and  Kings  counties.  The 
trustees  of  the  incorporation  were  :  Chauncey  Stillman,  Warren 
Beman,  Josiah  L.  Chapin,  George  Leeds  and  Montgomery 
Queen.  The  capital  stock  of  the  company  was  limited  to  two 
million  dollars,  and  the  term  of  its  proposed  existence  was  fifty 
years. 

Among  the  riches  of  a  new  country  enumerated  to  the  old 
world  by  discoverers,  the  products  of  the  sea  always  have  held 
a  prominent  place.  The  fishes  of  these  waters  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  the  earliest  voyagers  in  a  marked  degree,  and  the 
mollusks  (a  part  of  them,  in  popular  estimation)  were  not  neg- 
lected.    The  explorers  and  colonists  were  saved  any  trouble 


HISTOBY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  705 

in  the  matter  of  discovering  these  beds,  for  the  Indians  were  in 
the  habit  of  gathering  clams  and  oysters  at  all  practicable  sea- 
sons, and  depended  upon  them  largely  for  their  food. 

In  1621  "  very  large  oisters  "  were  too  common  at  Meuw  Am- 
sterdam to  iind  a  market,  everybody  being  able  to  supply  them- 
selves without  charge.  A  few  years  later  (1671)  Arnoldus  Mon- 
tanus  speaks  of  "  oysters,  some  a  foot  long,  containing  pearls, 
but  few  of  a  brown  color,"  as  one  of  the  common  advantages  of 
the  young  settlement.  Sir  George  Carteret,  as  one  of  the  in- 
ducements, in  advertising  the  region  about  the  mouth  of  the 
Raritan,  where  he  wished  to  establish  colonies,  tells  intending 
emigrants  that  "  the  bay  [«.  e.,  of  New  York]  and  Hudson's 
river  are  plentifully  stored  with  sturgeon,  great  bass,  and  other 
scale-lish,  eels,  and  shellfish,  as  oysters,  etc.,  in  great  plenty, 
and  easy  to  take."  This  was  in  1681.  Three  or  four  years 
later  letters  were  written  home  to  England,  in  which  such  ex- 
pressions as  the  following  occur 

"And  at  Amboy   point  and   several   other  places  there  is 
abundance  of  brave  oysters." 
'  "  Oysters,  I  think,  would  serve  all  England." 

"  We  have  one  thing  more  particular  to  us,  which  the  others 
want  also,  which  is  vast  oyster-banks,  which  is  the  constant 
fresh  victuals,  during  the  winter,  to  English,  as  well  as  Indians; 
of  these  there  are  many  all  along  our  coasts,  from  the  sea  as 
high  as  against  New  York,  whence  they  come  to  fetch  them." 
"  Oyster  shells  upon  the  point,  to  make  lime  withal,  which 
will  wonderfully  accommodate  us  in  building  good  houses  [of 
stone]  cheap,  warm  for  winter,  and  cool  for  summer." 

"We  have  store  of  clams,  esteemed  much  better  than 
oysters;  on  festivals  the  Indians  feast  with  them;  there  are 
shallops  [scallops]  but  in  no  great  plenty." 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Staten  Island  the  circumstances 
were  especially  favorable,  and  there  were  numerous  beds. 
The  northern  shore  is  rocky  and  unfit  for  oyster  growth  for 
a  considerable  distance,  bat  the  southern  and  western  sides 
are  eminently  favorable.  Everywhere  in  these  swift  tide-ways 
oysters  grew  abundantly.  South  of  the  island  there  is  a 
broad  expanse  of  shallow  water  separating  the  island  from  the 
Jersey  shore  of  Monmouth  county,  into  which  the  Raritan  pours 
a  heavy  flood  of  fresh  water.  To  the  Staten  Islanders  and  New 
Yorkers  this  part  of  the  bay  is  known  as  Staten  Island  sound, 

45 


706  HISTORY  OF  BICHMOND  COUNTY. 

and  the  oysters  grown  in  it  receive  the  market  name  of 
"  sounds."  Jerseymen  more  often  speak  of  it  as  Earitan  bay, 
and  sell  the  oysters  they  raise  on  their  shore  as  "  Amboys"  and 
"Keyports." 

With  reference  to  oyster  matters,  history  is  mute  during  the 
close  of  the  seventeenth  and  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury, except  that  chance  allusions  here  and  there  show  that 
large  numbers  of  persons,  nearly  everybody,  in  fact,  took  ad- 
vantage of  this  natural  storehouse  of  food  to  supplement  their 
luxuries  in  summer,  and  victual  their  cellars  for  winter.  It  is 
also  evident  that  the  fame  of  Carteret's  "great  plenty  and  easy 
to  take,"  had  spread  abroad,  and  so  many  aliens  sailed  into  the 
placid  bay  to  rake  upon  the  "  vast  banks,"  that  at  last  the  col- 
onists became  alarmed  for  the  continuance  of  their  precious 
supply.  Thus  it  arose  that  as  early  as  1715  was  passed  the  first 
colonial  law  in  relation  to  oysters,  prohibiting  under  a  penalty 
of  twenty  shillings  any  person,  except  native  free  Indians,  from 
taking  oysters  between  the  1st  day  of  May  and  the  1st  day  of 
September  of  each  year,  during  a  term  of  five  years.  A  simi- 
lar law  was  enacted  by  New  Jersey  in  1719. 

In  1730  New  York  again  found  need  to  make  a  second  law  in 
respect  to  shellfish,  and  in  1737  a  third,  owing  to  the  too  great 
demand  made  upon  the  beds  around  Staten  Island  by  crews  of 
boats  from  New  England,  New  Jersey,  and  elsewhere,  special 
protective  legislation  for  these  waters  was  obtained  from  the 
colonial  legislature.  The  preamble  of  this  act  of  1737  states 
the  necessity  for  the  law,  "  since  it  has  been  found  by  daily  ex- 
perience that  the  Oyster  Beds  lying  at  and  near  Richmond 
County,  within  this  Colony,  are  wasted  and  Destroyed  by 
Strangers;  the  preventing  of  which  will  tend  to  the  great  Ben- 
efit of  the  poor  People  and  others  inhabiting  the  aforesaid  Col- 
ony." The  act  therefore  forbids  any  one  "directly  or  indi- 
rectly, to  rake  *  *  *  any  oysters  within  this  Colony,  and 
put  them  on  board  any  Canoe,  Periauger,  Plat,  Scow,  Boat  or 
other  vessel  whatsoever,  not  wholly  belonging  to,  and  owned  by. 
Persons  who  live  within  the  aforesaid  Colony,"  under  penalty 
of  having  the  craft  and  all  its  contents  seized.  This  law  is 
almost  an  exact  reproduction  of  the  New  Jersey  statute  of  1719. 
It  then  names  ten  citizens  of  Richmond  county,  many  of  whose 
names  still  figure  in  the  oyster  business  of  Staten  Island,  as  a 


HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  707 

police  to  carry  out  the  law,  and  empowers  them  for  that  pur- 
pose. 

Both  states  made  their  laws  somewhat  in  a  spirit  of  mischief 
and  retaliation,  for  Jerseymen  then,  as  ever  since,  came  in  con- 
tact with  Staten  Island  planters,  often  to  the  extent  of  mutual 
belligerency. 

In  spite  of  this  protection,  however,  all  the  natural  beds 
gradually  gave  out,  and  it  was  long  ago  found  necessary  to  sup- 
plement them  by  artificial  means.  The  precise  date  when  oyster- 
planting  began  here  it  has  been  difficult  to  fix.  As  to  native 
oysters,  at  Staten  Island,  they  were  certainly  cultivated  in 
Prince's  bay  at  least  sixty  years  ago.  In  some  localities,  on  the 
opposite  shore,  the  industry  is  probably  older,  since  a  suit  was 
brcjught  about  seventy-five  years  ago,  in  old  Shrewsbury  town- 
ship. New  Jersey,  originating  in  the  question  whether  or  not  a 
man  had  exclusive  right  to  the  oysters  he  had  planted. 

The  use  of  these  waters  for  planting  occasioned  an  immedi- 
ate effect  upon  the  villages  of  the  neighboring  coast,  which  was 
very  striking.  "In  fact,"  remarks  a  contemporary  chronicler, 
"the  prosperity  and  rapid  increase  of  the  population  of  that 
island  [Staten]  is  owing,  in  a  considerable  degree,  to  the  oyster- 
trade  of  this  city.  Before  Prince's  bay  was  laid  out  in  oyster- 
plantations  there  were  very  few  persons  living  on  it,  and  it  was 
almost  wholly  uncultivated.  *  *  *  a  few  years  after  the 
first  beds  were  planted  an  extent  of  coast  of  from  five  to  ten 
miles  was  covered  with  oysters  taken  from  the  '  rocks  '  of  Vir- 
ginia. The  number  of  men  employed  upon  the  beds  in  1853, 
and  who  lived  upon  the  island,  with  tlieir  families,  was  com- 
puted at  three  thousand." 

To  encourage  this  new  productive  industry,  which  had  thus 
suddenly  come  into  existence,  New  York  and  New  Jersey  both 
enacted  laws  calculated  to  protect  the  planters.  They  have  been 
the  object  of  much  change  and  amendment,  as  experience 
ripened  t]je  judgment  and  new  circumstances  arose. 

At  present  the  laws  of  New  York  applying  to  this  subject 
and  locality  are  as  follows: 
General  statutes: 

Forbidding  any  natural  bed  being  staked  off  for  private  use, 
or  being  planted  upon;  forbidding  any  person,  not  for  six 
months  previous  a  resident  of  the  state,  from  taking  any  shell- 
fish within  the  state  (but  an  actual  resident  may  employ  any 


708  HISTOEY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY. 

non-resident);  and  prohibiting  the  use  of  any  dredge  weighing 
over  thirty  pounds,  or  operated  by  steam-power. 
Special  statutes: 

Asserting  that  no  person  not  an  inhabitant  of  the  state  may 
plant  oysters  in  the  waters  surrounding  Staten  Island,  "except 
the  consent  of  the  owner  first  be  obtained  ; "  and  no  non-in- 
habitant may  take  oysters  or  clams  "  from  their  beds  of  natural 
growth  in  any  of  said  waters." 

Forbidding  dredging  or  dragging  for  oysters  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Staten  Island  "  upon  beds  of  natural  growth  of  oysters 
(not  planted)." 

Forbidding  any  person  taking  up  or  disturbing  oysters  planted 
under  all  the  waters  of  this  state  surrounding  Staten  Island, 
without  previous  permission  from  the  owners. 

New  Jersey's  laws,  applying  here,  are  substantially  similar: 

No  summer  raking  or  sale  of  oysters  allowed  on  public 
ground. 

No  dredging  in  any  shape  allowed. 

No  oysters  to  be  gathered  to  be  made  into  lime,  or  to  be  used 
in  iron  manufacture. 

No  person  not  a  resident  of  the  state  for  six  months  previous 
may  gather  oysters  or  clams  in  state  waters  for  himself  or  for 
his  employer. 

Any  owners  or  licensed  persons  may  plant  oysters  or  clams 
upon  any  flats  or  coves  (not  natural  beds)  and  one  chain  beyond 
the  same,  along  the  shores  of  Newark  bay  and  Staten  Island 
sound,  under  prescribed  conditions  of  staking  out,  etc.  A 
penalty  is  fixed  for  taking  oysters  without  authority  from  such 
inclosures. 

Prohibits  taking  "  from  any  natural  oyster  banks  or  beds  in 
this  state  any  old  shells  other  than  such  as  cannot  be  removed 
or  separated  from  the  oysters  without  injuring  the  same;  and 
all  such  shells  shall  be  culled  and  thrown  back  again  upon  the 
said  natural  banks  or  beds  ;"  but  this  does  not  apply  to  pri- 
vate beds. 

These  laws  grew  up  one  by  one,  and  at  first  were  misunder- 
stood and  willfully  disregarded  on  all  sides.  Between  New 
York  and  New  Jersey,  in  the  persons  of  the  Staten  Islanders 
and  Jerseymen,  there  were  constant  quarrels,  and  even  open 
war,  now  and  then,  owing  to  alleged  infringements  of  the 
vague  boundary  line,  by  one  party  or  the  other.     If  one  side 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  709 

thought  they  discovered  that  an  oysterman  from  the  opposite 
shore  was  placing  his  oysters  within  their  waters,  they  felt  no 
hesitancy  or  compunction  in  at  once  raking  his  stock  up,  claim- 
ing that  he  had  no  right  to  this  ground,  and  consequently  the 
oysters  he  had  bought  and  placed  there  were  public  plunder. 
Arrests  for  larceny  would  follow,  tedious  imprisonments  en- 
sue, armed  guards  patrol  the  domains  of  the  respective  states, 
a  few  men  get  shot,  perhaps,  and  much  trouble  to  the  whole 
community  be  caused.  The  accusation  was  constantly  being 
made,  also,  chiefly  by  the  penniless  and  shiftless,  against  pros- 
perous planters,  that  natural-growth  ground  had  been  staked  off 
and  was  being  used  privately,  to  the  detriment* of  the  general 
welfare  of  the  community.  Then,  too,  there  were  plenty  of 
persons  who  altogether  disputed  any  rights  of  property  in 
planted  oysters,  and  failed  by  their  conduct  to  recognize  the 
law  which  said  there  were  such  rights. 

The  home  resources  along  the  shores  of  Staten  Island,  in 
York  bay  and  the  North  river,  having  long  ago  been  exhausted, 
or  greatly  depleted,  the  planters  in  Prince's  bay  and  on  the 
Jersey  shore  now  get  "seed "  oysters  with  which  to  stock  their 
beds  wherever  they  can.  The  chief  source  is  Newark  bay  and 
Raritan  river,  though  the  North  and  East  rivers  and  Long 
Island  sound  are  drawn  upon.  A  considerable  quantity  of 
seed  is  brought  from  as  far  away  as  Fair  Haven  and  Blue 
Point.  In  most  cases  the  planters  themselves  gather  what  they 
use,  by  going  after  it  in  their  own  sloops,  taking  a  small  boat 
and  a  man  to  help. 

During  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  when  the  southern  fields 
were  cut  off  from  the  northern  markets  to  a  great  extent,  the 
Staten  Island  planters  reaped  a  rich  harvest.  Their  beds  were 
unusually  productive,  and  the  prices  were  double  what  they 
now  are,  in  many  cases.  At  present  the  receipts  are  about  the 
same  as  have  prevailed  for  several  years,  except  that  the  season 
of  1878-79,  following  upon  a  period  of  financial  depression,  and 
characterized  by  misfortune  in  the  growth  of  the  moUusks, 
showed  lower  rates  paid  than  ever  before  or  since.  Prices  de- 
pend largely  upon  the  quality  of  the  different  beds,  and  vary 
with  localities.  Virginia  oysters  from  Prince's  bay  are  consid- 
ered the  best.  Of  natives,  those  grown  in  the  sound  are  favor- 
ites; these  supplied  a  large  part  of  the  shipments  to  Europe  in 
1879-80,  and  gave  better  satisfaction   than  any  others  sent. 


710  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  OOTJNTr. 

Perth  Amboy  and  Keyport  were  the  packing  points.  The 
prices  received  by  the  planters  for  the  different  kinds  of  Staten 
Island  oysters  in  1879  were  from  ten  to  twenty  per  cent,  less 
than  the  previous  year,  up  to  which  time  the  price  for  a  long 
time  had  averaged  one  dollar  per  bushel,  taking  all  grades  and 
sizes  together.  In  the  fall  and  winter  of  1879-80,  however, 
lots  sold  at  one  dollar  were  rare,  and  the  average  price  of 
"Sounds"  and  the  best  "Prince's  Bays"  (natives)  did  not 
average  over  eighty  or  ninety  cents,  while  Tottenville  oysters, 
with  few  exceptions,  failed  to  come  up  to  this  even,  seventy- 
five  to  eighty  cents  being  reported  for  the  most  part. 

The  oyster  interests  of  N^ew  York  bay  are  the  livelihood  of  a 
considerable  number  of  people,  though  it  is  probable  that  the 
population  at  present  supported  by  them  is  reduced  at  least  a 
quarter  from  the  total  of  ten  years  ago.  All  the  inhabitants  of 
the  southern  half  of  Staten  Island  may  be  called  oystermep, 
since  many  of  then  have  invested  a  little  in  the  beds  in  some 
shape,  or  work  more  or  less  on  hire  for  the  regular  growers. 
Exactly  how  many  real  planters  there  are  on  the  island  it  would 
be  difficult  to  learn;  they  are  scattered  everywhere,  but  chiefly 
live  at  Pleasant  Plains,  Tottenville,  Rossville  and  Chelsea.  On 
the  north  shore  live  many  New  York  merchants,  like  the  Van 
Names,  etc.,  who  plant  southern  oysters  almost  entirely.  Their 
capital,  also,  with  that  of  many  other  New  York  dealers  whose 
names  do  not  appear,  aids  a  large  number  of  outside  planters 
who  are,  in  fact,  only  managers  of  the  under-water  estates 
which  they  apparently  own  and  opejpate.  This  is  not  deroga- 
tory to  their  personal  worth  or  dignity,  but  only  one  of  the 
methods  of  trade,  shaped  by  peculiarities  of  the  law  bearing 
upon  the  subject.  By  the  operations  in  oyster  culture  in  and 
about  Staten  Island,  the  number  of  families  wholly  supported 
is  estimated  to  be  somewhat  as  follows  :  At  Prince's  bay,  fifty; 
at  Tottenville,  seventy-five;  remainder  of  Staten  Island,  twenty- 
five.  ' 

The  total  products  of  Staten  Island  beds  during  the  season 
of  1879-80,  was  about  as  follows :  This  enumerates  only  the 
native  oysters.  About  15,000  bushels  a  year  of  southern 
oysters  were  planted  around  Staten  Island;  at  Prince's  bay, 
60,000  bushels;  by  Tottenville  planters,  55,000;  by  Chelsea 
planters,  25,000. 

We  append  the  following  abstract  from  the  report  of  Fish 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  711 

Commissioner  Blackford,  iu  charge  of  the  oyster  investigation, 
made  to  the  legislature  of  'New  York  in  1885,  pertaining  to  the 
oyster  interests  of  Staten  Island. 

"  Most  of  the  lands  under  water  which  surround  Staten  Is- 
land were  well  supplied,  early  in  the  present  century,  with  large 
beds'  of  excellent  oysters,  but  at  the  present  time  the  only  lo- 
cality where  natural  beds  of  any  account  are  to  be  found  is 
upon  the  west  side  of  the  island  from  the  neighborhood  of 
Newark  bay  along  the  Kill  Von  KuU  to  the  '  Sound,'  or  Rari- 
tan  bay.  The  northern  and  northeastern  portions  of  the  island 
were  never  as  well  furnished  with  oysters  as  were  the  other  sec- 
tions, on  account  of  the  rough  nature  of  the  bottom,  but  even 
this  meager  supply  has  been  destroyed  by  the  garbage  and 
other  miscellaneous  nuisances  which  for  many  years  past  have 
been  dumped  or  poured  into  the  upper  bay,  or  such  oysters  as 
are  to  be  found  there  at  present  have  been  rendered  useless  as 
food,  as  their  flavor  has  been  ruined.  The  largest  beds  were 
formerly  to  be  found  in  the  neighborhood  of  Prince's  and  Rari- 
tau  bays,  where  quite  extensive  areas  were  worked  with  profit 
to  the  local  oystermen.  As  already  stated,  there  are  still  lo- 
calities in  Raritan  bay,  or  the  Sound,  as  it  is  called  by  the 
oystermen,  where  considerable  quantities  of  oysters,  prin- 
cipally small  seedlings,  can  be  obtained  from  the  natural  beds. 
But  these  beds  are  none  of  them  in  New  York  waters.  In  Prince's 
bay,  and  from  this  part  of  Staten  Island  out  toward  Sandy 
Hook,  there  are  at  the  present  time  practically  no  natural  growth 
beds,  all  of  the  beds  which  originally  covered  an  important  por- 
tion of  the  bottom  of  this  section  of  the  bay  having  been  en- 
tirely exhausted  by  continuous  and  merciless  working,  and 
the  territory  thus  denuded  has  been  claimed  and  staked  out  as 
ground  for  planting.  It  is  true  that  on  the  softer  bottom  of 
the  bay  at  some  distance  out  from  the  shores  of  the  island, 
where  as  yet  little,  if  any,  claim  for  planting  ground  has  been 
made,  there  are  to  be  found  some  few  scattered  oysters,  and 
there  are  some  beds  of  fair  size  in  the  ship  channels  leading  out 
to  sea,  but  as  a  rule  all  that  part  of  the  bottom  which  during  colo- 
nial times  and  later  furnished  great  quantities  of  oysters,  is  now 
claimed  as  private  property  and  protected  from  all  outside  work- 
ers. Visits  were  made  in  the  '  Lookout'  to  this  section  of  the 
state  waters  on  the  15th,  and  again  on  the  24th,  of  September, 
and  a  large  and  enthusiastic  meeting  of  the  oystermen  of  the 


712  HISTOKY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

southern  part  of  Staten  Island  was  held  at  Pepper's  hall,  in  the 
village  of  Tottenville,  on  Monday,  the  8th  of  December.  During 
the  visits  with  the  '  Lookout '  dredgings  were  made  on  quite 
a  number  of  the  planted  beds  and  also  on  that  portion  of  the 
bay  outside  of  the  line  of  staked  lands.  As  a  rule  the  planted 
beds  in  both  Prince's  and  Raritan  bays  are  of  small  size",  but 
one  man  may  control  a  large  number  of  plots,  which  may  be  lo- 
cated at  considerable  distances  from  each  other,  as  there  ap- 
pears to  be  no  law  for  this  part  of  the  state  regulating  the  size 
of  the  plots,  or  the  number  of  them  which  shall  be  under  any 
one  man's  control.  The  accepted  rule  has  been,  "first  come, 
first  served,"  and  the  amount  of  territory  held  seems  to  have 
been  limited  only  by  the  ability  of  the  individual  to  find  suit- 
able locations,  and  his  desire  to  keep  such  locations  away  from 
his  less  fortunate  neighbors.  No  public  record  is  kept  of  any  of 
these  private  claims  and  no  revenue  of  any  kind  is  derived  from 
them,  either  state,  county  or  town.  Each  oyster  planter  is  a  law 
unto  himself  and  to  his  neighbors,  as  to  his  own  claims,  and  so 
long  as  he  keeps  his  plot  staked  and  a  small  or  large  quantity 
of  oysters  uponhis  land,  the  courts,  by  mutual  consent,  uphold 
his  claims  to  the  bed.  As  the  law  thus  only  tacitly  recognizes 
these  claims,  while  it  offers  no  protection  to  the  claimants,  they, 
or  at  least  a  large  number  of  them,  have  accordingly  formed 
what  is  known  as  the  Richmond  County  Oyster  Planting  Asso- 
ciation, for  the  mutual  protection  of  their  beds,  and  this  asso- 
ciation hires  a  watchman,  or  watchmen,  who  patrol  the  staked 
areas  and  prevent  outsiders  from  accidentally  or  otherwise  lift- 
ing the  planted  crops,  or  one  planter  from  poaching  on  another 
planter's  preserves. 

"The  association  is  thus,  to  a  certain  extent,  a  close  corpora- 
tion, except  that  it  cannot  prevent  any  resident  of  the  county 
or  state  from  claiming  or  staking  off  any  water  area  not  already 
occupied.  The  oystermen  get  rich  returns  from  their  invest- 
ments upon  their  sub-aqiieous  territory,  and  have  the  bulk  of 
their  taxes  paid  by  their  neighbors  of  the  upland.  So  long  as 
the  majority  of  the  riparian  property  owners  do  not  seriously 
complain,  it  is  not  much  to  be  wondered  at  that  not  many  of 
the  planters  are  in  favor  of  any  changes  from  the  present  con- 
dition of  affairs,  as  regards  the  amount  of  land  held,  of  any 
system  of  taxation  for  their  property,  or  of  any  laws  on  the 
part  of  the  state  regulating  the  same.     They  would  be  very 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  713 

willing  to  have  the  state  keep  outsiders  from  locating  in  this 
vicinity,  and  also  have  the  state  deed  or  lease  them  the  lands  in 
perpetuity,  and  protect  them  from  all  harassments  and  injuries, 
but  the  most  of  them  do  not  seem  to  be  vrilling  to  give  any  re- 
turn for  such  leasing  or  protection.  There  are  some,  however, 
who  are  very  outspoken  in  their  opinion  that  it  would  only  be 
fair  to  place  a  small  tax  upon  each  acre  of  the  land  held  for 
planting  purposes.  As  regards  the  amount  of  land  to  be  held  by 
individuals,  most  of  those  examined  thought  that  ten  to  fifteen 
acres  were  as  much  as  any  one  person  could  work,  although 
they  did  not  believe  in  any  limitation.  Some  thought  there 
should  be  a  limit  fixed  at  perhaps  ten  acres,  and  one  planter 
was  very  emphatic  in  his  statement  that  if  a  person  could  not 
get  a  good  living  oflf  from  eight  acres  he  could  not  from  eight 
hundred,  and  branded  the  majority  of  planters  as  'hogs,'  who 
wanted  all  the  land  they  could  get  hold  of,  even  though  they 
possessed  neither  the  ability  nor  the  means  to  work  all  that  they 
might  be  able  to  control;  they  simply  wanted  to  keep  the  land 
out  of  the  hands  of  others.  The  majority  of  the  planters,  on 
the  other  hand,  claim  that  it  is  necessary  to  have  at  least  three 
or  four  plots  of  ground,  since  the  oysters  in  this  vicinity  take 
from  three  to  five  years  to  arrive  at  marketable  size,  and  in 
order  to  have  some  ready  for  market  each  year  a  series  of  plants 
must  be  made.  Thus,  if  they  use  seed  one  year  old,  and  they 
allow  this  seed  to  lie  five  years,  they  would  require  at  least 
four  plots,  one  to  be  seeded  each  year,  until  those  first  planted 
are  ready  for  market,  so  that  they  shall  be  able  to  market  each 
season  the  crop  planted  four  years  before.  One  witness  who  was 
examined  even  went  so  far  as  to  claim  that  it  was  necessary  to 
let  the  land  lie  at  rest,  in  order  to  recuperate,  three  or  four 
years  after  any  crop  had  been  taken  from  it,  just  as  if  the 
oysters  drew  their  sustenance  from  the  bottom  upon  which  they 
lay  and  thus  exhausted  it,  rather  than  from  the  water  which 
was  coming  and  going  above  the  bed.  It  may  be  true  that  the 
tearing  up  which  the  bed  receives  when  the  oysters  are  removed 
necessitates  some  slight  period  of  rest  in  order  that  the  bottom 
may  settle  again,  especially  when  deeply  harrowed  by  dredges 
or  tongs,  but  undoubtedly  much  of  the  loose  material  stirred 
up  when  removing  the  oysters  is  carried  off  by  the  tides  and 
does  not  settle  back  directly  upon  the  beds.  If  it  was  indeed 
necessary  to  allow  three  or  four  years  as  a  resting  spell  for 


714  HISTORY  OF  BICHMOND  COUNTY. 

each  bed  or  part  of  a  bed,  then  surely  would  the  planters  of 
Staten  Island  need  very  extensive  plots  for  their  planting 
operations. 

"In  most  cases  these  planted  beds  are  located  at  some  dis- 
tance from  the  shore  line  of  the  island,  in  from  eight  to  thirty 
feet  of  water,  but  some  plots  extend  from  the  upland  directly 
out  for  several  hundred  feet  from  tide  limits.  In  these 
latter  cases,  when  a  sale  of  the  adjoining  upland  takes  place, 
the  oyster  beds  may  be  included  in  the  transfer  deed  of  the 
property,  although  legally  such  disposal  of  the  oyster  interests 
is  not  recognized.  Nevertheless,  while  the  courts  would  not 
admit  the  deed,  they  would  maintain  the  right  of  the  pur- 
chaser to  the  property  thus  obtained,  so  long  as  he  worked 
the  land;  or  in  other  words,  the  oysters  would  be  recognized 
and  protected  as  so  much  property.  Ordinary  transfers  or  sales 
of  oyster  beds  are  mere  verbal  agreements  and  accepted  by 
both  the  individuals,  oystermen  and  the  courts.  In  case  of 
the  death  of  holders  of  these  beds,  the  beds  become  the  prop- 
erty of  the  heirs,  provided  said  heirs  continue  to  work  them. 
If  a  bed  is  thrown  up  for  any  reason,  the  first  person  who 
desires  to  take  and  work  it  has  the  privilege  of  doing  so,  when, 
upon  staking  it  in  and  placing  oysters  upon  it,  it  again  becomes 
private  property.  There  seems  to  be  no  recognized  law  or 
regxalation  whereby  any  one  can  tell  when  a  bed  is  or  is  not 
worked;  if  it  is  staked  off  it  must  be  taken  for  granted  that  it  is 
in  use,  and  if  no  oysters  can  be  found  upon  it  it  must  be  taken 
for  granted  that  the  planter  is  allowing  it  to  'recuperate,'  and 
that  he  alone  is  capable  of  telling  how  long  this  resting  spell 
shall  continue.  Much  complaint  is  heard  from  this  cause  on 
the  part  of  the  poorer  oystermen,  who  say  that  large  tracts  of 
land  are  at  the  present  time  held  in  this  manner.  These  tracts 
are  not  worked,  and  only  a  boat  load  or  so  of  oysters  are 
placed  upon  them.  They  are  simply  held  for  future  use,  and 
the  '  staking  in '  prevents  others  from  using  them,  for  even  if 
the  oystermen  think  they  are  rightfully  entitled  to  work  such 
land  when  not  covered  wdth  oysters,  they  know  the  uncer- 
tainty and  worry  incident  to  a  lawsuit,  and  as  a  rule  do  not 
interfere  with  or  disturb  in  any  manner  the  land  so  claimed. 

"  The  amount  of  ground  now  worked  is  probably  much 
greater  than  when  the  main  reliance  for  oysters  was  upon  the 
natural  beds,  since  ground  where  no  natural  growth  occurs  is 


HISTORY  OF  KICHMOND  COUNTY.  715 

even  better  than  hard  bottom  for  planting  purposes,  and  much 
of  this  kind  of  bottom  is  utilized  in  this  vicinity,  consequently 
the  number  of  bushels  of  oysters  put  upon  the  market  now  is 
much  greater  than  it  vras  then,  as  the  beds  for  the  most  part 
are  well  cared  for,  or  at  least  we  found  those  beds  which  we 
examined  to  be  in  good  condition,  although  there  is  a  very 
great  difference,  even  in  the  same  neighborhood.  For  instance, 
we  made  one  haul  upon  a  small  bed  ;  the  dredge  was  down  two 
minutes,  and  the  result  was  three  hundred  and  forty-one  oysters 
of  good  size  and  in  excellent  condition  for  sale.  Upon  another 
bed,  within  perhaps  twenty-five  rods  of  the  first,  the  most  we 
could  get  at  any  one  haul  was  seventy-four  oysters.  The  oys- 
ters from  both  these  places  were  three  to  four  years  old.  In 
another  locality,  with  the  dredge  down  the  same  length  of 
time,  we  took  up  one  hundred  and  seventy  oysters  from  a  bed 
of  three  years  olds,  and  four  hundred  and  forty-five  from  a  bed 
where  the  oysters  were  only  two  years  old.  If  the  growth 
of  those  two  year  old  oysters  represented  the  common  growth 
in  this  bay  of  oysters  at  this  age,  it  would  seem  hardly  neces- 
sary to  leave  oysters  down  for  five  years  in  order  to  get  them 
into  fine  condition  for  market,  as  the  extra  time  would  appar- 
ently give  a  greater  percentage  of  loss  in  numbers  than  the  gain 
would  be  in  size.  Prom  several  dredgings  which  we  made  on 
the  mud  outside  the  staked  beds,  we  were  able  to  obtain  but 
two  oysters,  showing  that  the  territory  which  was  not  taken 
up  was  of  little  value  as  natural  growth  ground.  The  flavor  of 
the  oysters  from  these  beds  was  very  good,  but  they  were  too 
salty  to  suit  most  palates.  The  beds  are  worked  mostly  with 
tongs,  but  in  the  deeper  water  dredges  are  used  from  either  sail 
boats  or  steamers,  although  dredges  are  not  allowed  on  the 
natural  grounds  in  this  part  of  the  State. 

"  Before  being  sent  to  market  the  oysters  are  taken  to  the 
neighborhood  of  Newark  bay  or  along  the  Kill  Von  Kull  and 
allowed  to  remain  in  fresh  water  over  one  tide,  for  the  purpose 
of  freshening  them,  when  they  are  ready  for  the  purchaser, 
having  been  '  drinked '  sufliciently  in  that  time.  A  goodly 
proportion  of  the  seed  for  the  planted  beds  is  obtained  from  the 
'  Sound  '  and  from  the  Kill  Vorf  Kull  up  to  and  including  JSTew- 
ark  bay.  Some  is  brought  from  Virginia  and  Maryland,  and 
some  from  the  East  river  and  Connecticut.  Formerly  much 
more  seed  was  brought  from  the  south  than  is  the  case  at  present 


716  HISTOKY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY. 

time.  There  seems  to  be  little  choice  between  the  seed  from 
the  different  sections  named,  although  most  of  the  planters  pre- 
fer the  native  or  the  East  river  seed.  Very  little  seed  is  found 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  beds,  and  no  efforts  are  made 
by  the  planters  to  catch  any  "  set,"  as  they  think  it  a  waste  of 
time  to  make  any  efforts  in  this  direction,  although  it  seems 
probable  that  they  might  save  a  good  deal  of  money  which  is 
now  paid  to  outside  parties,  if  they  would  take  a  little  pains 
and  employ  some  of  their  leisure  moments  in  arranging  suita- 
ble collectors,  and  this  will  undoubtedly  be  done  in  time. 
That  seed  which  comes  from  outside  localities  costs  from  twenty- 
five  cents  to  one  dollar  per  bushel,  according  to  quality.  Among 
those  oysters  which  were  taken  up  during  our  cruising  with  the 
'  Lookout,'  we  found  a  few  drills,  but  not  enough  to  be  of  any 
moment,  and  the  oystermen  do  not  regard  them  as  a  serious 
trouble,  although  they  destroy  all  that  they  catch.  At  times 
the  star  fish  comes  into  the  region  in  numbers  sufficient  to  cause 
considerable  damage,  but  these  are  rare  occasions.  The  drum 
fish  (Pogonias  chromis)  is  perhaps  the  natural  enemy  which  the 
planters  here  dread  the  most,  as  it  is  claimed  that  when  a  large 
school  of  drums  makes  its  appearance  there  is  no  telling  how 
much  damage  may  be  done  before  the  fish  are  scared  away  or 
leave  of  their  own  volition.  A  small  portion  of  a  bed  may  be 
destroyed  or  the  whole  of  one  may  be  devastated,  or  one  may 
be  destroyed  and  another  close  by  not  injured  at  all.  Some- 
times little  damage  will  be  done,  sometimes  thousands  of  bush- 
els will  be  eaten.  The  drum  has  the  pharyngeal  and  palatine 
bones  paved  with  large,  rounded  molars  with  which  it  can  crush 
to  pieces  any  small  or  thin  shell,  and  when  a  school  gets  over 
an  oyster  bed  all  those  oysters  which  can  be  taken  into  the 
mouth  have  the  shells  crushed,  the  jaicy  contents  sucked  out 
and  the  fragments  of  shells  scattered  about  on  the  bed.  In 
some  cases  it  is  said  that,  after  such  a  visitation,  the  bed  looks 
as  if  an  army  of  stone  breakers  had  passed  over  it,  so  com 
pletely  is  it  demoralized.  For  eight  or  nine  years,  until  the  past 
season,  the  drum  has  not  visited  the  Staten  Island  oyster 
grounds,  and  the  oystermen  say  that  the  mossbunker  fishermen 
have  kept  them  away  by  cruising  about  and  drawing  their  nets 
for  the  menhaden.  But  recently  a  law  has  been  passed  pro- 
hibiting the  fishermen  from  working  in  the  lower  bay,  and  just 
as  soon,  the  oystermen  say,  as  the  fishermen  go  out  the  drums 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  717 

come  in.  It  may  be  merely  a  coincidence,  still  the  oystermen 
are  very  anxious  that  the  bunkermen  should  be  allowed  to  re- 
turn to  their  old  business  in  the  bay. 

"The  skate  is  also  placed  among  the  enemies  of  the  oyster 
in  Prince's  and  Raritan  bays,  but  while  it  is  possible  for  the 
skate  to  make  way  with  small  oysters  and  other  small  shell- 
fish, it  is  not  likely  that  they  do  any  great  amount  of  damage, 
probably  not  a  fraction  of  that  caused  by  the  mussel  {Mytilus 
edulis),  which  sometimes  'sets'  upon  a  bed  of  oysters  in  such 
profusion  that,  in  growing,  they  finally  cover  the  oyster  almost 
entirely  up  as  with  a  living  blanket,  and  the  result  is  the  de- 
struction of  the  bed.  The  only  remedy  is  to  take  up  the 
oysters  as  soon  as  it  is  found  that  the  mussels  are  spreading 
over  the  bed,  and  after  removing  the  mussels  replace  the 
oysters  upon  the  old,  or  take  them  to  a  new  bed.  Practically 
there  are,  according  to  all  accounts,  but  three  important  natu- 
ral enemies  of  the  planted  oyster  in  these  waters,  the  drum-fish 
and  star-fish,  when  they,  in  their  rare  migrations,  come  into 
the  bay,  and  the  mussel.  The  drill  cannot  work  very  effectively 
among  any  but  small  seed,  and  the  skate  can  hardly  be  taken 
into  account.  The  periwinkles,  or  rough  and  smooth  whelks  {Cy- 
cotypus  canaliculatus  and  Fulgur  carica)  might  be  formidable 
enemies  if  they  were  found  anywhere  in  very  great  abundance. 
Against  all-  of  these  enemies  the  only  refuge  for  the  oysterman 
is  in  constant  supervision  of  his  beds.  He  cannot  leave  them 
to  chance  with  any  certainty  that  chance  will  throw  him  a  win- 
ning card.  But  if  he  keeps  his  beds  well  worked  and  destroys 
all  of  these  enemies  he  meets  with,  he  may  feel  pretty  confi- 
dent that  the  majority  of  his  oysters  will  find  a  fair  opportu- 
nity sometime  of  visiting  the  market.  There  are  some  other 
enemies,  however,  with  which  the  Staten  Island  oystermen 
have  to  deal  and  against  which  they  cannot  as  successfully 
contend  as  they  can  with  those  just  mentioned.  At  times, 
when  a  strong  west  or  northwest  wind  unites  with  a  very  low 
tide,  many  of  the  shoal  water  beds  are  left  exposed,  and  in  the 
winter  season  the  oysters  are  liable  to  be  frozen  before  any 
water  can  return  to  cover  them,  and  in  severe  storms  so  much 
mud  and  sand  are  moved  about  in  the  waters  that  many  beds  are 
smothered  or  sanded  by  the  deposited  material.  Accidents  of 
this  kind  are  liable  to  happen  in  all  shallow  water  regions,  and 
no  foresight  can  prevent  them  so  long  as  the  oysters  are  left  in 


718  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COTINTY. 

such  exposed  places.  Fortunately  it  is  not  often  that  the  oys- 
termen  of  this  region  experience  severe  losses  of  this  nature. 
There  is  one  enemy,  however,  which  certainly  can  be  gotten 
rid  of,  if  the  right  means  are  employed  ;  that  is,  the  refuse  ma- 
terial from  oil  works  and  sugar  refineries,  which  is  now  thrown 
in  the  water.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  many  of  the  oysters 
are  killed  every  year  on  the  beds,  in  this  region,  just  as  they 
have  been  in  the  upper  part  of  our  bay,  by  the  impurities  which 
are  constantly  being  thrown  into  the  bay  along  both  the  New 
York  and  New  Jersey  shores,  and  it  is  not  uncommon  to 
dredge  up  great  masses  of  oysters,  literally  reeking  with  oily 
slime  and  black,  sticky  mud,  of  the  vilest  smell.  The  law  for- 
bids the  placing  of  these  refuse  substances  in  the  waters  of 
the  bay,  and  we  heartily  agree  with  the  oysterman  that  the 
law  ought  to  be  rigidly  enforced  for  this  as  well  as  other  locali- 
ties." 

John  Scott  is  of  Scotch  ancestry  and  the  grandson  of  Thomas 
Scott,  who  was  nearly  allied  to  the  family  of  Sir  Walter  ScotL, 
and  resided  in  the  vicinity  of  Abbotsford,  the  home  of  the  lat- 
ter. Thomas  Scott's  death,  the  result  of  an  accident,  occurred 
in  early  life.  His  only  son,  also  named  Thomas,  resided  at 
Winchmore  Hill,  Edmonton,  Middlesex,  England,  and  enjoyed 
an  enviable  reputation  as  a  skillful  engineer  and  surveyor,  with 
offices  at  Gray's  Inn  Square,  London.  He  married  Sarah  Mar- 
garet Andrews,  of  Newark,  Nottingham,  England,  and  had  the 
following  children:  Emily,  Sarah,  Thomas,  John,  James,  Wil- 
liam and  Walter,  all  of  whom,  with  the  exception  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  biography,  are  deceased. 

Thomas  Scott,  later  in  life,  emigrated  to  the  United  States, 
where  he  followed  his  profession.  Locating  on  Staten  Island, 
he  laid  out  the  village  of  Clifton  and  made  other  important  sur- 
veys. 

His  son  John,  who  was  born  at  Winchmore  Hill,  above  men- 
tioned, in  February,  1826,  in  October,  1835,  emigrated  with  his 
parents  and  settled  on  Staten  Island.  He  received  a  common 
school  education  and  then  engaged  in  farming.  In  1848  he 
established  himself  in  the  livery  business  on  the  spot  he  has 
for  forty  years  occupied  in  Clifton.  He  also  devotes  some  at- 
tention to  his  farm  and  to  an  establishment  for  coach  building. 
Mr.  Scott  has  been  as  a  citizen  active  and  en terprising,  doing 
much  to  promote  the  advancement  of  the  place  of  his  residence. 


^^^ 


^»ij  '■iyAH-B.tol'J-''- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  719 

A  republican  in  politics,  while  influential  with  his  party  and 
foremost  in  promoting  its  interests,  he  has  declined  all  ofiices, 
satisfied  that  others  should  be  the  recipients  of  such  honors. 
He  is  a  director  in  the  Mutual  Insurance  Company  of  Richmond 
county.  Mr.  Scott  was  married  March  9,  1856,  to  Mary  J., 
daughter  of  Luke  Fay,  well  known  among  old  ITew  Yorkers. 
Their  children  are:  Agnes  Mary,  John  Winfield,  Walter  Logan, 
Frederick  Thomas,  Emily  Louise  and  David  Fay. 

Silas  N.  Haven's,  prominent  among  the  business  men  of 
New  Brighton,  is  the  grandson  of  John  Havens,  of  Connecticut, 
who  fought  in  the  revolutionary  army  during  the  whole  term 
of  this  country's  struggle  for  independence.  His  father,  of  the 
same  name  as  himself,  was  a  Connecticut  farmer  and  served  as  a 
soldier  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  married  at  Lyme,  Conn.,  Miss 
Mariett  Griffin  and,  of  their  twelve  children  Silas  was  the  eldest. 
It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  all  the  members  of  this  large  family 
lived  to  grow  up  and  also  to  marry. 

Mr.  Havens  was  born  at  the  family  homestead  in  New  Lon- 
don county.  Conn.,  March  2,  1827.  He  received  his  education 
in  the  district  school  of  Lyme,  after  leaving  which,  at  the  age 
of  seventeen,  he  came  to  Staten  Island.  Here  he  entered  the 
employ  of  Orlando  E.  Lee,  at  that  time  agent  of  the  New 
Brighton  Land  Association,  After  the  expiration  of  ten  years 
he  engaged  in  contract  work  on  his  own  account,  with  which  he 
combined  an  extensive  lumber  and  feed  business  and  also  car- 
ried on  large  farming  operations.  Many  of  the  roads  in  and 
about  New  Brighton  are  the  results  of  his  labor,  and  he  has  suc- 
ceeded in  making  more  land  conveyances  than  any  other  single 
person  in  Richmond  county.  He  has  interested  himself  in  pub- 
lic affairs,  though  he  has  never  held  political  office.  He  is  a 
trustee  and  director  of  the  Staten  Island  Savings  Bank  and  a 
stockholder  in  the  recently  organized  First  National  Bank,  at 
New  Brighton. 

Mr.  Havens  is  a  member  of  Kingsley  Methodist  church  of 
Stapleton  and  president  of  its  board  of  trustees.  He  is  an  earnest 
worker  in  behalf  of  religion,  and  has  been  engaged  for  years  in 
church  and  Sabbath  school  work.  He  married,  February  24, 
1868,  Miss  Arabella  Smith,  of  Salem,  Connecticut.  They  reside 
at  New  Brighton,  where  Mr.  Havens  owns  considerable  real 
estate.  Both  are  highly  respected  and  esteemed  in  social  and 
religious  circles. 


720  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Edward  Lowrey  Woodruff,  whose  recent  display  of  tal- 
ent in  the  constrnction  of  the  buildings  and  pavilion  of  the 
"  Staten  Island  Amusement  Company,"  entitles  him  to  special 
mention  in  a  history  of  Richmond  county,  was  born  in  Buffalo, 
N.  Y.  He  is  a  great-grandson  of  Aaron  Dickenson  Woodruff, 
for  twenty-four  years  attorney-general  of  the  state  of  New 
Jersey,  and  a  son  of  the  late  colonel  of  engineers,  Israel  Carle 
Woodruff,  who  spent  forty-six  years  in  the  active  service  of  the 
United  States.  On  his  mother  s  side  he  is  descended  from 
Thomas  Mayhew,  who  became  under  the  Duke  of  York,  in  1642, 
governor  and  patentee  of  Martha's  Yineyard,  Nantucket  and 
the  Elizabeth  isles.  Prom  these  ancestors  he  inherits  that 
strength  of  character  and  zeal  which  he  manifests  in  all  his 
undertakings. 

When  quite  young  Mr.  Woodruff  took  up  his  residence  in 
Washington,  D.  C.  Here  he  remained  for  many  years,  devot- 
ing his  time  to  securing  an  education.  He  attended  the 
Columbian  University  and  subsequently  began  a  special  course 
at  the  School  of  Mines,  which  ill  health  obliged  him  to  discon- 
tinue. Shortly  after  he  was  appointed  assistant  in  the  engi- 
neer's office.  Third  Light  House  district,  and  was  engaged  dur- 
ing fifteen  years  in  planning  and  constructing  many  light  houses 
on  Long  Island  sound  and  the  North  river. 

For  four  years  he  was  associated  with  the  late  Professor 
Joseph  Henry  while  making  his  experiments  on  sound,  the 
aerial  echo  and  oils  for  light  house  illuminants.  The  warm 
friendship  entertained  by  the  professor  for  him,  together  with 
the  intimate  association  and  frequent  conversations  which  he 
enjoyed  with  the  eminent  scientist,  have  been  of  material  benefit 
to  him  in  his  subsequent  career. 

Mr.  Woodruff  is  a  young  man  of  highly  artistic  tastes.  That  he 
possesses  marked  ability  as  an  architect,  the  successes  which  he 
has  achieved  on  Staten  Island  bear  testimony.  The  buildings 
constructed  by  him  for  the  "Amusement  Company"  display 
genius,  not  only  in  their  design  but  also  in  their  adaptation  to 
the  uses  for  which  they  were  intended.  He  has  devoted  much 
time  to  the  architectural  adornment  of  the  island,  and  already 
many  attractive  and  commodious  structures  of  all  descriptions 
have  been  the  result  of  his  efforts  in  this  direction.  His  own 
recently  constructed  residence,  standing  upon  an  eminence  over 


,'      y<_«?-c.iA^L^      C^'t/'lP-'^^-J^^-y^^ 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  721 

looking  New  York  bay  and  the  adjacent  country  for  miles  in  all 
directions,  is  a  model  of  neatness  and  convenience. 

But  Mr.  Woodruff  has  not  confined  himself  to  Staten  Island 
solely.  He  has  prepared  plans  for  large  numbers  of  houses  in 
different  parts  of  New  York,  Massachusetts,  New  Jersey  and 
Vermont,  and  particularly  at  Sea]Bright.  He  has  made  a  speci- 
alty of  country  residences  and  cottages,  and  has  constructed 
many  very  attractive  and  commodious  dwellings  in  and  about 
New  York,  whose  advantages  are  evident  at  a  glance.  Like  his 
father  he  is  modest  and  retiring  in  disposition,  never  obtrusive. 
He  devotes  his  entire  time  to  the  cultivation  of  his  art  and  the 
result  of  his  labor  speaks  for  itself.  His  residence  on  Staten 
Island  has  been  productive  of  many  lasting  friendships  to  him- 
self, and  of  much  benefit  in  the  artistic  and  social  development 
of  the  community  in  which  he  lives. 

Of  the  various  industries  carried  on  in  our  community  there 
is  none  in  connection  with  which  the  name  of  Staten  Island  is 
more  widely  known,  or  more  favorably  associated,  than  the 
business  of  fancy  dyeing;  nor,  with  the  exception  of  the  oyster 
trade,  is  there  any  branch  of  business  that  has  been  so  long 
located  here,  or  that  has  been  steadier  or  more  constant  in  its 
rate  of  growth  and  development. 

The  connection  of  Staten  Island  with  the  business  of  dyeing, 
printing  and  refinishing  dress  goods  and  other  textile  fabrics 
dates  back  to  the  year  1819,  when  the  works  of  the  New  York 
Dyeing  and  Printing  Establishment  were  established  at  West 
New  Brighton — the  locality  deriving  the  name  of  Factoryville, 
by  which  it  was  known  until  quite  recently,  from  this  circum- 
stance. The  concern  of  which  we  propose  in  the  present  article 
to  give  a  brief  history  and  description,  may  be  termed  an  off- 
shoot or  colony  from  the  parent  establishment  at  Factoryville; 
but,  like  so  many  other  colonies,  it  has,  in  its  36  years  of  in- 
dependent existence,  developed  so  rapidly,  and  in  so  many 
different  directions,  that  at  present  its  claim  to  be  considered 
second  to  no  other  concern  in  this  line  of  business  in  the 
country  is  very  generally  conceded. 

In  1850  Col.  Nathan  Barrett,  who  had  been  connected  with 
the  New  York  Dying  and  Printing  Establishment  from  its 
origin,  serving  most  of  the  time  as  general  superintendent,  de- 
termined to  establish  a  new  firm  in  which  he  would  be  able  to 
carry  into  effect,   with  greater  freedom  from  the  restraints  of 

46 


722  HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

conservative  routine,  his  ideas  as  to  the  proper  method  of  con- 
ducting the  business.  The  immediate  and  almost  marvellous 
success  of  the  enterprise  gave  ample  proof  of  the  soundness  of 
his  judgment,  and  the  wisdom  of  his  course. 

Associating  with  himself,  under  the  firm  name  of  Barrett, 
Nephews  &  Co.,  his  three  nephews,  Messrs.  JS".  M.,  J.  H.,  and 
E.  B.  Heal,  and  Mr.  Abraham  0.  Wood,  gentlemen  who,  up  to 
that  time,  had  held  positions  at  the  head  of  the  various  dyeing 
and  printing  departments,  he  purchased  eight  acres  of  land  on 
Cherry  lane,  situated  in  the  town  of  Castleton,  and  about  one 
mile  south  of  the  village  of  Port  Richmond.  Here  suitable 
buildings  were  erected,  machinery  of  the  latest  and  most  im- 
proved pattern  set  up,  and  the  proprietors  went  to  work,  de- 
termined that  nothing  should  be  lacking  to  make  their  under- 
taking a  success,  which  skill,  energy  and  experience  could 
furnish.  As  has  already  been  said  the  result  was  not  long 
doubtful — the  public  speedily  recognized  the  excellent  character 
of  the  work  done  by  the  new  house  and  the  care  and  prompt- 
ness shown  in  the  speedy  return  of  the  goods  to  their  owners; 
and  these  qualities,  which  are  still  characteristic  of  the  com- 
l)any,  produced  their  natural  results  in  a  steady  increase  of 
business  and  reputation. 

In  1865,  the  firm,  still  retaining  the  name  of  Barrett,  Nephews 
&  Co.,  was  incorporated  under  the  general  laws  of  the  state, 
with  Colonel  Barrett  as  president,  Nathan  M.  Heal,  vice-presi- 
dent, and  Abraham  C.  Wood,  treasurer.  In  the  latter  part  of 
this  year  (1865)  Colonel  Barrett,  whose  health  had  been  failing 
for  some  time,  determined  upon  a  tour  in  Europe,  in  which  he 
hoped  to  unite  business  with  recreation,  and  from  which  his 
many  friends  trusted  he  would  return  with  renewed  health, 
and  enriched  experience. 

These  hopes  were  not  destined  to  be  realized.  After  visiting 
much  that  was  of  interest  in  Ireland,  Scotland  and  England,  he 
crossed  to  the  continent,  but  just  after  his  arrival  in  Paris,  he 
was  taken  ill,  and,  returning  to  London,  died  in  that  city  after 
an  illness  of  only  a  few  weeks. 

His  remains  were  brought  to  Staten  Island,  and  buried  in  the 
cemetery  attached  to  the  Church  of  the  Ascension,  West  New 
Brighton,  of  which  church  he  had  long  been  a  valued  member, 
and  in  which  a  handsome  memorial  window  perpetuates  his 
memory.     His  record  as  a  patriot,  public  spirited  citizen,  an  en- 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  723 

ergetic,  enterprising  and  honorable  man  of  business,  and,  most 
of  all,  as  a  kind  hearted,  charitable,  Christian  gentleman,  will 
long  be  cherished  by  his  friends  and  fellow  citizens. 

Colonel  Barrett  was  succeeded  in  the  presidency  of  the  com- 
pany by  Nathan  M.  Heal,  who  held  the  position  until  1879, 
when,  his  health  becoming  impaired,  he  was  obliged  to  resign. 

In  1867,  finding  that,  in  consequence  of  the  great  increase  of 
their  business,  their  water  supply  was  becoming  insufficient, 
the  company  purchased  the  twenty-seven  acres  of  land  adjoin- 
ing the  Mill  creek,  known  as  the  "Post  farm,"  on  which  were 
situated  a  number  of  valuable  springs  of  water  exactly  adapted 
to  the  requirements  of  their  establishment.  Having  connected 
these  springs  with  their  works,  for  which  purpose  about  three 
thousand  three  hundred  feet  of  iron  pipe  were  needed,  and  hav- 
ing erected  a  powerful  pumping  engine  they  found  themselves 
in  possession  of  a  practically  inexhaustible  supply  of  that 
sine  qua  non  of  a  dye  house,  pure  water.  The  balance  of 
the  farm,  not  needed  to  make  the  water  privilege  available 
was  then  surveyed,  cut  up  into  building  lots  of  about  half 
an  acre  each,  with  good  broad  streets  and  avenues  running 
through  them.  So  desirable  did  these  lots  prove  that  in  a 
short  time  most  of  them  were  sold,  and  so  many  handsome 
residences  have  been  built  by  the  purchasers  that  the  neighbor- 
hood— the  element  of  time  being  taken  into  consideration — will 
compare  very  favorably  with  any  portion  of  the  village.  The 
principal  thoroughfare,  Post  avenue,  running  from  Columbia 
street  to  Jewett  avenue,  preserves  the  name  of  the  old  farm. 

In  1880  Major  Clarence  T.  Barrett,  a  nephew  of  the  founder  of 
the  firm,  a  gentleman  whose  success  in  his  profession  as  sanitary 
engineer  has  given  him  a  more  than  local  reputation,  was  elected 
president  of  the  company,  which  office  he  still  holds.  Under 
his  management  very,  great  improvements  have  been  made  in 
the  "plant"  and  arrangements  of  the  works.  New  machinery 
has  been  introduced,  taking  the  place  in  many  processes  of  the 
old  style  hand  labor.  Artesian  wells  have  been  sunk,  giving 
an  unlimited  supply  of  excellent  water  on  the  premises,  and  do- 
ing away  with  the  necessity  of  drawing  from  distant  springs. 
In  short,  everything  has  been  done  that  was  needed  to  place 
the  concern,  in  appliances  and  methods,  on  a  par  with  the  best 
establishments  of  the  kind  either  in  this  country  or  Europe. 

To  those  who  have  never  visited  an  establishment  of  this 


724  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

kind,  some  of  the  figures  connected  with  the  works  of  Barrett, 
Nephews  and  Company,  as  they  at  present  exist,  will  prove 
somewhat  startling.  The  buildings,  most  of  them  two  stories, 
some  of  them  three,  substantially  built  of  brick,  cover  an  area 
of  about  an  acre  and  a  half.  The  engines  which  drive  the  ma- 
chinery are  fifteen  in  number,  ranging  from  three  to  twenty- 
five  horse  power,  and  are  supplied  with  steam  by  eight  boilers, 
having  an  aggregate  capacity  of  five  hundred  horses  ;  the  sur- 
plus steam  not  needed  for  the  engines  being  all  required  in  the 
various  scouring,  dyeing  and  drying  processes,  and,  in  winter, 
for  heating  the  premises. 

The  number  of  hands  employed  during  the  busy  season  fre- 
quently exceeds  three  hundred,  and  in  some  of  the  depart- 
ments it  is  often  necessary  to  keep  the  machinery  running 
night  and  day,  in  order  that  there  may  be  no  delay  in  return- 
ing the  goods. 

The  work,  to  do  which  all  of  the  above  appliances  are  found 
necessary,  may  be  divided  into  the  two  great  classes  of  whole- 
sale and  retail.  The  retail  work  includes  the  cleansing,  dyeing 
and  retinishing  of  ladies'  and  gentlemen's  garments  of  every 
kind,  quality  and  texture,  from  a  lady's  silk  dress,  with  all 
its  dainty  trimming  of  gauze  and  ribbon,  to  a  gentleman's 
heavy  winter  overcoat.  And  this  kind  of  work  has  been 
brought  to  such  perfection,  that  articles,  such  as  the  above, 
when  they  have  become  soiled,  or  from  any  cause  unfit  for  wear, 
are  frequently  cleaned  and  restored,  or  even  re-dyed,  without 
ripping  a  stitch,  and  sent  back  to  their  owners  looking  "as 
good  as  new."  The  dying,  cleansing  and  refinishing  of  curtains 
and  window  shades,  in  which  a  large  and  steadily  increasing 
business  is  done,  may  be  reckoned  under  this  head. 

What  is  known  as  the  wholesale  business  embraces  the  re- 
dyeing  and  refinishing  of  all  sorts  of  piece-goods,  from  the 
finest  and  most  costly  silks  and  velvets,  ribbons  and  laces,  to 
the  heaviest  woolen  cloths  and  cloakings.  This  portion  of  th,e 
business  is  of  vast  extent,  Barrett,  Nephews  &  Company  hav- 
ing customers  in  almost  every  state  and  territory  of  the  Union, 
not  excepting  those  on  the  Pacific  slope.  The  greater  part  of 
this  wholesale  work  consists  in  the  re-dying  of  goods,  of  which 
the  original  colors  have  faded  or  become  unfashionable 
and  which  have  lost  their  original  freshness  of  finish,  but  a 
large  business  is  also  done  in  dyeing  and  finishing  goods  which 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  725 

come  to  them  from  the  importer  or  manufacturer  in  what  is 
called  the  "grey"  state,  never  having  been  dyed  or  finished. 
The  imported  goods  of  this  class  are  principally  in  dress  goods, 
French  cashmeres,  merinos  and  de  laines,  and  in  veilings,  pari- 
sinas,  bareges,  velveteens,  etc.,  etc.  It  is  of  the  treatment  of 
these  grey  goods,  their  dyeing  and  preparation  for  the  market, 
that  Barrett,  Nejjhews  &  Company  have  made  a  specialty,  and 
by  liberal  expenditure,  and  the  assistance  of  the  best  foreign 
skill  available,  claim  to  have  reached  in  it  a  degree  of  perfection 
seldom,  if  ever,  attained  in  this  country.  It  is  an  indisputable 
fact  that  quite  frequently  their  work  in  this  line  cannot  be  dis- 
tinguished from  the  imported,  even  by  the  most  skillful  ex- 
perts. 

In  1884  the  company  experienced  a  heavy  loss  in  the  death 
of  Mr.  Abram  C.  Wood,  one  of  the  original  members  of  the 
firm,  who,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  held  the  office  of  vice- 
president  and  treasurer  of  the  company.  Mr.  Wood's  charac- 
ter, uniting,  as  it  did,  the  strictest  integrity  and  straightfor- 
wardness in  all  his  transactions,  with  a  genial  manner  and 
friendly  disposition,  had  won  for  him  the  respect  and  esteem 
of  a  wide  circle  of  business  acquaintances ;  while  his  fellow- 
citizens  and  neighbors  of  Staten  Island,  amongst  whom  his 
whole  life  had  been  spent,  honored  him  for  those  qualities  of 
mind  and  heart  which  stamped  the  possessor  as  a  true  Christian 
gentleman. 

The  present  board  of  trustees  of  Barrett,  Nephews  &  Com- 
pany consists  of  the  following  gentlemen  :  Clarence  T.  Barrett, 
president ;  Charles  W.  Kennedy,  vice-president  and  treasurer  ; 
Charles  E.  Heal,  secretary;  Augustus  W.  Sexton,  Jr.,  Edwin 
B.  Heal,  trustees. 

The  New  York  Dyeing  and  Printing  Establishment,  also 
known  as  the  Old  Staten  Island  Dyeing  Establishment,  is  lo- 
cated on  Broadway,  West  New  Brighton,  and  was  organ- 
ized in  the  year  1819,  under  the  firm  name  of  Barrett,  Tiles- 
ton  &  Company,  and  continued  in  successful  operation  for 
a  period  of  about  six  years  ;  a  charter  of  incorporation  was 
then  obtained,  under  the  present  title.  The  late  Samuel  Marsh 
was  elected  president,  which  position  he  held  with  great  credit 
to  himself  and  profit  to  the  stockholders  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  after  he  had  been  elected  president  for  the  forty-ninth 
successive  year. 


726  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

There  is  no  more  prominent  and  well  known  locality  on  the 
island  than  where  this  large  and  extensive  dyeing  and  cleaning 
establishment  is  situated,  occupying,  as  it  does,  over  twenty 
acres  of  ground,  which  they  have  occupied  continuously  for  a 
period  of  three  score  years  and  ten, -and  though  they  have  ar- 
rived at  the  age  allotted  to  man,  they  are  to-day  larger,  more 
vigorous,  energetic  and  aggressive  than  at  any  previous  period 
of  their  existence.  Anything  they  undertake  they  aim  to  do  in 
a  manner  not  to  be  surpassed. 

A  visit  to  their  works  is  necessary  to  give  one  an  idea  of  its 
vastness.  Five  hundred  hands  are  employed,  ten  steam  engines 
and  other  machinery  in  proportion  are  necessary  to  wield  the 
vast  fabric. 

That  portion  of  their  business  that  our  readers  will  take  the 
most  interest  in  is  that  devoted  to  the  cleaning  and  dyeing  of 
ladies'  and  gentlemen's  clothing,  and  to  do  this  work  hundreds 
of  busy  hands  are  constantly  employed,  besides  they  are  largely 
engaged  in  the  dyeing  of  cotton  goods  and  the  manufacture  of 
bookbinders'  cloth. 

It  is  a  singular  fact,  and  one  that  attests  as  much  as  anything 
can,  the  unvarying  success  of  their  business,  that  the  descend- 
ants of  the  original  proprietors  still  retain  their  interest  in  the 
company. 

They  have  fourteen  offices  and  nearly  one  thousand  agencies, 
covering  the  territory  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Mississippi,  so 
that  no  one  need  have  any  excuse  for  wearing  soiled  or  faded 
clothing. 

Their  principal  'New  York  offices  are  :  98  Duane  street,  286 
Fifth  avenue,  870  Broadway,  610  Sixth  avenue,  and  Broadway, 
West  New  Brighton. 

The  Breweries  are  among  the  most  prominent  industries  of 
Staten  Island.  On  account  of  the  number  and  copious  fullness 
of  the  springs  and  the  excellent  quality  of  the  water,  the  island 
has  been  selected  as  a  favorite  place  for  the  establishment  of 
this  business.  The  establishments  located  here  together  pay 
an  enormous  revenue  to  the  government. 

Bechtel's  brewery,  perhaps  the  largest  of  these,  is  located  at 
Stapleton,  where  it  was  founded  by  John  Bechtel,  in  1853.  In 
1865  he  sold  the  concern  to  his  son,  George  Bechtel,  the  present 
proprietor.  The  capital  invested  here  amounts  to  well  nigh 
half  a  million  dollars.    In  1865  the  revenue  tax  of  this  brewery 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  727 

was  $10,000,  and  ten  years  later  it  had  increased  to  $60,000.  It 
employs  about  fifty  hands. 

George  Bechtel  was  born  in  Germany  in  1840.  He  came 
with  his  parents  to  America  at  the  age  of  six  months,  and  in 
1851  entered  the  grammar  school  of  Columbia  College.  After 
finishing  his  course  at  that  institution  he  began  an  apprentice- 
ship in  the  brewery  which  his  "father  had  established  at  Staple- 
ton  in  1853.  From  1860  to  1865  he  occupied  the  position  of  sup- 
erintendent of  the  establishment,  and  while  engaged  in  that 
capacity  he  established  the  first  ice-house  in  the  East.  In  1865 
he  rented  the  property  from  his  father,  and  in  1870  purchased 
his  entire  interest,  becoming  the  sole  proprietor. 

The  original  building  proving  too  small  for  his  rapidly  in- 
creasing business,Mr.  Bechtel  concluded  to  tear  it  down  and  in 
its  place  he  built  the  present  elegant  structure,  special  atten- 
tion being  given  to  its  equipment.  So  energetically  was  the  work 
of  erection  pushed  that  in  ten  weeks  after  the  first  stone  was 
laid  brewing  had  recommenced.  The  continued  increase  of  his 
business  is  due  to  the  high  quality  of  excellence  which  he 
maintains  in  all  his  productions.  In  1876  his  beer  received  the 
centennial  exhibition  medal,  in  1877  the  medal  of  the  Gam- 
brinus  Verein,  in  1878  one  from  the  Paris  exhibition  and  in  1879 
he  was  awarded  the  prize  at  the  Sidney  fair  in  New  South 
Wales.  About  the  latter  year  Professor  Doremus,  after  analyz- 
ing his  beer,  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Bechtel  pronounced  it  to  be  a 
preparation  made  from  pure  hops  and  malt  and  free  from  any 
deleterious  substances  whatever. 

Mr.  Bechtel  has  been  foremost  in  all  public  and  benevolent 
matters.  During  the  negro  riots  in  1861  he  sheltered  large  num- 
bers of  these  homeless  people  in  the  woods  and  sent  them 
nourishment  daily  till  the  trouble  had  subsided,  a  circumstance 
which  the  colored  people  on  Staten  Island  have  never  forgotten 
and  for  which  they  have  been  ever  grateful.  On  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  village  of  Edgewater  Mr.  Bechtel  was  elected  trus- 
tee of  the  Third  ward  in  the  face  of  strong  opposition.  From 
1871  to  1879  he  devoted  himself  entirely  to  business,  taking 
little  interest  in  political  matters.  In  1879  he  received  the  joint 
nomination  of  the  republican  and  democratic  parties  for  super- 
visor and  was  elected  by  an  overwhelming  majority.  He  has 
since  been  yearly  re-elected  and  during  one    year  served  as 


728  HISTOKT  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

chairman  of  the  board.     From  1879  to  1883  he  also  served  as 
trustee  of  the  village  from  the  First  ward. 

At  the  time  of  his  election  to  the  supervisorship  Richmond 
county  bonds  stood  at  80,  taxes  were  eight  per  cent.,  and  the 
village  of  Edgewater  had  a  debt  of  $125,000.  Through  his 
energy  the  debt  has  been  paid,  taxes  have  been  reduced  to  two 
per  cent.,  and  the  bonds  are  bringing  $112.  In  addition  to  this 
the  roads  have  been  greatly  improved  and  cannot  be  excelled  by 
any  on  Staten  Island.  He  succeeded  in  refunding  the  $50,000 
war  debt  at  four  per  cent,  at  a  premium  of  one  and  one-half  per 
cent.,  a  financial  operation  which  no  other  county  in  the  state 
has  shown. 

In  1879  Mr.  Bechtel  was  a  delegate  to  the  state  convention, 
the  first  ever  elected  from  Richmond  county.  Three  times  he 
was  re-elected  and  was  twice  its  first  vice-president.  While  in 
convention  he  was  appointed  by  the  first  congressional  delega- 
tion, comprising  Queens,  Suffolk  and  Richmond  counties,  a 
member  of  the  state  and  executive  committees. 

Mr.  Bechtel' s  benevolent  qualities  show  themselves  on  all  oc- 
casions, and  many  poor  families  on  Staten  Island  have  been  the 
recipients  of  his  charity.  It  is  said  of  him  that  he  is  ever  ready 
to  help  where  it  is  needed.  As  a  holder  of  office  he  is  indis- 
pensable, and  the  growth  of  the  county  is  largely  due  to  his 
influence.  He  is  a  man  of  cordial  temperament  and  is  connected 
with  many  associations,  societies  and  clubs,  prominent  among 
which  are  the  Arion  and  Liederkranz  societies  of  New  York  and 
the  Grerman  Society  Erheiterung,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the 
first  members.  He  was  also  a  charter  member  of  the  Klobpf 
Stock  Lodge  of  Free  Masons,  to  which  he  was  transferred  from 
the  Tompkins  Lodge  of  Richmond  county. 

In  1879  the  Japanese  embassy,  together  with  the  secretary  of 
state  and  several  other  gentlemen,  paid  a  visit  to  Mr.  Bechtel' s 
brewery.  As  a  result  they  ordered  one  hundred  thousaud  bot- 
tles of  beer  to  be  sent  to  Japan.  On  their  return  they  sent  him 
several  very  flattering  letters  and  a  pair  of  costly  vases  as  a 
token  of  their  esteem. 

Mr.  Bechtel  is  the  largest  tax-payer  on  Staten  Island.  He 
has  lately  added  to  his  possessions  a  water-front  of  nearly  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  feet,  with  an  average  water  depth  of 
thirty  feet  at  low  tide.  He  has  an  elegant  residence  on  the 
island  and  an  enormous  stable,  which  is  said  to  be  one  of  the 


HOUSE    AND    STABLES    OF    GEORGE     BECHTEL. 
STAPLETON,  N.  Y. 


vv.'^n'^tvt^  *..   ft\t%s'\Vtt'\^  *.    A. 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  729 

finest  in  the  United  States.  The  latter  has  been  highly  compli- 
mented by  Mr.  Bergh,  president  of  the  "Society  for  the  Pre- 
vention of  Cruelty  to  Animals,"  of  which  Mr.  Bechtel  is  a 
member.  Previous  to  the  improvement  of  the  Edgewater  roads 
Mr.  Bechtel  was  obliged  to  stable  his  horses  in  New  York  city, 
running  a  steamboat  to  and  from  the  island  solely  for  their 
conveyance.  The  offices  attached  to  his  brewery  are  handsome 
and  complete.  The  furnishings  and  decorations  are  of  the  most 
elegant  description,  their  general  design  being  that  of  the  Queen 
Anne  period.  A  special  feature  of  their  outfit  is  a  commodious 
Russian  bath,  laid  in  cement,  with  imported  white  and  blue 
tiles. 

Mr.  Bechtel  is  now  in  the  prime  of  life.  He  is  a  man  of  taste 
and  foresight,  and  is  regarded  by  those  who  know  him  best  as 
a  highly  useful  as  well  as  influential  man.  It  has  been  his  in- 
tention for  some  time  to  erect  a  hospital  upon  Staten  Island 
which  shall  be  open  to  unfortunates  of  all  nationalities  and 
sects.  He  will  put  his  plan  into  execution  as  soon  as  the  proper 
site  can  be  secured.  He  has  just  given  a  sum  of  money  with  a 
promise  of  more,  if  necessary,  to  erect  a  hospital  for  invalid 
Odd  Fellows  of  the  state  of  New  York,  and  is  at  present  nego- 
tiating with  a  committee  from  the  Smith  infirmary  to  build  a 
pavilion  costing  from  $4,000  to  $5,000  and  containing  six  en- 
dowment beds,  as  an  addition  to  their  projected  hospital, 
entirely  at  his  expense. 

Mr.  Bechtel  married,  in  1865,  Miss  Eva  Schoen,  of  New  York 
city.  He  has  five  children  still  living,  four  daughters  and  one 
son.  The  daughters  were  attendants  of  the  famous  French 
school  of  Madame  Colin,  formerly  conducted  by  Madamoiselles 
Charbonnier. 

The  Clifton  brewery,  in  Edgewater,  is  one  of  considerable 
importance.  It  is  invested  with  some  degree  of  interest  from 
the  fact  that  it  was  established  by  General  Garabaldi  and  his 
partner,  Antonio  Meucci,  in  1851.  Since  their  day  it  has  passed 
through  the  hands  of  several  proprietors,  among  whom  were 
Louis  Gross,  Christian  Trefz  and  Gabriel  Mayer,  at  whose  de- 
cease it  passed  into  the  hands  of  David  Mayer  and  Fr.Bachmann. 
The  capital  invested  is  about  a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars  and 
the  work  employs  about  fifty  hands.  This  brewery  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire  on  the  31st  of  October,  1881.  The  buildings 
were  of   brick,  but  they  fell  before  the  devouring  flames,  to- 


730  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUWTY. 

gether  with  an  ice  house  and  a  saloon  connected  with  the 
brewery.  The  loss  was  estimated  at  about  two  hundred  and 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars. 

The  Atlantic  brewery,  at  Stapleton,  is  owned  by  Rubsam  & 
Horrmann.  It  was  established  in  1870,  and  employs  a  capital 
of  about  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  thousand  dollars,  and  a 
force  of  thirty  to  forty  men. 

Bischoff's  brewery  was  established  at  Stapleton,  in  1854,  or 
soon  after  that  date,  by  one  Gillich.  Subsequently  it  became 
the  property  of  Wolf  &  Reinhardt,  and  later  passed  into  the 
possession  of  George  Bischoff.  About  twenty  hands  are  em- 
ployed. 

The  Constanz  brewery  is  located  at  Castleton  Corners.  It  was 
established  in  August,  1852,  by  August  Schmid.  Subsequently 
passing  into  the  hands  of  Joseph  Setz,  it  was  conveyed  by  him 
to  Monroe  Eckstein,  in  1875,  and  by  him  it  has  been  greatly  im- 
proved and  is  still  owned.  The  original  number  of  buildings 
was  two,  and  its  capacity  until  1875  only  three  thousand  bar- 
rels. Six  large  buildings  have  since  been  added  and  the  ca- 
pacity increased  to  forty  thousand  barrels.  Inproved  machinery 
has  been  introduced,  which  is  driven  by  steam.  The  water  here 
is  of  first  quality.  About  forty  men  are  employed  and  ninety 
to  one  hundred  thousand  bushels  of  malt  and  three  hundred 
bales  of  hops  are  annually  used. 

There  are  a  few  other  similar  establishments  on  the  island, 
but  none  so  large  as  those  we  have  noticed.  At  the  centennial 
exhibition  at  Philadelphia  eleven  prizes  were  aw^arded  to  brew- 
ers in  the  United  States,  three  of  which  were  awarded  to  Staten 
Island  brewers,  viz.:  Mayer  &  Bachmann,  Greorge  Bechtel  and 
Rubsam  &  Horrmann.  Eckstein,  Bischoff  and  some  others  did 
not  compete. 

MoNEOE  Eckstein,  one  of  the  most  enterprising  men  among 
the  brewers  of  Staten  Island,  is  the  seventh  of  twelve  children 
of  Henry  Eckstein,  formerly  a  wealthy  merchant  of  New  York, 
who  came  to  this  country  from  Bavaria  in  1835.  He  was  born 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  June  23,  1849,  and  during  his  youth 
attended  private  and  public  schools  in  his  native  place.  Subse- 
quently he  enjoyed  a  term  in  the  College  of  New  York,  after 
which,  in  1865,  he  engaged  in  the  tobacco  business  with  the  firm 
of  Wertheimer  &  Co.,  of  New  York  and  San  Francisco.  Here 
his  business  abilities  soon  won  for  him  the  favor  of  his  employers 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  731 

and  he  was  rapidly  advanced  till  at  the  time  of  his  leave 
taking  in  1875  he  was  buyer  for  the  firm. 

In  the  latter  year  Mr.  Eckstein  purchased  from  Joseph  Setz 
the  Constanz  brewery  at  Four  Corners,  S.  I.,  which  had  been 
founded  in  1852,  by  August  Schmid,  one  of  the  organizers  of 
the  United  States  Brewers'  Association.  The  brewery  is  located 
on  rising  ground  whence  a  magnificent  view  of  the  Kill  Von 
Kull,  the  Jersey  country  and  vicinity  can  be  obtained,  and  has 
about  it  twenty-two  acres  of  ground,  most  of  which  is  attrac- 
tively laid  out  as  a  pleasure  park,  with  summer  houses,  seats,  etc. 
The  immense  increase  in  the  business  which  Mr.  Eckstein  has 
succeeded  in  bringing  about  has  compelled  him  to  enlarge  the 
building  from  time  to  time,  and  he  is  at  the  present  writing 
engaged  in  rebuilding  the  whole  structure,  and  replacing  the 
old  machinery  at  a  cost  of  $125,000.  This  will  make  his  outfit 
one  of  the  most  complete  brewing  plants  in  the  country. 

Mr.  Eckstein  is  a  public  spirited  and  enterprising  man.  He 
takes  great  interest  in  the  development  of  the  neighborhood, 
and  was  active  in  the  organization  and  promotion  of  the  rail- 
road company  that  constructed  the  shore  line  direct  to  his  es- 
tablishment. Ever  since  his  removal  to  the  island  he  has  been 
identified  with  the  more  important  enterprises  on  it.  He  is 
commissioner  of  highways,  chairman  of  the  board  of  school 
trustees  of  Castleton  Corners,  treasurer  of  the  Richmond 
County  Railroad  Company,  president  of  the  Richmond  County 
Savings  Bank  and  a  stockholder  in  the  First  National  Bank 
and  the  Bank  of  Staten  Island. 

Besides  these  .he  is  an  active  member  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee of  the  Association  of  United  Lager  Beer  Brewers  of  New 
York  and  vicinity,  and  a  member  of  the  vigilance  committee  of 
the  New  York  State  Brewers  and  Malsters'  Association.  He  is 
also  connected  with  many  social  clubs  in  New  York  city  and  on 
Staten  Island. 

Mr.  Eckstein  has  given  large  amounts  to  charitable  purposes 
and  his  spirit  of  benevolence  is  well  known  throughout  Rich- 
mond county.  His  genial  nature  and  thorough  integrity  in  the 
transaction  of  his  business  have  won  for  him  many  and  lasting 
friends.  ' 

Mr.  Eckstein  married,  February  1,  1882,  Miss  Selina  Dinkel- 
spiel,  of  New  York  city,  in  which  place  he  resides  during  the 
winter  months. 


732  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTy. 

The  firm  of  B.  Kreischer  &  Sons,  at  Kreischerville,  is  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  clay  gas  retorts,  fire  brick,  blocks,  and 
all  kindred  fire  clay  goods  necessary  where  high  heats  are  ob- 
tained. The  factory  is  located  on  Staten  Island  sound,  two 
miles  from  Tottenville,  and  diagonally  opposite  the  coal  docks 
of  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad  Company. 

This  business  was  established  in  1845,  by  Balthasar  Kreischer 
and  Charles  Mumpeton,  under  the  firm  name  of  Kreischer  & 
Mumpeton,  at  the  corner  of  Goerck  and  Delancey  streets.  New 
York  city,  and  so  continued  until  1849,  when,  after  the  decease 
of  the  latter,  B.  Kreischer  carried  on  the  business  in  his  own 
name.  In  1859,  his  nei)hew  becoming  associated  with  him,  the 
name  was  changed  to  Kreischer  &  Nephew,  and  two  years  later, 
upon  the  admission  of  Mr.  Kreischer' s  son-in-law,  it  was  again 
changed  to  B.  Kreischer  &  Company.  In  1861  the  partnershi  p 
was  dissolved,  and  the  style  of  B.  Kreischer  again  adopted.  In 
1870  Mr.  George  F.  Kreischer  was  admitted  as  a  partner,  and 
the  style  changed  to  B.  Kreischer  &  Son.  The  manufactory 
was  again  enlarged,  and  at  that  time  occupied  twenty-one  full 
city  lots.  In  1873,  the  property  becoming  too  valuable  and  ex- 
pensive for  manufacturing,  it  was  resolved  to  enlarge  the  Staten 
Island  works  sufiiciently  to  raise  its  capacity  equal  to  that  of 
the  New  York  works.  Operations  were  at  once  commenced, 
but  were  somewhat  retarded  by  the  general  depression  of  busi- 
ness. In  the  fall  of  the  year  1876,  the  buildings  being  com- 
pleted, the  machinery  was  taken  out  of  the  New  York  factory, 
and  all  tools,  moulds,  etc.,  shipped  to  Staten  Island.  The  build- 
ings in  New  York  were  taken  down  and  tenement  houses 
erected  in  their  stead.  On  the  eve  of  the  1st  of  Jannary,  1877, 
the  factory  was  consumed  by  fire,  causing  a  total  loss  of  sixty 
thousand  dollars.  By  the  energy  and  close  attention  of  Mr,  B. 
Kreischer,  however,  assisted  by  his  sons,  on  the  23d  day  of 
April  the  engine  was  again  running,  and  manufacturing  opera- 
tions were  resumed.  The  factory  was  rebuilt  and  the  newest  im- 
provements were  made.  In  1878  Mr.  B.  Kreischer  retired  from 
the  business,  having  been  active  in  the  same  for  thirty-three 
years,  and  the  style  was  changed  to  the  present  one,  B. 
Kreischer  &  Sons,  Mr.  B.  Kreischer  allowing  his  sons  to  use  his 
name. 

The  factory  now  covers  over  three  acres  of  ground,  is  two 
tories  high,  and  has  a  capacity  of  twenty  thousand  fire  brick  a 


HISTOKT  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  733 

day.  A  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  horse  power  engine,  tak- 
ing steam  from  two  tubular  boilers,  supplies  the  motive  power. 
A  line  of  shafting  extends  from  one  end  of  the  main  building 
to  the  other,  being  three  hundred  feet  in  length.  The  storage 
room  for  clay,  etc.,  is  composed  of  fourteen  bins  thirty- two  by 
twenty-five  feet  each,  taking  up  a  space  of  four  hundred  and 
twenty-five  feet  in  length,  with  a  capacity  of  four  thousand 
tons.  In  the  fall  of  the  year  1885,  a  clay  digging  machine  was 
purchased  by  the  firm,  which  gives  great  satisfaction,  and  ma- 
terially reduces  the  labor  of  mining  the  clay. 

There  are  altogether  from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and 
fifty  men  employed  at  the  works  and  in  the  clay  mines.  The 
annual  consumption  of  raw  material  is  about  thirteen  thousand 
tons,  and  to  dry  and  burn  the  material  manufactured,  from  three 
thousand  five  hundred  to  four  thousand  tons  of  coal  are  con- 
sumed. The  average  production  per  annum  is  about  three  mil- 
lion five  hundred  thousand  brick,  or  ten  thousand  tons  gross. 
The  fire  brick  manufactured  are  transported  to  New  York  city, 
a  steam  lighter  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  tons  capacity  being 
used  for  that  purpose.  This  was  built  for  the  purpose  in  1880. 
At  the  foot  of  Houston  street.  East  river,  the  firm  has  a  depot, 
where  a  large  stock  of  all  kinds  of  fire  brick  is  constantly  kept 
on  hand,  and  there  the  financial  part  of  the  business  is  con- 
ducted. The  present  members  of  the  firm  are  George  F. 
Kreischer,  residing  in  New  York  city,  and  Charles  C.  and  Ed- 
ward B.  Kreischer,  both  residing  in  Kreischerville,  Staten 
Island. 

For  the  period  of  almost  half  a  century  this  concern  has 
given  close  study  and  personal  supervision  to  this  important 
branch  of  manufacture.  The  European  systems  have  regularly 
been  examined  by  them,  and  valuable  improvements  have  from 
time  to  time  been  made.  Such  untiring  energy,  industry  and 
perseverance  have  met  with  the  deserved  reward  of  gaining  the 
highest  reputation  for  their  goods  wherever  they  have  been 
used.  Considerable  difficulty  was  experienced  about  1854,  in 
procuring  a  reliable  supply  of  clay,  and  the  proprietor,  feel- 
ing the  necessity  and  the  advantages  of  having  his  own  mines, 
purchased  the  clay  property  (discovered  by  him)  situated  here, 
and  here  erected  a  building  for  the  manufacture  of  fire  brick. 
Large  additions  were  made  to  the  premises  in  1855,  providing 
for  the. employment  of  a  large  number  of  men.     The  growth 


734  HISTOET  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

and  prosperity  of  this  little  village,  by  reason  of  Mr.  Kreischer's 
enterprise  and  success,  was  such  that  a  post  office  was  estab- 
lished and  the  place  named  Kreischerville.  In  the  year  1860 
the  buildings  were  enlarged  and  the  manufacture  of  clay  gas 
retorts  introduced,  this  being  the  first  place  where  gas  retorts 
of  clay  were  manufactured  in  America.  In  1865  valuable  clay 
beds  at  Woodbridge,  N.  J.,  and  Chester  City,  Pa.,  were  pur- 
chased, and  the  business  had  become  so  prosperous  that  the 
New  York  manufactory  was  rebuilt,  and  a  new  system  of  burn- 
ing and  drying,  together  with  improvements  in  machinery, 
were  introduced. 

Balthasar  Kreischkr,  who  was  born  March  13,  1813,  at 
Hornbach,  a  small  village  of  Bavaria,  is  the  grandson  of  Nicko- 
las  Kreischer,  a  native  of  Berschweiler,  Rhenish  Prussia,  who 
settled  in  Hornbach  as  a  manufacturer  of  bricks.  His  three 
sons  were  Peter,  Andreas  and  Balthasar.  The  latter,  born  in 
1776,  married  Susan  Schlemmer,  and  had  four  daughters  and 
two  sons,  one  of  whom  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  After  re- 
ceiving a  common  school  education  he  was  apprenticed  to  a 
stone  cutter  and  sculptor.  At  the  age  of  twenty-two  he 
was  selected,  together  with  two  others,  to  lay  the  corner 
stone  of  the  fortress  of  Germersheim,  near  the  ruined  castle  of 
Freidrichsbuhl,  where  Rudolph  of  Hapsburg  died  in  1291.  In 
December,  1835,  occurred  the  great  fire  in  New  York  which  in- 
fluenced his  emigration  to  that  city.  Arriving  in  June,  1836, 
he  immediately  sought  work  and  aided  in  rebuilding  the  burned 
district.  Soon  after  he  married  Caroline,  daughter  of  George 
Haenchen,  of  Hornbach,  and  speedily  became  a  builder  on  his 
own  account,  erecting  many  houses  and  business  structures. 
The  building  of  bakers'  ovens  became  a  specialty,  his  reputa- 
tion being  early  established  as  the  best  builder  of  such  ovens 
in  the  city,  many  of  them  of  fire  brick.  Mr.  Kreischei  having 
discovered  in  New  Jersey  a  suitable  clay,  determined  to  embark 
in  the  manufacture  of  fire  brick  himself,  and  for  this  purpose 
found  a  co-partnership  with  Charles  Mumpeton  under  the  firm 
name  of  Kreischer  &  Mumpeton.  To  overcome  the  prejudice 
against  the  domestic  article,  as  compared  with  the  English,  he 
entered  into  a  contract  with  a  consumer  by  which  a  furnace  was 
built,  one-half  with  imported  fire  brick  and  the  remainder  with 
brick  of  his  own  manufacture,  giving  a  bond  of  indemnity 
against   loss  in   case   his  own  gave  out  before  the  imported 


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HISTOBY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  735 

article.  The  result  was  in  his  favor  and  decisive.  In  a  few 
years  the  English  article  was  almost  entirely  superseded  by 
brick  of  Mr.  Kreischer's  manufacture.  Mr.  Mumpeton  having 
died  in  1849,  his  partner  conducted  the  business  alone,  giving 
it  close  attention  and  introducing  from  time  to  time  improve- 
ments suggested  by  his  own  experience  and  the  study  of  Euro- 
pean methods.  Its  extension  was  such  that  the  factory  originally 
occupying  one  city  lot,  covered  thirteen  lots.  Mr.  Kriescher 
also  found  time  to  start  a  chemical  works  in  1850  and  works 
for  the  manufacture  of  ultra-marine  blue  in  1852.  He  finally 
purchased  an  extensive  property  in  Westfield  township,  Staten 
Island,  built  additional  works  near  his  mines,  adjoining  the 
Staten  Island  sound,  with  superior  facilities  for  transportation, 
and  ultimately  made  it  his  place  of  residence.  A  prosperous 
village  soon  grew  up,  and  the  government  established  a  post 
oflSce  under  the  name  of  Kreischerville.  Mr.  Kreischer  was 
in  1860  one  of  the  originators  of  the  Staten  Island  Railway 
which,  by  his  subsequent  generous  aid,  was  rendered  self-sus- 
taining. In  1865  valuable  clay  beds  were  purchased  at  Wood- 
bridge,  New  Jersey,  on  the  Staten  Island  souhd,  and  in  Chester 
county,  Pennsylvania.  The  New  York  manufactory  was  re- 
built and  a  new  system  of  burning  and  drying,  with  various 
improvements  in  machinery,  introduced.  In  1867  large  works 
were  erected  in  Philadelphia,  the  New  York  works  abandoned 
in  1876,  and  extensive  additions  made  to  the  Staten  Island 
establishment.  Mr.  Kreischer  had  meanwhile  kept  fully  abreast 
of  the  time  and  maintained  the  highest  reputation  for  his 
goods.  Meanwhile  his  sons,  George  Frederick,  Charles  C, 
and  Edward  B.,  after  a  thorough  education  in  their  own 
country  and  in  Europe,  were  made  familiar  with  the  business  to 
which  they  succeeded  in  1878.  Mr.  Kreischer  was  one  of  the 
original  trustees  of  the  Dry  Dock  Savings  Bank.  He  was  an 
active  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  connected  with 
various  charitable  organizations,  much  time  and  aid  having  been 
given  by  him  to  the  Association  for  the  Improvement  of  the 
Condition  of  the  Poor  of  New  York.  At  Kreischerville,  named 
in  his  honor,  he  was  held  in  high  esteem  for  his  active,  intelli- 
gent participation  in  every  movement  tending  to  the  moral  and 
material  advancement  of  the  community.  One  of  his  latest 
acts  of  benevolence  was  the  gift  of  St.  Peter's  German  Lutheran 
Church  to  the  congregation,    free  of  debt.     The  death  of  Mr. 


736  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

Kreischer  occurred  on  the  25th  of  August,  1886,  at  Kreischer- 
ville. 

The  Jewett  White  Lead  Company's  works,  at  Port  Rich- 
mond, on  Staten  Island,  were  established  in  1842,  under  the  firm 
name  of  John  Jewett  &  Sons,  and  have  since  been  greatly  en- 
larged, until  they  now  occupy  about  two  and  a  half  acres  of 
ground.  The  main  building  for  manufacturing  purposes  is  one 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  long,  forty  feet  wide  and  three  stories 
high.  In  this  building  the  machinery  is  propelled  by  an  en- 
gine of  eighty  horse  power.  In  the  year  1862  another  building 
was  erected  for  manufacturing  purposes,  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  long,  thirty-five  feet  wide  and  three  stories  high.  In  this 
building  the  machinery  is  propelled  by  an  engine  of  forty 
horse  power.  The  works  have  a  capacity  for  producing  three 
thousand  tons  of  pure  white  lead  annually,  and  they  consume 
about  two  thousand  tons  of  coal  and  employ  one  hundred  men. 
The  quality  of  their  productions  is  well  and  favorably  known 
to  dealers  in  all  parts  of  the  country. 

In  the  year  1882  the  company  was  reorganized,  under  the 
name  of  "The  Jewett  White  Lead  Company,"  with  the  follow- 
ing officers :  Benjamin  C.  Webster,  president ;  James  W.  Sel- 
lick,  secretary  ;  Charles  H.  Jewett,  secretary.  The  sub- office 
for  the  transaction  of  business  is  at  28  Burling  slip,  in  the  city 
of  New  York. 

The  corroding  houses,  of  which  there  are  three,  are  frame 
structures,  each  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long  and  sixty- 
five  feet  wide,  and  of  the  usual  height  to  accommodate  the 
beds.  James  B.  Pollock,  superintendent,  has  been  connected 
with  the  works  twenty-nine  years,  twenty  of  which  he  has  been 
superintendent,  proving  himself  a  very  successful  and  efiicient 
one. 

Two  of  the  partners,  Messrs.  G.  W.  Jewett  and  J.  A.  Dean, 
commenced  the  manufacture  of  linseed  oil  in  1869.  The  build- 
ings, which  are  nearly  a  mile  west  of  the  white  lead  works,  also 
stand  between  the  Shore  road  and  Kill  Von  Kull,  and  partly  on 
a  large  wharf.  The  main  building  is  of  brick,  three  stories  high, 
one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  long  by  seventy  six  feet  wide,  with 
an  addition  seventy-six  by  twenty-five  feet,  and  a  tower  con- 
taining a  public  clock.  This  establishment  employs  about 
fifty  men,  and  manufactures  about   half  a  million  of  gallons 


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HISTORY  OP  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  737 

of  oil  annually.     The  works  are  now  owned  by  J.  A.  Dean  & 
Company. 

The  manufacture  of  silk  has  been  carried  on  for  severa:! 
years  at  New  Brighton  by  the  Irving  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, under  the  management  of  John  Irving.  This  establish- 
ment has  been  lately  devoted  to  the  manufacture  of  dress 
linings.  An  office  is  maintained  at  84  Franklin  street,  New 
York. 

At  the  same  place  in  New  Brighton  the  Manchester  Manufac- 
turing Company,  consisting  of  John  Irving  and  William  G. 
Hartley,  of  Manchester,  England,  recently  began  operations. 
The  partnership  was  formed  in  the  early  part  of  1885  for  the 
manufacture  of  silk  and  cotton  plush,  mohair,  woolen  uphols- 
tering and  dress  goods  and  velvets.  Forty  new  looms  of  im- 
proved invention  were  placed  in  the  old  silk  mill  on  Jersey 
street,  and  the  work  was  begun  during  the  summer.  A  force 
of  about  fifty  men  and  girls  was  set  to  work.  The  manufacture 
of  a  silk  plush  strongly  resembling  sealskin  was  made  a  spec- 
ialty. The  business  was  commenced  with  the  employment  of 
about  $100,000  capital. 

John  Irving  was  born  April  17,  1844,  in  County  Derry,  Ire- 
land, and  educated  principally  at  the  night  schools  of  his  na- 
tive place.     At  the  age  of  twelve  he  was  a{)prenticed  to  the 
weaver's  trade  and  at  seventeen  embarked  in  the  manufacture 
of  fine  linen,  with  such  marked  success  that  soon  after  he  had 
several  looms  in   operation.     Discovering  in  America  a  wider 
field  for  his  ability  he,  in  1866,  emigrated,  and  settled  in  Patter- 
son, N.  J.,  as  an  employee  of  R.  &  H.  Adams  &  Co.     Leaving 
this  firm  at  the  expiration  of  the  third   year,  he  spent  three 
years  in  New  York,  and  then  established  in  Brooklyn  a  factory 
for  the  making  of  book  jnuslins  for  the  dry  goods  trade,  which 
he  was  the  first  to  introduce  into  this  country.     In  1881  Mr. 
Irving  purchased  the  valuable  property  now  owned  by  him  iti 
New  Brighton,  and  began  the  manufacture  of    India   linens, 
Victoria  lawns,  tarlatanes,  and  mohair  and  silk  plushes  for  up- 
holstery.    There  being  little  competition  in  these  fabrics  he  is 
able   largely  to   control    their   production   and   finds   a  ready 
market  in  all  the  large  cities  of    the  United  States.     Mf.  Irving 
devotes  his  attention  exclusively  to  his  extensive  business,  and 
as  a  consequence  has  no  leisure   to  bestow  upon  public  enter, 
prises  or  privace  schemes.      He  was   married  on  the  15th    of 

47 


738  HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY. 

April,  1864,  to  Eliza,  daughter  of  Kobert  McElroy.  of  County 
Derry,  Ireland.  Their  children  are:  William,  Margaret,  John 
and  Geogre  W. 

The  Linoleum  works  are  located  at  the  western  extremity  of 
the  Richmond  turnpike,  on  the  shore  of  Arthur  kill  or  Staten 
Island  sound.  The  enterprise  was  established  here  a  little  more 
than  ten  years  ago,  by  a  joint  stock  company  having  a  capital 
of  four  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  a  considerable  part 
of  the  stock  being  owned  in  England.  The  title  of  the  corpo- 
ration is  "  The  American  Linoleum  Manufacturing  Company," 
and  the  article  manufactured  is  a  floor  cloth,  which  is  made 
from  ground  cork  and  linseed  oil  under  patents  held  by  the 
company.  This  was  the  first  venture  in  the  manufacture  of 
such  an  article  in  this  country,  and  as  far  as  we  know  is  now 
the  only  one  in  operation.  The  article  is  a  substitute  for  oil 
cloth,  being  much  more  durable,  and  though  perhaps  more 
costly  to  begin  with,  is  for  the  reason  suggested  less  expensive 
in  the  end. 

The  plant  is  located  on  a  tract  of  about  two  hundred  acres 
owned  by  the  company.  Building  was  begun  in  August,  1873, 
and  in  the  course  of  three  years  the  works  erected  covered  an 
area  of  about  seven  acres.  The  manufactured  goods  were  first 
placed  on  the  market  in  January,  1875.  Joseph  Wild  was  the 
president  of  the  company  at  the  beginning  of  its  operations, 
and  J.  Cartledge  was  the  manufacturing  director. 

The  company  has  been  eminently  successful  in  its  business, 
the  products  meeting  with  a  general  approval  and  ready  sale. 
For  many  years  the  demand  for  their  goods  was  ahead  of  their 
capacity  to  supply  it.  Steam  to  the  amount  of  one  hundred 
and  forty  horse  power  was  used  and  about  two  hundred 
workmen  employed,  the  works  being  run  by  night  and  by 
day.  Electric  lights  were  used  to  facilitate  night  work.  A 
village  was  erected  about  the  works,  and  this  is  now  con- 
nected by  stages  making  several  trips  daily  over  the  beauti- 
ful macadamized  road  to  Port  Richmond,  about  five  miles 
distant. 

De  Jonge's  paper  factory  was  originally  located  in  New  York 
city,  but  as  business  increased  and  additional  facilities  became 
imperative,  the  works  were  removed  to  Staten  Island  in  1852. 
They  are  located  on  the  south  side  of  Richmond   turnpike, 


En^ftyAHBUcicU- 


Mmmi 


HISTORY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTY.  739 

about  half  a  mile  from  Tompkinsville.  Louis  De  Jonge  and 
Charles  F.  Zentgraf  are  the  proprietors,  and  carry  on  the  busi- 
ness of  coloring,  printing  and  finishing  fancy  paper,  under  the 
style  of  Louis  De  Jonge  &  Co.  The  capital  invested  is  about 
$200,000,  and  the  annual  value  of  the  manufactures  about 
$300,000.  The  works  cover  an  area  of  about  two  acres,  the 
principal  building  is  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long  by 
forty  feet  wide,  with  a  wing  at  right  angles  of  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  by  thirty  feet.  From  one  hundred  and  ten  to 
one  hundred  and  twenty  hands  are  regularly  employed  in  the 
establishment,  and  the  engines,  in  the  aggregate,  are  about  one 
hundred  horse  power.  The  office  of  the  company  is  at  71  and 
73  Duane  street,  New  York  city. 

The  Windsor  plaster  mills,  said  to  have  been  among  the 
largest  of  the  kind  in  the  country,  were  located  at  New  Brighton, 
on  the  shore  of  the  kills,  where  they  had  a  frontage  of  over 
two  hundred  feet,  and  near  the  foot  of  Jersey  street.  About 
ninety  men  were  employed  there.  The  buildings  were  de- 
stroyed by  fire  on  the  19th  of  July,  1885,  destroying  prop- 
erty to  the  amount  of  about  $225,000.  The  works  were  owned 
by  Messrs.  J.  B.  King  &  Co.,  the  "company"  being  Peter 
C.  Biegel,  George  H.  Wooster  and  George  R.  King.  Ttie 
debris  was  immediately  cleared  away  and  the  mills  were 
rebuilt. 

About  twenty-five  or  thirty  years  ago  a  factory  was  estab- 
lished at  Seguine's  Point  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the  oil 
from  palm  nuts,  by  expressing.  The  works  were  erected  by  a 
company  composed  of  Joseph  H.  and  Stephen  Seguine,  Isaac 
K.  Jessup  and  Major  Bennett.  The  work  did  not  prove  remu- 
nerative, and  the  establishment  was  afterward  devoted  to  the 
manufacture  of  candles.  This  was  also  abandoned  as  unprofit- 
able, and  about  the  year  1865  the  factory  was  sold  to  Algernon 
K.  Johnson. 

In  the  factory  above  mentioned,  sometime  after  its  purchase 
by  Mr.  Johnston,  the  Johnston  Brothers,  of  whom  he  was  one, 
placed  their  machinery,  and  began  the  manufacture  of  dental 
supplies.  This  work  consists  of  a  wide  range  of  articles  :  gold 
foil,  dental  instruments,  dental  chairs,  brackets,  engines, 
lathes,  inhalers,  and,  in  short,  whatever  a  dentist  needs  in  his 

business. 
The  liquefaction  of  nitrous  oxide  gas  was  first  accomplished 


740  HISTOEY  OF  RICHMOND  COUNTS'. 

in  this  country  and  on  a  commercial  scale  at  these  works.  The 
business  of  Johnston  Brothers,  and  that  of  the  late  Mr.  S.  S. 
White  have  been  merged  into  the  "S.  S.  White  Dental  Manu- 
facturing Company,"  and  is  now  located  here.  About  two  hun- 
dred hands  are  employed,  and  the  goods,  which  a/e  acknowl- 
edged as  the  best  made  in  the  world,  are  sent  all  over  the 
United  States  and  to  every  part  of  Europe. 

Other  manufactures  have  been  in  operation  on  the  island. 
Among  them  was  the  manufacture  of  rubber  cloth,  which  was 
begun  by  the  New  York  India  Rubber  Cloth  Company  in  1835. 
This  company  was  incorporated  by  an  act  passed  March  11 
of  that  year,  with  a  capital  stock  of  $100,000,  which  was  divided 
into  shares  of  fifty  dollars  each.  The  directors  appointed  by 
the  act  were  :  Samuel  Marsh,  Nathan  Barrett  and  David  V.  N. 
Mersereau.  A  building  was  erected  in  New  Brighton,  and 
the  business  was  for  a  time  successfully  carried  on.  The 
building  has  since  been  used  in  the  manufacture  of  paper 
hangings. 

McCullough's  shot  factory  was  in  operation  for  several  years 
before  and  during  the  late  war.  In  May,  1862,  it  was  work- 
ing day  and  night  to  supply  government  contracts  for  min- 
ie  balls,  to  the  amount  of  several  hundred  tons.  It  stood 
near  the  steamboat  landing  at  Stapleton.  About  the  close  of 
the  war  it  was  abandoned  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  had 
been  used,  and  the  tower  was  pulled  down.  The  building 
otherwise  was  enlarged  and  converted  into  a  cream  tartar  fac- 
tory, and  this,  after  running  but  a  few  weeks,  was  declared  a 
nuisance  and  closed  by  order  of  the  courts. 

The  manufacture  of  mowing  machines  by  the  Hopkins 
Mower  Company  is  about  being  established  upon  the  island, 
but  at  the  time  of  this  writing  their  plans  are  not  sufficiently 
developed  to  become  a  part  of  history.  The  company  has 
been  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  New  Jersey,  and  its  of- 
ficers are :  Alexander  M.  Holmes,  president ;  Rev.  Thomas 
S.  Yocum,  vice-president ;  Thomas  L.  James,  treasurer,  and 
A.  K.  Johnston,  secretary. 

There  are  two  gas  light  companies  doing  business  on  the 
island.  These  are  the  Richmond  County  Gas  Light  Company, 
which  has  been  established  about  twenty-five  years,  and  the 
Staten  Island  Gas  Light  Company,  established  in  1884.  Both 
have  their  manufacturing  works  at  Stapleton.     The  former  has 


HISTORY  OF  EICHMOND  COUNTY.  741 

about  fifty  miles  of  mains  laid  and  manufactures  about  thirty 
million  cubic  feet  of  gas  per  annum.  Their  grounds,  build- 
ings, etc.,  are  valued  at  about  $100,000.  The  capital  stock  of 
the  company  is  $400,000,  nearly  the  whole  of  which  has  been 
actually  issued.  The  annual  dividends  have  generally  been  as 
high  as  six  or  seven  per  cent. 


I  H\t  miin